Looking for feedback on Opalka, Jersey Devil and TFON

DrTrish · January 2, 2016

In addition to my main staples (Beefsteak, Sun Sugar, San Marzano, Sausage, and Viva Italia), I would like to try 3 new varieties in my garden next year. They are: Opalka, Jersey Devil and Ten Fingers Of Naples. Does anyone have personal experience with these varieties? If so, would you give them a yay or nay, and why? Thanks in advance!

lexxluthor · January 2, 2016

I would be curious to know also since they seem to be for sauce or paste tomatoes, I am growing about 10 different sauce maters and it's great to hear about their experiences also.

Worth1 · January 2, 2016

Here is my opinion on the sauce tomatoes.
In my experience they can be either very bad or good depending on the growing conditions.
Far less forgiving than regular tomatoes.
Of the three Opalka is one of the best but dont expect to get a huge crop.

Worth

**carolyn137** · January 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrTrish

In addition to my main staples (Beefsteak, Sun Sugar, San Marzano, Sausage, and Viva Italia), I would like to try 3 new varieties in my garden next year. They are: Opalka, Jersey Devil and Ten Fingers Of Naples. Does anyone have personal experience with these varieties? If so, would you give them a yay or nay, and why? Thanks in advance!

I have grown all three and actually introduced Opalka

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Opalka

Not b/c I'm especially biased, I'm not, but IMO Opalka is the best and if you look at the many seed sources for it from Tania's link I think you'll agree.

Jersey Devil is just one of many long red paste tomatoes with a knob at the blossom end.

And 10 fingers of Naples is amusingly named, but that's about it.

I've grown many paste varieties for different reasons and finally found out as others have, that for sauce it's best to use heart varieties or meaty beefsteaks for sauce b'c they have less seeds than do the paste varieties and are not as susceptible to BER and Early Blight as are almost all of the paste varieties, with few exceptions and TASTE much better as well.

Carolyn

DrTrish · January 2, 2016

Thanks for the input! I have chosen these three because all claim to be the sweetest, best tasting paste tomato. I have only used beefsteak tomatoes in sauce if I have an excess of them because of all the seeds and liquids.

TC_Manhattan · January 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

I've grown many paste varieties for different reasons and finally found out as others have, that for sauce it's best to use heart varieties or meaty beefsteaks for sauce b'c they have less seeds than do the paste varieties and are not as susceptible to BER and Early Blight as are almost all of the paste varieties, with few exceptions and TASTE much better as well.

Carolyn

Carolyn, how about Heidi?

You introduced that one as well. I grew it for the first time this last summer (courtesy of D. Jones) and they were awesome! They easily produced at least 200 nice-sized paste tomatoes from each of two plants. No BER. I grew them in 5 ft. cages and they were beyond prolific for me. And they were a nice, sweet tasting tomato that made wonderful slow-roasted sauce.

They are on my must-grow list.

**carolyn137** · January 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC_Manhattan

Carolyn, how about Heidi?

You introduced that one as well. I grew it for the first time this last summer (courtesy of D. Jones) and they were awesome! They easily produced at least 200 nice-sized paste tomatoes from each of two plants. No BER. I grew them in 5 ft. cages and they were beyond prolific for me. And they were a nice, sweet tasting tomato that made wonderful slow-roasted sauce.

They are on my must-grow list.

Absolutely Heidi and it's one of Fusion's faves as well.

I've hesitated mentioning others that I think are a step beyond the typical paste when someone asks about specific varieties, but yes, I would add Heidi as well as Mama Leone as being two other very good ones.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Heidi

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Mama_Leone

Carolyn

luigiwu · January 2, 2016

I grew Heidi 2 years ago and thought it was an awesome all-around tomatos. I didn't think it was really a paste tomato though, not really 100% meaty and not dry. The fruit is small-ish and you'll need to do some work since you'll peel a lot of them. I would rather grow oxhearts (which I do primarily now.)

Worth1 · January 2, 2016

I'm going to give my opinion on two varieties that are seldom mentioned here.
They are both fantastic paste type tomatoes that I have grown in Texas.
Orange Banana.
Striped Roman AKA Speckled Roman, you simply cant go wrong with this one.

