I haven't had much experience growing tomatoes, but I have grown 'Brandywine' and it did well and tasted good.

Julia,
I think we are the only people in the region who grow our own tomatos... Thanks for the reply. By the way read your Bio. Lear... What a great name for that breed. What is a Plott Hound? Does it like tomatos?

A Plott Hound is a rare breed that originated in the Great Smokey Mt region. A German family named Plott settled there in the 1700s and brought their Schweitzer hounds with them. The breed developed over a number of years and soon became known for their bravery in tracking bear.

I got Lily when, about 3 years ago, I saw a post on a dog newsgroup about a Plott hound who was on "death row" in a small shelter in central Virginia. Within a week, she moved here and joined my other 3 dogs. She is very sweet and very smart. Some of the breed are being used in Search and Rescue because they are so trainable and brave.

They average 24" at the shoulder, 65 pounds and are dark brindle.

Here's a link to a photo of her in the garden:

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1046050}}

Oh Julia, she's so pretty! She reminds me a lot in expression and form of my (Please don't take offense)mutt, Abbey who is mostly lab and ???? Her mom was registered and had a one night stand (among other things...)with an unknown (to the shelter workers). My daughter's name is Lilly. I'll try to get a picture of them to you soon. Thanks for the info.

I really like Juliette, Black Crim, Heidi, Sweet Millions, and something that I get at a farm stand that is so huge you can take a 1" thick slice out of the middle and make a sandwich out of it and have tomato hang off the bread and the guy won't tell me the name of the tomato.

Jan

I usually plant Early Girl - it is pretty dependable and starts bearing in mid-July. The rest are a function of what looks interesting at Behnke's at planting time.

I have grown several heirlooms, including Brandywine and Cherokee Purple. I was a bit disappointed in Brandywine. I got one perfect tomato that was quite delicious. But the rest of the season, many of the fruits split before they were fully ripe & spoiled. I have been told that this is a function of uneven levels of soil moisture.

Dan

I have not yet found anything I like nearly as much as Arkansas Traveler (though I keep looking).

G'Day!

- Last year was miserable for tommies. That made it a good year for sorting out the dependable from the finicky. However, because it was SUCH a bad year, i would not completely discount any tommie for not thriving or having a less-than-fabulous taste; they were all unreasonably stressed.

- Sweet Millions did superbly. They produce so much fruit, they are quite ornimental and the flavor is good too. i recommend growing them on a trellis where you will pass by often - so you can pick a sun-warmed treat as you go by! i had one by the parking area, so the Sweet Millions were an after-work snack just waiting for the driver!

- Sweet Chelsea also did quite well. i assume it's a relaitive of Sweet Millions. The fruit is larger, but not quite "full sized."

- Green Grapette was not a winner (in my humble opinion). The "yellow-when-ripe" fruit were somewhat difficult to distinguish from the unripe fruit, so i probably missed half the harvest. The flavor was OK but nothing special.

- i have room here for a couple-three dozen tomato plants, and can use all i can grow, as i want to can tomatoes for the winter. (Last year, we ate all we could grow! But that was with only a half dozen happy plants, which dwindled as the sumer progressed.)

- Anyone who will be starting their tommies form seed, i admire you! i have yet to get tommies (or peppers or eggplant) to come from seed.

- Start extra and bring them to the Swap? i hope to find tommies with a wider range of forms and colours - not to mention flavors - than Southern States is going to stock.

- my old Rottie may not have been a Plott Hound, but he sure could be a plotz hound!

- Happy gardening,
- Vlad,
propetier of the Aquasco Farm for Orphaned Plants and Retired (or retarded...) Horses.

Thanks for suggestions, keep them coming...

Hi Swifty.......Of the five varieties I grew from seed last year, I think Silvery Fir Tree was the most interesting---both in flavor and foliage. It's a favorite on the Tomato Forum, which is where I picked up the notion to plant it. I'll be growing it again this year...I'm also going to give Patio Hybrid a whirl again---compact size, pretty good flavor for a small plant.......New possibilities on my list this year: "Ugly", "Cherokee Purple," and maybe "Mortage Lifter." Maybe "Black Cherry," too, if I can find a local source so I don't have to buy a single seed pack mail order....

