Jet Star

[gunrunner]

Anyone had and experience with this variety?


Mike

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by gunrunner

Anyone had and experience with this variety?


Mike

Absolutely.

It , along with two other F1 hybrids were amongst the first hybrids to be developed and were so by the Harris Seed Co in Rochester, NY.

The three hybrids were

Jet Star
Supersonic
Moreton Hybrid

And along with Ramapo F1, also one of the first hybrids, is also one of my faves.

About the same time Big Boy F1 and Better boy F1 were also released and many continue to grow them and yes, I've grown them as well.

but I think that Jet Star and Supersonic and Ramapo F1 have much better tastes than the boys, as it were, for me Moreton Hybrid was too soft.

Carolyn, just noting that Jet Star was one of the 20 or so varieties that were introduced many years ago that were low acid, so if one uses them for canning that that Ball Blue Book and other canning books all say to acidify the contents when canning.

[MendozaMark]

I just started water bath canning last year and i am a little confused on "low acid" tomatoes. I had read somewhere (possibly here) that the range of PH in tomatoes does not vary much and that it was the sugar content that fluctuated causing the difference in perception of acidity. Jet Star is one the varieties i am growing, and i did get a PH meter for canning purposes. I will try my best to keep a record of my amateur results and post them in a few months.

If I do need to acidify my sauces, does lemon juice alter the flavour noticeably ?

[Tormato]

I've trialed Jet Star and Supersonic. Supersonic tasted better, and was more prolific.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by MendozaMark

I just started water bath canning last year and i am a little confused on "low acid" tomatoes. I had read somewhere (possibly here) that the range of PH in tomatoes does not vary much and that it was the sugar content that fluctuated causing the difference in perception of acidity. Jet Star is one the varieties i am growing, and i did get a PH meter for canning purposes. I will try my best to keep a record of my amateur results and post them in a few months.

If I do need to acidify my sauces, does lemon juice alter the flavour noticeably ?

It is very true that many seed vendors say this or that variety is low acid, when indeed it is not and yes, b'c the high sugar content masks the normal acidity that they have.

I tried to find that original list of20 varieties that were posted many years ago where Jet Star was one of them, but I did find answers to your questions as to acidification, and why it's important viz botulism spores, and also a list of low acid ones that someone made but did not list Jet Star but Jet Star was mentioned insome other links.

Had I tried to find Ball Blue book excerpts I would have found it.

First, the google search;

https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...d+20+varieties

And now a couple of other important links

http://articles.herald-mail.com/2005...loom-high-acid

http://www.pickyourown.org/tomato_acidity.php

Carolyn, and no, lemon juice does not change the taste as you'll read in many of the links. Yes, I am a retired Microbiologist re botulism and all kinds of food poisoning,etc.

[AKmark]

It was kind of a dud for me taste-wise, several other hybrids I grow, or have grown, are better IMO.

[MendozaMark]

Thanks Carolyn !

Mark, who is about to dig fence post holes so he doesn't have to scream profanities at his tomato stealing dogs this year.

[seaeagle]

Originally Posted by gunrunner

Anyone had and experience with this variety?


Mike

I experience Jet Star every year.It is very dependable here but I read somewhere once that is was bred specifically for the east coast and humid conditions, but I think it grows good everywhere.

It is a great candidate for staking and you don't need a long stake.Mine rarely grow past 7 feet.I prune mine to 3 or 4 stems and Jet Star consistently sets 4 to 5 tomatoes per truss.It almost looks like bunches of grapes.You don't have much foliage cover, but they never get sun scald.

Taste is really good and makes great tomato juice, they are very juicy.I guess you can tell I like Jet Star

[PaulF]

Without Jet Star and Celebrity the hybrid tomato growers in my neck of the woods would be lost. In taste tests they both finish at the bottom of the list, but those growers for some unknown reason continue to plant them.

[Tormato]

It's a well known reason. Round and red is what sells.

[feldon30]

It's good on a burger or salsa, but it's not a knock-your socks off tomato. It's part of my garden every year as is Big Beef because every tomato in sauce or on a burger doesn't need to be a "10".

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by gunrunner

Anyone had and experience with this variety?


Mike

I tried JetStar 2 years ago based on Carolyn's recommendation, and I am glad I did. I purchased seeds from Pinetree - very reasonable and 15% less over the US Thanksgiving weekend. I think this is a really good tomato and I'm glad I tried it. The plant is dense and robust and always seems to be a bit shorter than other hybrids. I train my indeterminates to a single stem and it responds well to this. The tomatoes are beautiful, typically perfect shape with no blemishes. I was looking at my 2015 plant today and noticed it has a couple of fruit with blemishes, the first time I have seen this. Productivity is very good for a hybrid. For me the taste is very good, but it is not my favourite. In my arid Zone 3a growing conditions it produces lots of fruit in the 8-12oz range, and ripens about 30% of them at the tail end of our short season.

The top picture shows the bottom 3 of 5 fruit brachs of my 2015 plant. Flea beetles are a real issue here and you can see that JetStar did not have a problem getting past them.

[Bipetual]

Jet Star is a decent, dependable tomato. I like that they don't get super tall since we grow in containers.

[Gardeneer]

Just a Question to those have grown JS:
How do you compare it in productivity to BIG BEEF, BETTER BOY or SUPERSONIC?

I am growing bIg Beef for the first time and it has been the star performer in my garden among 25 varieties. No I want to add another one like that. I have been thnking about Better Boy.
What do you recommend ? JS, BB, SS ? or what ? hehe

Gardeneer

[RJGlew]

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

Just a Question to those have grown JS:
How do you compare it in productivity to BIG BEEF

For me, Big Beef is more productive than JS - the advantage of JS here is earliness. I don't grow Better Boy any more.

My favourite hybrid is Burpee's Steak Sandwich - 70 DTM, really great tasting large pink fruit, & great productivity. I typically see it at the USA big box displays for a couple of bucks.