Dan, my source seeds were from Seeds of Change about three or four years ago. It is a determinate plant, but has two distinctive flushes of fruit - just when you are about ready to yank the plant, here come more maters.

Thank you for the generous offer Jali. I'd love to take you up on it, later when I get home I'll email with my info. I could do a trade if your interested in some perennials. I can email more details.
Thanks a bunch. LOL Bonnie a drug dealer, I guess I better watch out.

Ok, Bonnie, ya seed junkie. :) To me, trading and sharing is just another joy of gardening. And reading everyone's lists. :)

Be happy to help you out Barb or Dan. I have enough for a few trades and still feed the junkies around here. :)

Thank you Jali - glad to see it's containered as I'm out of room and the boss put her foot down. Anything on my list above you're interested in?

Dan

Hi Jali,
I just sent you an email so let me know if you don't get it.

I forgot to comment on those vines of tomatoes that Skybird posted. I had no idea you could store them like that and continue to harvest. I want to try that this year. My hubby will be thrilled. Great photos

Gotta love GW's system, Barb, it so reliably doesn't work. :)

My email is jaliranchr at gmail dot com No trade needed Dan, happy to help. I too, must stop! at this point. :)

I'm always lurking here and saw you all have good luck with tomatoes in a rough climate. Tomatoes are a real challenge here in MT. Would anyone be willing to share some seeds of a favorite, e.g. Porters, Caspian Pink, Blood Cherry, or just your favorite? I have a friend who just built a greenhouse and is willing to grow some seeds. I don't have any seeds to trade, but will be glad to send a SASE.
Thanks,
Suzanne

Suzanne, see my list above and if there is any on there you are interested in, I'd be happy to share.

Dan

Do you mean bloody butcher, Suzanne? I can sure help with that and Caspian Pink. Just shoot me an email at the addy spelled out above.

I have been challenged over the years growing tomatoes. Last season was a winner, however. I can hardly believe it turned out that way. The Spring was so cool, melons died, cucumbers, peppers, and eggplants were stunted. It was just about the worse year in recent memory for those things. But, the tomatoes came thru!

Maybe it was dumb luck. Despite all the bumps and bruises along the way - there have been a few winners, now and then. I'd like to think that it's because, like many gardeners, I see the tomato as an essential garden vegetable and keep trying until I get 1 or 2 right. (And because, I'm silly-scared of risks that might result in success slipping thru my fingers. ;o) For that reason, I grow the same varieties year after year with another "few" to try and fill some niché or other.

I grow 50 or 60 plants in the patch each year. These are varieties that have worked for me up here in glacial till soil, crowding the 49th parallel, and in a full sun/full wind garden:

my grandmother's tomato, which either IS Porters, or darn similar to it
Large Red Cherry, which I think was the first cherry I grew back in the early 1970's and ever since

Big Beef Hybrid, I think I missed the first year it came out in 1994 but once I got it, it was a keeper.
SunSugar Hybrid, I forgot this one once out of the last 6 or 7 years. After kicking myself all Summer, it won't be forgotten again.
Sweet Chelsea Hybrid, a larger-than-most cherry that is just so tasty and consistent that it stands up to every other modern red cherry I've set against it the last 4 or 5 years.

Thessaloniki, this will be the 4th year for this variety in my garden. I'm still hoping it won't fail to ripen and, so far, this pretty heirloom hasn't failed me yet.
Bloody Butcher, or as they are known in my garden (and by a few plant customers :o), Jaliranchers, this full-flavored early/early little tomato won me over last year.
Ildi, at last an alternative to "splittable" Yellow Pear that came thru in 'o8 without splitting but with a slight weakness to blight.
Legend, lovely beefsteaks that were the big find last year. Their "nearly" too mild flavor had to be weighed against the plants' economy of size, freedom from blight, and bountiful production of beautiful large tomatoes.
Gold Nuggets, are a return from 2007. I've just learned that they are open-pollinated tomatoes. These yellow cherries were the absolute earliest in my garden that year. I realize that the earliness has to be appreciated since blight will probably beat the tar out of them by late in the season again.

Tomorrow, my first seed order will go out. It won't be to a tomato catalog but I'd better make up my mind fast.