I wasn't planning to start any tomato seeds until March 1, but I just discovered a dozen thriving seedlings in a pot of greens that I threw together a couple of weeks ago with potting soil from last season. I have no idea which variety they might be! I don't have the heart to pull 'em out because they're all doing so beautifully. If they make it 'till late April without taking over my limited space, I guess I'll give most of them away to neighbors who are game for a mystery tomato in their garden....!!

I have mostly been hanging out in the tomato forum, happened to see this, so heres my 2 cents. I have found tomatos in general taste dramatically during the season even on the same bush. The hierlooms that I have found the most consistant is the green zebra, its a tangy taste and neat color. The brandywines when they are right the are delicious, I also got some good cherokee purples. I have been frustrated by this and have come to the conclusion the seed is important but the conditions are equally or more important. I am not sure if its temperature,sushine,or soil for sure.or a combination of all three more likely. I don't know if it helps. but none the less I will be planting at least 10 different varieties this year. I will be starting mine very soon. I put them on a cart and pull them in and out of the garage in the end of the late frost. I will be also experimenting with covering with plastic. let me know what you all are thinking. lower delaware. 3 miles from ocean, a little smoother on frost.

If you want sweet, you can't beat Sun Gold. This was the only one that did well last year.

Larry

Kathi- I've seen you aroung the tom. forum. I've heard mostly good things about Silver Fir Tree (but... maybe it's deep rooted "old Fashioned" gardener genes I have, I'm still sceptical). If I hear enough good things about it I'll probably try it w/i the next two years.

Caos- I agree storngly with the all three theory/especially Soil and Temperature. Have you ever had 5 or more gardening friends all grow at least two of the same variety and had a tasting party? The difference will amaze you. Just make sure that you are not all neighbors. Conditions tend to be the too similar to notice any real differences.

Mad- Have you tried Sun Sugar? Too sweet for me. I prefer Sun Gold too.

When this is all over (whenever that is) I'll try to make a list of the varieties that seem to do best in our area and post it.

Swifty: Lily is a plotz hound! Or sometimes we call her a plop hound. I'm not offended by your comment about her looking like your mutt--not at all. I have two of my own from the shelter.

Oh! I'm trying Silvery Fir Tree this year! (I try not to lurk on the tomato forum, because every time I do, I find at least two more varieties that I absolutely must try. On the other hand, almost everybody on the tomato forum seems to adore Cherokee Purple, which I, personally, me, Alfie (and also Mr. Alfie) found too meaty and un-tangy for our acidic, seedy tastes, though it did grow very well. So maybe I shouldn't go by what other people on the tomato forum say?) Djena Lee's Golden Girl is another variety you might try, if you want a yellow tomato; it's a little more interesting than most yellow tomatoes.

Though I am not a tomato eater, I was wondering if anyone can suggest a good one(s) for making salsa and sauces?

Sophia

Alfie- So, what makes Djena's so diferent, I'm always up for a good yellow/ orange. Most of them are just either side of Blah...Golden Queen isn't bad from my limited (I have a very small garden) experience. Lillian's Yellow (for my daughter) is okay. I've never heard of this Djena's...Would love a commentary.

Also, I wouldn't say you lurk around the tom. forum...I'd say you're a reasonably active member. - Gottcha. Ha ha ha.

Laine- I'm not an expert on Paste etc. varieties...But I do like San Marzano and Opalka. Also, Pineapple (yes, the tomato variety not the spiky yellow fruit) makes a great tomato to add to other varieties for a REALLY GOOD salsa. I've eaten it just not made it. My friend who does this usually uses a really rich almost smokey black one and between 1 and 3 other "regular" varieties. She has a HUGE tom. garden. I would post a thread on the tomato forum page. You're bound to get more info than you ever bargained for. Let me know if you find a really good one. Good Luck!