Don't even ask me why I am not growing it this year, I'm an idiot.
Worth

ginger2778 · January 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrTrish

In addition to my main staples (Beefsteak, Sun Sugar, San Marzano, Sausage, and Viva Italia), I would like to try 3 new varieties in my garden next year. They are: Opalka, Jersey Devil and Ten Fingers Of Naples. Does anyone have personal experience with these varieties? If so, would you give them a yay or nay, and why? Thanks in advance!

You can see a photo and description of Dix Doights de Naples( the Italian name for it)in my photos of my growlist thread.

pmcgrady · January 2, 2016

Opalka is a great tomato, if you control BER...

AlittleSalt · January 2, 2016

I had been thinking of growing Jersey Devil just because of how it looks. A tomato that looks like a pepper. But in a sauce - who cares what the tomato looked like while growing. Opalka and Heart tomatoes are the ones I have read the most positive feedback for.

Worth1 · January 2, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I had been thinking of growing Jersey Devil just because of how it looks. A tomato that looks like a pepper. But in a sauce - who cares what the tomato looked like while growing. Opalka and Heart tomatoes are the ones I have read the most positive feedback for.

Just make sure you dont trade off a winning team for too many losers.

But by all means try some and that way you will know on your terms not mine or anyone else's.

Worth

AlittleSalt · January 3, 2016

I agree Worth.

I already know that it will be fun finding those different tastes of the different paste and heart tomatoes. I personally like ones that are a little more acidic - which you almost never read that someone wants a paste tomato that isn't sweet.

But then again, I've read where people have used Sungold and Black Plum for making paste and salsa. My favorite homemade tomato sauce in the 2015 year was made with Bradley tomatoes. I am going to try some sauce made with Big Beef this year. It might be good - might be compost food?

**carolyn137** · January 3, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

You can see a photo and description of Dix Doights de Napoli ( the Italian name for it)in my photos of my growlist thread.

Yes Marsha Idoknowhowtospell it for thefollowingeason

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...b=General_Info

And it was first known as Naples, not Napoli, which would be correct for a variety from Italy, same as the difference between Rome and Roma.

These days sometimes my fingers go faster than my brain does all b/c I'm so far behind with everything and can't seem to catch up.

The Amish have a proverb that I liked which said:

The faster I go the behinder I get.

Carolyn

January 2, 2016	#1
DrTrish Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: northcentral IN Posts: 29	Looking for feedback on Opalka, Jersey Devil and TFON In addition to my main staples (Beefsteak, Sun Sugar, San Marzano, Sausage, and Viva Italia), I would like to try 3 new varieties in my garden next year. They are: Opalka, Jersey Devil and Ten Fingers Of Naples. Does anyone have personal experience with these varieties? If so, would you give them a yay or nay, and why? Thanks in advance!

January 2, 2016	#8
luigiwu Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: ny Posts: 1,219	I grew Heidi 2 years ago and thought it was an awesome all-around tomatos. I didn't think it was really a paste tomato though, not really 100% meaty and not dry. The fruit is small-ish and you'll need to do some work since you'll peel a lot of them. I would rather grow oxhearts (which I do primarily now.) __________________ Subirrigated Container gardening (RGGS) in NY, Zone 7!

January 2, 2016	#11
pmcgrady Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,836	Opalka is a great tomato, if you control BER... Last edited by pmcgrady; January 2, 2016 at 11:03 PM. Reason: Spelling

January 2, 2016	#2
lexxluthor Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: New York Posts: 156	I would be curious to know also since they seem to be for sauce or paste tomatoes, I am growing about 10 different sauce maters and it's great to hear about their experiences also.

January 2, 2016	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Here is my opinion on the sauce tomatoes. In my experience they can be either very bad or good depending on the growing conditions. Far less forgiving than regular tomatoes. Of the three Opalka is one of the best but dont expect to get a huge crop. Worth

January 2, 2016	#12
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I had been thinking of growing Jersey Devil just because of how it looks. A tomato that looks like a pepper. But in a sauce - who cares what the tomato looked like while growing. Opalka and Heart tomatoes are the ones I have read the most positive feedback for.

January 3, 2016	#14
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I agree Worth. I already know that it will be fun finding those different tastes of the different paste and heart tomatoes. I personally like ones that are a little more acidic - which you almost never read that someone wants a paste tomato that isn't sweet. But then again, I've read where people have used Sungold and Black Plum for making paste and salsa. My favorite homemade tomato sauce in the 2015 year was made with Bradley tomatoes. I am going to try some sauce made with Big Beef this year. It might be good - might be compost food?