Jaune Flammé, will be the only new-to-me variety that is on the list so far. I've linked what Diane's Seeds says about this one. It sure is pretty! Seeing it listed as a bunch of folks' favorite from the cool and rainy coast of northern California & Washington State to the dry prairies of Kansas makes me think that this might be another winner!!

digitS

Stinker! :) Bloody Butcher is a definite winner though. Those are good choices. Thess is a real gem too. It likes the mountain west! :)

There is a couple that grow tomatoes a little north of you and they make many of us just sick with envy at their yearly harvest, Steve. You might take a gander at their blog and look at the obscene production this lovely couple get.

Believe you will like Jaune Flamme'. I really like it here and it does well. Has replaced Jali's Sungold for me. Ha.
Thess is one I have but haven't grown yet. Seems it starts on my preliminary list and has never made it to the final. May have to just move it to the must grow and give it a chance.
I have never tried Ildi. I do have seeds for Yellow Submarine but haven't grown it.
If you don't order any tomatoes and want a few seeds of something to try let me know what you are looking for and I will see if I have them. Have close to 400 varieties now. Did receive some seeds of 3 of the new hybrids that are supposed to have enhanced flavor. Red Defender, Scarlet Red and Security. Our state extension service is high on them to try. And have some seeds of them to share also.
Will be anxious to see everyone's results this fall in their gardens. Jay

I woke up late this morning with pleasant thoughts of tomatoes running around in my head. There are a few varieties that I'm still thinking about ordering, some I wanted to mention here and some I forgot. Right now, I'm worried that there are others I'm disremembering but please forgive me if I'm back to list them in the future.

One that really shouldn't have been forgotten is Early Girl. I know, I know - probably the most common garden tomato in the entire United States. And honestly, I've tried to find alternatives but really have just come up short. That's why I always have a few plants (and sometimes more than a few) in the garden. I would really like to thank that French guy who came up with this hybrid and turned it over to Burpee, I believe it was.

A serendipitous experience I had last year was getting a free packet of Sprite seeds with one order. I started the plants and then gave my neighbor - didn't grow a one in my own garden. I did this once before with Box Car Willy. Worked out well that time - I learned that BCW doesn't have enuf time to ripen in my garden. Or at least, ripen in a garden 20 feet from mine. I figure I also did the neighbor a favor by allowing him to learn this, himself.

Not fully suspicious of my intentions, he accepted the Sprite plants last year. He may have even thanked me for them but I've learned not to expect that from him . . .

Anyway, there's no fence between his garden and my smaller veggie garden in one spot. At the end of the season, I kind of drifted over there amongst his tomatoes and "sampled" a few Sprites. Tasty!! I think I'll order a few seeds for myself this season. I wonder what I could treat the neighbor with in the way of plants this time around . . .

I gave him some Prudens Purple one year and fortunately kept a few for myself. Now, that's one fine heirloom - big and meaty, and with really vigorous plants! It barely has time to ripen but did well, for the most part. I do kind of resent the fact that it is pink and not purple, however. I don't know about 'o9 . . . maybe.

And then there's Goliath - I honestly cannot remember why I stopped growing that tomato. It would be like welcoming back an old friend to the garden. Still, I've already got a couple of big beefsteak types . . .

Sweet 100 would be another one to fondly bring back. But, what about the Sweet Chelsea that I'm already determined to grow?

One variety that I agonize over every year is Lunchbox. Only Stokes carries this little "saladette." I think I'll pass on it for the 2nd year running. Too often, the fruits don't have the sweetness that they are blessed with in some years. I've only had it turn out wonderful in about 5 out of 10 years growing. Shoot!

Another that I agonize over the last few years is Fireworks. I've had it recommended to me as highly appropriate for my neck of the woods. Actually, it is grown by a fine gardener to the south of me, in the Palouse. See, this isn't really the Palouse here and it kind of reminds me of Fantastic, which did so well for many years. Maybe, I'll just let that medium one go by and look for maaaaaybeeee just 1 more to add.

I mean, there are others who select from far more sources in their tomato patch than I do. Some of them have listed those varieties right here on this thread. I'm goin' back thru and spend some more happy hours looking at them.

d'S

I got some seeds in a swap today for a couple of tomatoes I've never heard of, and couldn't find much info about. Has any ever heard of 'Pendulina'? The packet says it's an early, tasty orange, but that's all I know. The other one is 'Petite Pomme Blanche'. The only site I found that on was not in English, but the picture showed a small, yellow tomato. I'd love to find out more about these two.

