german johnson - RL, PL difference?

piegirl · February 10, 2007

While checking out TGS tomato listing I noticed G Johson RL and PL. Is there much of a difference? The descriptions seemed pretty much the same. Thanks in advance - Piegirl

**carolyn137** · February 11, 2007

This has been asked before and I'll do my best to answer it.

When I go back to some of the earliest SSE Yearbooks everyone who lists a leaf form lists it as RL.

A PL variant popped up in the mid-90's and appears to have come from TT.

What's common about TT at that time and TGS is that both were getting seed from Seeds by Design in CA, a wholesale place, so I think that's where it came from, as have quite a few other wrong varieties.

if it were me I'd go for the RL one.

That being said, in past such threads there are some who have said that both leaf forms existed in the South, b'c this is a variety that was mainly grown in southern climes. And I can't speak to that, I can only tell you what German Johnson was listed as in earlier SSE Yearbooks.

travis · February 11, 2007

Last year, I purchased some German Johnson PL seeds ...
not from TGS. The seedlings they produced were not very vigorous
and were an intermediate leaf form and not truly PL.
I culled them because of their apparent inferiority.

However, I have had folks who grow tomatoes in Appalachia
speak highly of German Johnson both RL and PL ...
so ... it could've been a grower related problem on this end.

PV

giardiniere · February 12, 2007

I'm growing it (the RL version) for the first time this year. I'll make sure I keep Keith's "12 hour window" in mind, especially since he and I have similar climates.

February 10, 2007	#1
piegirl Tomatovillian™ Honoree Join Date: May 2006 Location: Lincoln, NE Posts: 791	german johnson - RL, PL difference? While checking out TGS tomato listing I noticed G Johson RL and PL. Is there much of a difference? The descriptions seemed pretty much the same. Thanks in advance - Piegirl

February 11, 2007	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	This has been asked before and I'll do my best to answer it. When I go back to some of the earliest SSE Yearbooks everyone who lists a leaf form lists it as RL. A PL variant popped up in the mid-90's and appears to have come from TT. What's common about TT at that time and TGS is that both were getting seed from Seeds by Design in CA, a wholesale place, so I think that's where it came from, as have quite a few other wrong varieties. if it were me I'd go for the RL one. That being said, in past such threads there are some who have said that both leaf forms existed in the South, b'c this is a variety that was mainly grown in southern climes. And I can't speak to that, I can only tell you what German Johnson was listed as in earlier SSE Yearbooks. __________________ Carolyn

February 12, 2007	#4
giardiniere Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Zone 6, Southeast Kansas Posts: 364	I'm growing it (the RL version) for the first time this year. I'll make sure I keep Keith's "12 hour window" in mind, especially since he and I have similar climates. __________________ Dave

February 11, 2007	#3
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	Last year, I purchased some German Johnson PL seeds ... not from TGS. The seedlings they produced were not very vigorous and were an intermediate leaf form and not truly PL. I culled them because of their apparent inferiority. However, I have had folks who grow tomatoes in Appalachia speak highly of German Johnson both RL and PL ... so ... it could've been a grower related problem on this end. PV