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reedbaize

Dawn - Porter-Charles Herring Strain...

ReedBaize
11 years ago

Tatiana has helped me get it up and running on the Tomatobase. If you plant a few this year or next, keep me updated on their progress. They've done well in Florida and Australia this winter.

Porter - Charles Herring Strain

Comments (6)

  • Okiedawn OK Zone 7
    11 years ago

    Reed,

    My family has grown plain old Porter from the old Gene Porter & Sons Seed Company(now defunct) from Stephenville, TX, for decades. I plant it every now and then but not often. I do grow Porter and Porter Improved transplants most years for my friend, Fred, who also has grown Porter for decades. He gets frustrated looking for transplants in the spring because fewer and fewer stores carry it anymore, so I just grow the Porter and Celebrity transplants for him in my greenhouse and he stops by at planting time and gets them.

    Porter is a long-time favorite among the old-timers here in our area because it sets fruit well in late July and in August when most varieties slow down or, at least it does in a typical July and August. It wasn't as happy in 2011 and 2012 as in many previous years, but then we had a lot of hotter temperatures....often way hotter than usual.

    When I first started growing heirloom tomatoes in the mid-1990s, I thought I had found something new and wonderful. But then, as I read the names and descriptions of some of the heirloom types, I realized that my dad and I had been growing a lot of heirlooms all along. I still chuckle when I think about that.

    Dawn

  • ReedBaize
    Original Author
    11 years ago

    Yeah, it's been good in the heat. My grandfather was just tickled that it had, in fact, performed well in grow outs in Australia. He was happy about Florida but seeing it do well internationally left him feeling pretty good. It's a good one for sure as is the original Porter.

  • millscoseeds
    10 years ago

    We are starting a seed library in Mills County, TX-neighboring county to your grandfather's home of Gatesville. We are trying to establish a seed base of plants that do well in this area. Is there any where we can purchase a start of these seeds?
    I have grown Porters off and on since a child. This year they are clearly outshining everything else in my gardeb.

  • Lynda_in_Ada
    10 years ago

    Reed,

    You sent me some seeds from your grandfather's Porter strain to try. I planted 10 seeds and only got 2 seedlings. Those 2 were kind of slow to grow... until I repotted for the second time waiting on the weather to warm up enough to plant outside. They both took off and never looked back. They were the largest of my transplants and are still larger and healthier than any of my other tomatoes - mostly all heirlooms - and wildly productive and flavorful.

    Thanks for sharing with me - I'm going to save some seeds and try to keep them going.

  • helenh
    10 years ago

    Porter Charles Herring strain is doing well in McDonald County MO. It is a vigorous plant. I will plant it next year even though I am not a cherry tomato lover. It makes cute pink oblong tomatoes. As a seedling it was very sturdy and healthy looking and has also done well in the garden.

  • ReedBaize
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Glad you guys have had good luck. They are doing well for me as well.

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