Bonnie

Bonnie, Tania has the Pendulina Orange and Pendulina Yellow on her database. Looks like Suze, who posts at the tomato board has grown the orange one.

http://t-garden.homeip.net/mwiki/index.php/Pendulina_Orange

Saw no reference to the other one at all on the database.

Uh ... here is what I found on Petite Pomme Blanche. Can anyone tell me what it says, LOL?

I found this on Pendulina, but not sure if it is the same as Tanias, the picture looks way different, but I don't know that I trust information found on Ebay either. Scroll down to see their description.

Um, it has been ** years since I took French ... but, :)

Looks like it says that it is a pretty, little tomato with great color. Very productive. Fruits are small. Indeterminate and regular leaf foliage. Can grow to two meters -- hehehe -- six or seven feet.

A ha! I found something in English on the Petite Pomme Blanche! It's listed under White Cherry Tomatoes.

Bonnie, I grew Snow White one year and they were a disaster. I even talked to people on the tomato forum about why this cherry tomato had blossom end rot, since cherries aren't supposed to have BER.

Jali must know more about whites than I do & the Snow Whites are on her list - so, have you found them trustworthy, Jali? And I realize that different varieties should be different but I couldn't get one decent fruit off those particular white cherries from the get-go . . .

BER on Snow Whites was reported in a university trial so this wasn't just a problem in my garden. Cherries cannot have BER - must have been an exception to the rule.

I've had a few total failures before - this was one of them.

d'S'

That's odd for a cherry to get BER. I'm sorry you had that experience with Snow White, Digit, because it is a nicely flavored tomato, but BER-prone would sure ruin anyone's impression of it. :P

Most of the whites are longer season maters so I don't mess with them, but I really liked Snow White and its coming back this year. Didn't have a bit of problem with them and they produced like crazy.

Grew them the first year I gave in and tried Sungold. Didn't like Sungold at all and gave them to the neighbors and kept the Snow White for myself. :)

OK guys, this is a wonderful thread for all you serious mater-heads. :-) But I just want three or four tomato plants in my garden (the veggie garden isn't very big), and I could use a suggestion for the best all around cherry tomatoes and mid-sized tomatoes for sandwiches and salads. I need to buy some seed very soon so I can start them in my little greenhouse. We don't do any canning (yet) or make salsa (yet) -- we just eat them on sandwiches and in salads. What's going to be my best bet for good flavor, long season of production, and early ripening (I want some by July 4th if I put the plants out early with walls-o-water).

THANKS!

Steve, the best early tomato with real taste for an early is Bloody Butcher. I have them by July 4 and they keep pumping them out all summer long. They are in the 4 oz range.

Sungold is the cherry of preference by many people. It is sickeningly sweet to me, but I'm in the minority. :) Gardener's Delight/Sugar Lump, Large Red Cherry, Sweet 100s are also very good.

With the Sungolds, they go through an array of flavor, day to day, as they ripen and change color. The newly yellow ones with a bit of green are pretty tart. Full yellow is different, then the shade moves over into orange, and they get sweeter. Dark orange is kinda cloyingly 'blerk' sweet.

And then they split, and rot within seconds:-).

What I like about them is they ripen so reliably in mid-July on. So many of the other cherry tomatoes I've tried just don't do that with the temperatures here.

But I just want three or four tomato plants in my garden (the veggie garden isn't very big), and I could use a suggestion for the best all around cherry tomatoes and mid-sized tomatoes for sandwiches and salads.

My SFG space is ~ 200sf. Last year I had 6 toms in containers (5 gal buckets) and this year I have just had approved by the better half permission to add at least two Self-Watering Containers (SWCs) to add 4 more tomatoes. I've been doing toms in containers for years for many reasons.

Dan

Thanks! I just ordered some Sun Golds, Bloody Butcher, and Sweet 100s. I appreciate the advice!

Steve will be waiting to hear your impression of Sungold this fall. I'm like Jali not that fond of it but most are. Like has been mentioned mine would split if I just looked at them cross eyed. Have never had anything split like they did. They do set and produce very well.
And Bloody Buthcher is one I've been going to obtain seeds for and never have. Can't grow everything I have now. But have read lots of good reviews about it. What makes it hard for me suggesting varieties to the majority on this board is the big difference in length of growing season. I can grow anything I want here and have time. So please update us this fall and if you ever need seeds send me a pm I have a couple extra. Jay

And Bloody Buthcher is one I've been going to obtain seeds for and never have.

hmmm, well, at the end of the season, I'll see you get some Bloody Butcher seed, Jay. You can put it in your seed vault and have it when you are ready. :)

Save a little bit for me too, Jali! Maybe if I get some straight from the tomatoes mouth they'll turn out better than from the commercial seed I bought last year! I'll be using that seed again this year, and I'm hoping for a better Bloody Butcher year than I had last year!