I am trying lots of heirlooms this year that are new to me, so I can't speak for that. However, we all enjoyed the hybrid variety "Big Beef" last year. They grew very well for me and were good tasting.

Ask this question after the growing season and I'll weigh in on the heirlooms.

I got Djena Lee's Golden Girl from Southern Exposure Seed Exchange. What makes it different, in my opinion, is that it actually tastes of something :-). As I recall, it's fruity without being Sungold-sweet. (If I want sweet, I'll eat a watermelon, not a tomato.)

But Alfie, tomatoes are much easier to grow than watermelons. I love sungold...the hybrid. The OP one is twice the size of the hybrid but the taste is much better to me. Yes, it's sweet.

For paste tomatoes, I like opalka and amish paste. AP is very prolific and a makes a great stewed tomato. Opalka is very meaty and some of them are enormous.

I haven't had great results growing cherokee purple. I love boxcar willie after growing it for the 1st time last yr. It's a beautiful tomato with old fashioned tomato taste and very prolific. I also grew Marianna's peace last yr. It was Dh favorite and I liked it a lot as well but not as well as BCW.

There are so many brandywines. The true brandywine isn't a potato leaf plant but rather has a regular leave. I've grown sudduth b'wine which is a great tasting tomato but the yield isn't that great.

Silvery fir tree was OK. It's early, compact and very pretty. I'm gonna try it again this year but I'm also growing matina, another early one. Someone locally gave me seeds of prue and gave it rave reviews so I can't wait to try this one.

That's interesting about Brandywine--the one I grew did have potato leaves. Where does one find the real Brandywine?

Hi Swifty,

So far, I've grown:
Box Car Willie - great taste on a huge plant.
Oregon Spring - okay taste, insanely early, very productive.
Paul Robeson - great taste on a huge plant.
Reisentraube - great producer, good but not great taste.
Sweet Million - good taste, gazillon fruit on a HUGE plant.
Stupice - lovely flavor but not very productive for me.
Sophie's Choice - lovely flavor on a more compact plant.

Because I've got limited space, I'm still searching for that compact tomato with staggering production and outrageously good taste. Not too demanding, eh? LOL. So, this year, I'm trying:

Black Krim,
Patio Hybrid,
Silvery Fir Tree
Sophie's Choice

HTH,

Aly

PS. Julia, I'll drop you an email. Us wolfhound-loving-gardeners should stick together. ;)

Your not the only one growing maters! here's my list, which I'm growing from seed--I'm growing one extra of each to bring to the swap and if I get special requests, I can bring some more...
Sun Gold
Delicious
Costoluto Genovese
San Marzano
white queen
Yellow Brandywine
Prue
Mr. Stripey
Prize of the Trials
Hank
Hawaiian Pineapple
4th July
Kellogg's Breakfast
Big Rainbow
Burpee Better Boy
Large Red Cherry
Brandywine
mortgage lifter (not sure of strain)
Cherokee Purple
Green Zebra
Hillbilly
Eva's Purple Ball
Coyote
Earl of Edgecomb
Box Car Willie
WI55
Yellow Pear
Vintage Wine
Aunt Gertie's Gold
Paul Robeson
Tangella
Heatherington Pink
Earl's Faux Red
Neves Azorean Red
Azoycha
Carbon
Black
German Red Strawberry
Gregoris Altai
copia
Black Krim
Momotoro
Old Brooks
Madbury Pink
Moskvich
Juanne Flamme
omar's Lebanese
Stupice
Burraker's Favorite

oh, back to the question at hand...last year, slovenian black did great for me, Kellogg's Breakfast, Tangella, Cherokee Purple and Eva's Purple Ball. oh, and Lemon Boy was amazing.

Michelle- was this just last year, or in general your 5/6 favorites?

AlyG- Have you ever tried Arkansas Traveler?

