Large red/yellow tomatoes

bigpinks · March 26, 2017

Anyone a fan of the sweet types? Prob the #1 fav of most of my family. I grew Mr Stripey for yrs even tho it only averaged about 2 or 3 per plant. Got Hillbilly from my neighbor and have now been growing that variety for several yrs from my own seed. Its more productive and gets up to two pounds. Sweet and solid rather than mushy. Vigorous plants I support with 6ft oak stakes. Will have 20 or more of these this yr barring a calamity. They sometimes bring 2 dollars ea at the Farmers Mkt. I don't sell any but give away prob 50 or so every yr. Two local libraries who do me favors getting unstocked books are on the receiving end of many of these. Even took some last yr to a local 911 ambulance station to total strangers.

Cole_Robbie · March 26, 2017

You might also like Orange Russian 117, KBX, Northern Lights, and Dwarf Sweet Sue.

bigpinks · March 27, 2017

Thanks.

**carolyn137** · March 27, 2017

What you refer to are what are called gold/red bicolors and there are several hundreds of them that are known. They are from Germany and adjacent countries, a few have been bred here in the US, Orange Russian #117 is a good example, and most were brought to the US by imigrants.

The one you mention,Mr.Stripey, I think is the least popular one.

Grow Variety X one year and it's lucious and sweet,grow it again the next year and it is bland and mealy.

All to say they are very susceptible to weather in any one season.

Carolyn,who has probably grown about 30 of them and has her faves,but no longer grows them for several reasons.

KarenO · March 27, 2017

Hello,
I think bicolour tomatoes can be luscious in flavor. I think you might do better with some of the newer midseason ones as the trouble with some of the old ones like hillbilly is that most of them are very late in maturing (90+DTM) and therefore you will get very few tomatoes although the ones you do get will be good.

ones to try that grew well in my Zone 3 garden:
Serendipity (PL)
pineapple pig
pampelmuse (PL)
captain lucky (PL) green with pink bicolour
Lucky cross (PL)

There are others. My main point is to try growing some of the newer OP's with an earlier DTM and I think you will get the flavor you love in a bicolor with better production. I think this is true will many late maturing heirloom tomatoes.
KarenO

Cole_Robbie · March 27, 2017

I forgot about Lucky Cross. It is indeed delicious. The dwarf variety Wherokowhai is basically dwarf lucky cross.

Labradors2 · March 27, 2017

I will second Dwarf Wherokowhai and Little Lucky (I think it's hard to chose between the two for taste). I also loved Lithium Sunset which is tasty and beautiful.

I'm growing all three this season so that I can do a taste test between them

Linda

beefyboy · March 31, 2017

I have been most impressed by Gold Medal so far along with Orange Strawberry. I am going to give them more competition from Orange Jazz and Orange Russian 117. Another good one and heavy producer is Virginia Sweets! but for my taste, a step below G.M
All these are hydro grown outside with no drop- off in flavor!

Hoosier · March 31, 2017

Armenian is a good one IMO. Like Carolyn said it's not great every year but when it's good it's really good.

KarenD · April 1, 2017

Looking forward to trying Orange Russian #117, KBX and Lithium Sunset this year!

HudsonValley · April 1, 2017

I loved German Striped (Striped German?) in 2016 so much that it's my avatar. This year I'm looking forward to trying Gold Medal, chosen on the recommendations I've read on these boards, and Orange Russian 117.

Deborah · April 1, 2017

What's a yellow tomato, not gold, that's tangy or has that "real tomato flavor"?

AKmark · April 1, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deborah

What's a yellow tomato, not gold, that's tangy or has that "real tomato flavor"?

I prefer Yellow Brandywine. I also like KBX, Limmony is good too. Limmony is the most yellow of those I mentioned, YBW, KBX turn orange to me, but are tangy when picked yellow. The shape of YBW is pretty good for me, they take awhile to get going, but I get good yield from them too. They also are pretty firm, they are a popular yellow market tomato for me. I haven't found very many good yellow varieties, they usually seem blandish to me

NarnianGarden · April 1, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deborah

What's a yellow tomato, not gold, that's tangy or has that "real tomato flavor"?

