If you could only grow 3 Project Dwarfs...

[Greatgardens]

What would they be? What makes these more impressive than their cousins? Size, earliness, vigor? I've grown nearly a dozen by now, and I have a couple of favorites:

Dwarf Pink Passion -- solid, meaty, juicy. Pretty early. Attractive plant. I have to admit that I'm partial to hearts.

Perth Pride -- love the flavor, but the downside is that it tends to split in an EarthBox.

I'd like to grow one or two more this summer. What do you suggest (from your favorites)?

-GG

[ContainerTed]

I've grown a bunch of them. I keep coming back to Iditarod Red, Yukon Quest, Chocolate Champion, and Kelly Green. But, I'm also looking forward to the ones Lee is developing: Gimli's Red Beard, Ruby Red, Brawny, Dwarf Coustralee, and others. Your taste buds and mine are totally different. That means that what I like may not suit your taste buds.

I also have some progeny of the family "Cheeky" and also "Loopy" that will be coming out in the near future. Additionally, I really like what I've seen so far from the new "Hearty" family.

So, my advice is to grow one or two or more each season and develop a list of YOUR favorites. I think that each of us needs to do that. It will result in a list of the ones you come back to again and again. They are all open pollinated, so you can save seeds for following seasons.

If you like Perth Pride, I think you might also like Dwarf Arctic Rose, Willa's Cariboo Rose, and Yukon Quest.

And, a note: I can't imagine tomatoes that split when in a container of any kind. Splitting is caused by too much water at one time after a period of inadequate water. Check your drain hole on that Earthbox. It may be at least partially clogged.

[kayrobbins]

I change the dwarfs I grow often but Tasmanian Chocolate always makes the cut. It has been such a consistent performer in both my spring and fall winter garden. I always have good production and it tolerates the heat and humidity. I am also growing the newly released Beauty King again. I fell in love with it when I was working on it for the dwarf project. The only new (to me) dwarf I am growing in Adelaide Festival.

[ginger2778]

Wild Fred, Beauty King, Tennessee Suited, because of the flavor.

[Greatgardens]

Beauty King is a fine looking tomato! Likewise Dwarf Firebird Sweet. I've been considering those two.
-GG

[TC_Manhattan]

Wherekowhai, because it tastes and looks like Lucky Cross. Yum, yum!

Iditarod Red, because it tastes great, early for me, and very productive and versatile!
Good for slicing in half and roasting, too. It is incredibly reliable for me.

Cherokee Tiger Large, because it has that gorgeous chartreuse foliage and grows big, flashy red tomatoes with golden stripes, and tastes as good as it looks. Neighbors have already asked me to grow more this year. Biggest one just over a lb., and that was grown in a 3.8 gal. nursery container. Awesome!

ETA: Oops! Cherokee Tiger Large isn't a Dwarf Project baby, so I'll add my vote for Pink Passion. Very cute and tasty pink hearts, prolific, and neighbor's girls love 'em!

[kayrobbins]

Beauty King is a pretty tomato but the taste is why you should grow it. The first time I tried it, it took back to my grandmother's garden when we would sit on the steps eating a tomato like an apple.

[jpop]

I have only grown tasmanian chocolate and rosella purple. Rosella purple were very good but tasmanian chocolate was the standout. They were superb and our family and friends fought over them.

Looking forward to growing:
beauty king
wild fred
tastywine
sweet scarlet
perth pride
brandyfred
iditarod red
blazing beauty

[Father'sDaughter]

Of the ones I grew out for the project, which isn't many, Tastywine is the standout from a flavor standpoint.

[PhilaGardener]

Rosella purple has been a favorite of mine too!

[schill93]

I'm surprised that two posters have mentioned liking Iditarod Red. Though I haven't tasted it, I was always of the impression that it was not a very good one. I don't remember where I read it, but I did somewhere.

For an early, I had heard that Arctic Rose was better tasting than Iditarod. I have both seeds, but did not plant them. Are both of these tomatoes on the acidic side?

[sjamesNorway]

In an earlier thread on this subject I read the following about Craig LeHoullier's taste preferences: Tied for first and 2nd were Golden Gypsy and Blazing Beauty. Orange Cream as 3rd. TastyWine was 4th. He's also written that they yield at least 10 pounds per plant.

Of these, I've only tried Blazing Beauty so far, and the taste was excellent. (TastyWine is on my grow list for this year.)

Steve

[nancyruhl]

I have to agree with the vote for Tasmanian Chocolate for the taste, beauty and production. I would also suggest Cherokee Tiger Large, but you did say Project tomato, so Dwarf Firebird Sweet is similar in coloration and flavor. Then you would have a range of colors and some mighty good eating. If you could fit in one more container, Wherekowhai, a bicolor with great production and flavor. Or if it didn't have to be Project dwarf and you wanted to add an orange slicer, Coastal Pride Orange.

[Labradors2]

TC Manhattan, I too thought that Wherekowhai was a fabulous tasting and beautiful dwarf. Mine tasted slightly better to me than Little Lucky!

Rosella Purple has great taste as does Sweet Scarlett.

Linda

[ContainerTed]

Originally Posted by schill93

I'm surprised that two posters have mentioned liking Iditarod Red. Though I haven't tasted it, I was always of the impression that it was not a very good one. I don't remember where I read it, but I did somewhere.

For an early, I had heard that Arctic Rose was better tasting than Iditarod. I have both seeds, but did not plant them. Are both of these tomatoes on the acidic side?

The seeds that went to the vendors for the initial release of these two varieties came from my garden and were saved by me. Dwarf Arctic Rose is a pink determinate and is full flavored with a touch of sweetness in the background. Iditarod Red is indeterminate and is also full flavored and a production machine.

When I say "full flavored", I mean that in the sense of the best beefsteak tomatoes. I make and preserve a lot of tomato juice every year. I want that juice to taste like the best of the growing year. When I grow Dwarf Arctic Rose and Iditarod Red, they are preserved as both juice and whole tomatoes.

Are they both on the acidic side?? I would say that they are, but in the sense, and no more than, Brandywine is on the acidic side. If all the tomatoes in the grocery stores tasted like either one, there would be no reason to grow our own.