Julia/Peggy- I've grown BrandywineOTV, BWPink, and BW (was organic supposed to be original) All were potatoe leaved... Huh? Is this leaf thing a Carolyn (Tomatoe Forum) thing?
Sounds like her... LOL

Alfie- Do you not like really sweet toms? Or, do you like toms with an noticable acid bite? Or, like really good toms from 20 years ago and further back before the scientists started hyperbreeding and everybody went carb crazy (IMVHO)?

Last year I had over 20 varieties and those were my favorites. In the years before that, I didn't know about heirlooms, hadn't found GW and only grew yellow pear and red cherry. Now I know better and am shooting for a lot of new varieties.

Here's something I've never gotten. How can you grow more than 4 or 5 varieties of tomatoes in one summer? I mean, what do you do with all those tomatoes? Can them? The summer I grew tomatoes, I only grew brandywine, Roma and cherry and I still ended up freezing a lot of the plum tomatoes.

No, I really don't like sweet tomatoes. I am fond of tart (I eat lemons). Another problem is that most of the sweet tomatoes I have tried just taste of sweet, nothing else.

Actually, speaking of watermelons and nothing-but-sweet, growing my own watermelons was a revelation too. I always thought that watermelons mainly tasted like cold, red sugar water, but my Black Tail Mountains last summer -- which was not even a good summer for watermelons -- were amazing. A good thing, too, since at one point we had eight of them in the refrigerator to eat up.

I give them away by the basketful to anyone who promises they will not let them go to waste. I also make sauce and eat a ton of them! Some of the heirloom varieties don't produce a ton of tomatoes, as well, so it's not so bad. I did give up on the cherry tomatoes by the end of the year--I just couldn't pick anymore!

The original (pink) Brandywine IS potato-leaf. Red Brandywine is regular-leaf.

Here are my faves:

Early: Stupice
Beefsteaks: Brandywine (Sudduth strain), Soldacki, Pruden's Purple, Noir de Crimee, Beefy Boy
Yellow/Orange: Sungold (cherry), Lemon Boy, Manyel
Black: Noir de Crimmee
Oxheart: German Red Strawberry
Paste/Roma: haven't found any that don't get blossom end rot like crazy!

All the above are heirlooms except Sungold, Lemon Boy, and Beefy Boy. And all do better some years than others. Last year was a good one for Lemon Boy, Noir de Crimee, Manyel, Stupice, and Sungold. (EVERY year is a good for Stupice and Sungold).

I'm also growing White Queen and Black Cherry for the first time this season.

I'll be bringing extra tomato plants to the Sprin Swap, BTW.

Cecilia, I've never had BER and I grow Amish paste and opalka. In fact, oddly my Amish paste tomotoes have never cracked but are perfect in every way. If I make it to to swap I'll bring you a couple or I'd gladly share some seeds with you.

Julia, I have a few seeds of red brandywine if you're interested, LMK.

And yes, I should have specified that red brandywine is a reg leaf.

Peggy, EVERY long-shaped tomato I've ever grown has suffered from BER (even Opalka). Never tried Amish Paste - perhaps I should.

Then I must have had the original pink Brandywine, and it was sort of pinkish. I got it as a seedling from Stadlers (which is about a half-mile from my house). Thanks for the offer of seeds, but I get my tomatoes as seedlings because I don't grow very many different kinds. It seems easier to buy the plants.

Alfie, if you want a yellow tomato that isn't just sweet, try Jaune Flammee. It did pretty well for me last year, and it has much more depth of taste than either the big yellows I've grown or SunGold (which I love, but it is sweet, and it is unique). SunSugar isn't worth growing in my estimation - it's as sweet as SG, but without the unique flavor.
I got a Stupice from someone at the swap, and it sulked all summer. OTOH, it was (with SunGold) the one which kept trying all season.
I think I should try Ark. Traveller, and possibly Boxcar Willie, as they seem to have good taste and good staying power down here.
Juliet is never going in my garden again - it is prolific with dense fruits, but that's all one can say for it.
IF I get to the swap, I'll probably bring surplus tomato plants. Don't know what varieties yet.