Azoychka. Usually a sharp, distinguishable fruit flavot.

Cole_Robbie · April 1, 2017

Sol Gold is a compact yellow determinate with small fruit, but they are delicious.

March 27, 2017	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	What you refer to are what are called gold/red bicolors and there are several hundreds of them that are known. They are from Germany and adjacent countries, a few have been bred here in the US, Orange Russian #117 is a good example, and most were brought to the US by imigrants. The one you mention,Mr.Stripey, I think is the least popular one. Grow Variety X one year and it's lucious and sweet,grow it again the next year and it is bland and mealy. All to say they are very susceptible to weather in any one season. Carolyn,who has probably grown about 30 of them and has her faves,but no longer grows them for several reasons. __________________ Carolyn

April 1, 2017	#12
Deborah Riding The Crazy Train Again Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: San Marcos, California Posts: 2,562	What's a yellow tomato, not gold, that's tangy or has that "real tomato flavor"? __________________ "The righteous one cares for the needs of his animal". Proverbs 12:10

March 26, 2017	#1
bigpinks Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: SC Ohio(proctorville) Posts: 192	Large red/yellow tomatoes Anyone a fan of the sweet types? Prob the #1 fav of most of my family. I grew Mr Stripey for yrs even tho it only averaged about 2 or 3 per plant. Got Hillbilly from my neighbor and have now been growing that variety for several yrs from my own seed. Its more productive and gets up to two pounds. Sweet and solid rather than mushy. Vigorous plants I support with 6ft oak stakes. Will have 20 or more of these this yr barring a calamity. They sometimes bring 2 dollars ea at the Farmers Mkt. I don't sell any but give away prob 50 or so every yr. Two local libraries who do me favors getting unstocked books are on the receiving end of many of these. Even took some last yr to a local 911 ambulance station to total strangers.

March 26, 2017	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	You might also like Orange Russian 117, KBX, Northern Lights, and Dwarf Sweet Sue.

March 27, 2017	#5
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,931	Hello, I think bicolour tomatoes can be luscious in flavor. I think you might do better with some of the newer midseason ones as the trouble with some of the old ones like hillbilly is that most of them are very late in maturing (90+DTM) and therefore you will get very few tomatoes although the ones you do get will be good. ones to try that grew well in my Zone 3 garden: Serendipity (PL) pineapple pig pampelmuse (PL) captain lucky (PL) green with pink bicolour Lucky cross (PL) There are others. My main point is to try growing some of the newer OP's with an earlier DTM and I think you will get the flavor you love in a bicolor with better production. I think this is true will many late maturing heirloom tomatoes. KarenO

March 27, 2017	#7
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	I will second Dwarf Wherokowhai and Little Lucky (I think it's hard to chose between the two for taste). I also loved Lithium Sunset which is tasty and beautiful. I'm growing all three this season so that I can do a taste test between them Linda

March 31, 2017	#8
beefyboy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Pt. Charlotte fl Posts: 330	I have been most impressed by Gold Medal so far along with Orange Strawberry. I am going to give them more competition from Orange Jazz and Orange Russian 117. Another good one and heavy producer is Virginia Sweets! but for my taste, a step below G.M All these are hydro grown outside with no drop- off in flavor!

March 31, 2017	#9
Hoosier Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Indiana Posts: 97	Armenian is a good one IMO. Like Carolyn said it's not great every year but when it's good it's really good.

April 1, 2017	#10
KarenD Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: NJ Posts: 95	Looking forward to trying Orange Russian #117, KBX and Lithium Sunset this year!

April 1, 2017	#11
HudsonValley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Hudson Valley, NY, Zone 6a Posts: 626	I loved German Striped (Striped German?) in 2016 so much that it's my avatar. This year I'm looking forward to trying Gold Medal, chosen on the recommendations I've read on these boards, and Orange Russian 117.