Helen, It was only okay. It didn't produce much fruit in the drought. It set fruit a lot later than I expected. I had it in a bed with some of the dwarves from the Dwarf Project and with my standard late-season varieties. It produced better than the dwarves, but as late as the late-season ones even though it should have been more of a midseason variety. I'll give it another chance when we have better weather. Maybe I'll grow it for fall 2013 if the drought breaks. My list this year is amazingly short because I tried to go with the most-reliable producers of the different types we grow.

I hate to write off any variety after only one year, especially when the one year was the second consecutive drought year, so I won't say it isn't worth trying. I'll just say that its size was not impressive compared to the other black tomatoes I grow and it set fruit so late that it didn't set many. It might have done great in a better year. Usually the Russian varieties, especially from the Caspian Sea area, do great for me. Black From Tula, Black Krim and Caspian Pink all are great producers here. I was hoping for the same from Fioletovyi Kruglyi.

Dawn

Thank you. I knew you would have the answer. The fellow who sent it here said it was found at some farm where they develop tomatoes. The black ones you mentioned are time tested favorites.

You got me on your glowing report on Greek Rose even though you live in a different climate than I. It takes so much effort and space per tomato plant that it helps to have great expectations. I haven't ordered from Tomato Fest before. I couldn't figure out the shipping cost when I went to the web site this evening. The first thing I do before I order is find out the shipping cost because high ones are a pet peeve of mine.

You're welcome.

Greek Rose was one I just stumbled across. I had tried varieties named "Rose" and "Amish Rose" before, I believe, and neither one was what I was hoping for. Then I saw Greek Rose and was intrigued by the fact that it was from Crete. Varieties of tomatoes from that part of the world have done well in my area, so I thought I'd give it a shot. I've already raved about it, so you know how much I liked it.

Tomatofest has such a selection of tomatoes that it is almost overwhelming. Over the years I've found a few really good ones there. Chocolate Stripes is one that comes readily to mind.

If you get on their e-mail list, they'll email you when they're having sales. It seems like, in the dim recesses of my memory, I remember them occasionally having 'free shipping' with some of their sales at times, although I am not positive about that.

I had to laugh the first time I went to the list of tomatoes known as "Gary's Favorites". I thought if I could look at a list of his favorites, it would help me narrow down my by-then lengthy list of Tomatofest varieties I wanted to try. Well, his list was 16 or 18 pages long, telling me that he wasn't any better at narrowing down his list of favorites than I am. : )

The new (to me) paste varieties I'm going to trial this year for both sun-dried tomatoes and sauce are from Tomatofest seed. Since I have such a huge amount of preserved tomatoes from last year, I don't feel heavy pressure to produce a whole lot for canning this year, so I am going to trial several pastes and see what I find.

They are having a sale on some varieties now until Jan. 13. I made up an order and am not finished. My total so far is $18 something and 3.95 shipping. I had to go through the whole process to see what the shipping would be. $3.95 is reasonable why isn't it easier to know upfront. Thanks for all your information.

Helen,

I don't know why they don't post the 3.95 first rate shipping upfront in a more prominent place. I think you only can find it when you've got seeds in your cart and are getting ready to check out. I don't remember ever buying so many at one time that the rate has ever gone higher than 3.95 and the seeds normally arrive very quickly too.

I'm trying, in vain, to stop looking at seed catalogs and websites. My grow list is almost complete for 2013 and every time I open up a seed catalog or go to a website, I find something else I want to grow. I have such a hard time reining in my desire to grow every thing.

It is a gorgeous sunny but cold day here. From the inside looking out, it would be really easy to think spring was right around the corner, at least if I wasn't looking at the forecast for Monday and Tuesday.

I am so ready to start sowing seeds, but it is too early, so I won't.

I am waiting impatiently for Marianna to update her website (mariseeds.com) for 2013. It is down right now (and has been for a long time) and I understand it is in the middle of a huge website renovation. Her note on the renovation page promises 300 new varieties when the new website opens up for 2013. She already had such a huge variety of tomatoes that I cannot imagine what else she is adding.

Dawn

We are definitely having winter here, but it is supposed to be in the 40's today. We are planning on taking down the Christmas decorations while it is "warm". This winter weather is putting me in the winter sowing mood.

Rosella Purple - Was this one of the dwarfs that did not do well? I saw it on your list last year.

Helen,

Yes. Rosella Purple was one of the low-performing dwarfs. None of the dwarfs did well and I feel bad knowing that I am judging them based on their performance in such an awful hot and dry year. I'll give them a chance again in a better weather year.

Of all the dwarfs, Rosella did the best, although I am not sure that being the best of a bunch of underperformers is a high accolade. It probably produced 6 fruit. In my garden, nothing gets invited back if it cannot do better than that.

Dawn