Wish I saw this thread a few days ago.. I recently put in my seed order for tomatoes this year (trying seeds of change for a change). Any opinions on any of the following for the mid-atlantic?

ZAPOTEC PLEATED, THESSALONIKI, ARKANSAS TRAVELER, PERON SPRAYLESS, GARDEN PEACH

I'd be especially interested in failures so I can avoid repeating it!

Scott

First off - Hello Julia3, from a fellow Plott Hound owner!!! Mine was slated for the local pound, & since I have "sucker" written in big block letters on me ALWAYS - I ended up rescuing him. At first I thought he might be a Plott/Lab cross after looking thru books, but he is virtually identical to your girl. They could be twins.

Now, as far as tomatoes. I always like the old-fashioned "Roma" paste varieties. Also like "Yellow Pear" for its mildness & color. Have never been much impressed by "Early Girl" or "Celebrity". Any of the red cherry types seem to perform well here & are extremely sweet.

This year I'll be growing a slew of heirloom varieties, so will have more to taste-test.

Oh, cool! What's your Plott Hound like? Does he run around with his nose to the ground baying? Can you email or link me to a picture?

I've grown Yellow Pear and Roma tomatoes too. The Yellow Pears are so decorative.

I see on your page that you raise TB cross sporthorses. I have a TB x QH (grey, 16.1, 18 years old now) and he taught me to ride. Right now he's doing equine therapy at a nearby barn as I've stopped riding for a while. Also have a TB/Hanovarian mare who's for sale in VA.

Here's a link to another photo of Lily (with Lear, my wolfhound):

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:1046051}}

Whoa! My kindda people! Horses, dogs and gardening. Yipppeey! (with the Snoopy hop and head flap) So, more on Plott Hounds, Do they roam/run as much as other hound breeds? How vocal are they? Abbey, my mutt had a seizure on Valentine's Day. Pretty scary, she's not quite 3 y/o. Turns out labs can be prone to epilepsy. Lucky us. Very bad week last week. But, nobody important to us died, so it could have been worse.

Does anybody have suggestions for a pretty little yellow tomatoe to sub for Yellow Pear? Like the looks, not the taste.

Unfortunately, the only pics I have of my poor guy are from right after one of his two $1,000 surgeries last March where he had to have one of his eyes removed. (There is no such thing as a FREE dog - lol!) He looks pretty gruesome. We were calling him "Frankendog" there for awhile.

Usually, he's joined to me at the hip, but does put his nose to the ground & wander off if not watched, so I usually walk him on one of those long retractible leashes. Even though I'm out in the middle of nowhere, I absolutely HATE people who think "country - dog can be loose" & allow their dogs to annoy other people. Can't tell you how many stray dogs I've had to chase &/or round up after finding them at my horses.

He is also EXTREMELY protective of me, & I have no doubt would try to kill anyone that tried to harm me. Odd for a hound - but since my husband travels a lot, all the more power to him.

Oh yes, tomatoes - although I haven't grown them yet, I understand that the yellow cherry tomatoes have more flavor than the yellow pears. I have to admit that I'm not really a true fan of the yellow pear taste, but like them as a counterpoint to stronger tomatoes as well as for their shape.

I agree that 'Yellow Pear' tomatoes don't have much taste, but have a soft spot for them because they were the first food I'd grown. But they are pretty :) I was so pleased to be growing them (there were very easy) and would exclaim about them while my husband would smile quietly. I knew he was thinking "yeah, but they have no taste!" :)) He's the gourmand in the family.

Sorry about your doggy's eye operation. Believe me I know about spending thousands for animal care. Just spent about $2k on one of my cats last summer. It was touch-and-go there for a while but now she's recovered so well you'd never know she'd been sick. My first Plott Hound (also from the shelter)had a seizure one day about a couple months after I'd gotten her. I'd never seen a dog have a seizure so it was pretty frightening for me to watch.
Turned out not to be serious and she would just have these seizures every month or so. Not worth putting her on medications that would have bad side effects.

My back 6 acres is totally fenced but soon after I got Lily she climbed the fence in pursuit of some animal so I got a collar for her for our invisible fence (we already had it installed for my terrier mix who would also climb the fence) and that has worked out well. The invisible fence encloses about a 2 acre area so there's still plenty of room for her to run around.

It is odd for a hound to be so protective. None of my dogs are overtly protective, but I have noticed that Lear (the IW) will quietly put himself in-between me and a stranger when we are out anywhere.

Protective ain't even the word.

When he has to go the vet, we have a procedure where I drive around to the back, the vet gives me a syringe of tranqs, I tranq the dog in my truck, & when he's just about out, the vet & I carry him in & they do what they have to do, even if it's just shots.

He's just absolutely mental about "me" & "strangers". Weird dog - but at least he ended up with tolerant me instead of Lord knows who.

Yes, that hound is lucky he has you--too bad he's so suspicious of strangers.

This will be my first year with a garden, so I can't tell you my favorites yet (check back round about August). But here are the ones I'll be growing in 2005 (that's the plan anyway):

Sungold (the only hybrid)
Lumpy Red
Brandywine, Sudduth's strain
Arkansas Traveler
Silvery Fir Tree (got one going in my kitchen under lights, bootiful!)
Black Cherry
Orange Heirloom (from Lee_NC7 over on the Tomatoes forum)
Stick (AKA Curl or Locke)
Regina's Yellow
Marianna's Peace
Cherokee Purple
Gregori's Altai
Isis Candy
Green Zebra
Snow White
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Cherokee Green
Gold Ball
Regina's Yellow mystery cross, F2 selected from a short red w/nipple (from Dr. Carolyn)
Noire de Coseboeuf
Lida Ukrainian
Sara's Galapagos (currant)
Pineapple
Dr. Wyche's Yellow
Yellow Pear

I got Sungold because I loved it from the farmer's market last year, but I found it fruity and not overly sweet, even tartish. Everyone goes on about how sweet it is, so I hope I'm not disappointed in it.

Regina

Sorry for asking this question, Regina, but I am certain others have wondered as well; this will be your first year gardening and you are growing all those varities of tomatoes? There are over twenty on your list, do you really want to deal with that many? I admire your ambition, really, but holy cow.

And be careful about the Tomato Forum, a lot of folks there grow heirlooms exclusively, and have years of experience with them. Heirlooms can be a huge disappointment in terms of what fruit you get and when you get it, and sometimes, even if you get any fruit.

Regina, there's actually quite a lot of variation in SunGold depending on when you pick it. If you pick it as soon as it's yellow, it's tasty but not terribly sweet, but if you wait until it's full-ripe and orange, it's like candy. Your choice ...

Sween, Regina's celebrating having land of her own for the first time, but she's got all of us types for a reality check. The people on the Tomatoes forum are usually very cold-blooded about production/disease - they'll go on and on about the taste of their favorites, but be equally willing to publicize the fact that they only got three fruit all season, or that a promising crop all went pffft due to some wilt or other. In my experience, a lot of the discussion is specifically about the balancing act between taste of the result and whether you can (under normal conditions) get enough of the fruit to enjoy said taste.

Robin

Actually, that's one of the encouraging things about the Tomato Forum - even the fanatics, people who spend way too much time on tomatoes, have all those failures. I expect to fail... some, but I expect to succeed some too! And if production's not so high per plant, the more reason to have more plants. And I have a thing for variety, I want to try everything. The thought of planting just one or two kinds of tomatoes seems not worth the trouble to me. I'm a nut!

That said... I haven't even measured out the space where I want to put the garden beds, to figure out spacing and how many I can really fit. Much less have I dug and prepared any beds. I have some friends and neighbors who say they're willing to help, but we'll see when the time comes. Not sure where to get compost in large quantities. Etc. If I end up with tons of tomatoes (or other produce), there are plenty of soup kitchens around. It's all good.

R