Skybird

Of course I will, Skybird! I'd be happy to. :)

I'll save some 'Bloody Butchers' as well, in addition to some others, knowing its likely someone will want some.

Dan

Our growing region is highly variable, Jay. From High Plains to mountain slopes - and on those slopes, climate maps look like crazy quilts. Soil varies, as well.

I'm a firm believer that the best gardening advice should come from "over the fence" but there are some problems in this belief.

I have lots of neighbors because I have gardens in 3 locations beyond my residence. Only one neighbor has a real interest in using his land for gardening and he will have to give up his globetrotting during the growing season or we won't have the chance to lean on our hoes and chat about what is growing at our feet.

Over my fence are other families that are apparently raising gravel since that's the only thing growing on yearly basis. And, there's a nice guy over another fence with a 4 by 4 vegetable garden - I populate it every year with 4 tomato plants. Given the limits of my belief system: I am very hopeful in my involvement with Rocky Mountain Gardening - and haven't been let down yet!

Tastes vary as well as growing conditions. In the tomato patch, not only won't some varieties do as well one garden to another but some varieties won't be appreciated one gardener to another. I think it really helps to know someone's taste preference. Of course, this comes from someone who can't remember the last time he ate a tomato that didn't bring, at least, a small amount of joy.

Plant growth habit is important. Probably to my neighbor with his 16 square feet of garden more than others but I've had years when my gardens could be without boundaries. I still want a compact tomato plant primarily because I want LOTS of them and I've been proven too lazy to stake them anymore.

Of course, I want a variety that ripens at some time and preferably not just on my kitchen countertop after the snow flies. At some point, we gardeners will move beyond days-to-maturity to growing degree days or heat units or whatever way we choose to refer to heat/time in the growing scheme of things. Until the seed companies are willing to give us an honest assessment rather than whatever nonsense they are currently using - we are going to be stuck with days-to-maturity and the proverbial pinch of salt. Its best to get information from someone who has some experience with the pinch.

That brings us to experience within individual gardens - like my failure 4 years running to grow Yellow Pear without them splitting or the absolutely atrocious performance of Beefy Boy (some of the plants actually DIED and I'm not sure if there was a single fruit harvested out off a half dozen or more plants). Or, the almost monotonous steady stellar performance of Large Red Cherry to produce a large and fairly late crop of "large red cherries" during every garden season over the last (what the heck is it?), 40 years.

On a side note, wouldn't you think several Bloody Butchers would make an outstanding Bloody Mary?!?

digitS'

Okay, this is IT! The final tomato list, LOL.

Aunt Gertie's Gold
Bloody Butcher
Brown Berry
Earl's Faux
Galina's Yellow Cherry
Kellogg's Breakfast
Indian Stripe
Isis Candy
Paul Robeson
Persimmon
Rainy's Maltese
Skorospelka

I just finished wintersowing them. I ended up with twelve, so that means 4 will have to be in Earthboxes, or other containers. I'm thinking Skorospelka, and Rainy's Maltese will be okay in a container, but which other two, off of that list, would work in a container?

Bonnie

Bonnie, Bloody Butcher will be just fine. Heck, I grow everything in baskets! :) Persimmon, Galinas did fine, so did Kellogg's Breakfast. Just make sure they have good support. I use 7 ft. bamboo poles driven into the ground about a foot.

Jali, I'm curious if you drive the stakes thru the bottom of the basket.

I find your tomatoing technique intriguing. So many of us garden on barely suitable soil - amend, amend, amend with almost no noticeable benefit year after year. I have lots of square feet but really have to think about making gardening physically easier. Beating down the weeds is a not so lovely task.

digitS'
tender & easily bruised

I do drive the pole down through a hole in the bottom of the basket into the ground, Steve. It all works fine for me, because I can use my little cart and roll down between the rows to fertilize and check on all of them for any stinking psyllids or such.

Checking in (late, of course) with my teeny-tiny tomato list. I tried to grow too many in my small space last year, and ended up with pink striped tomatoes without much taste on Early Girl vines. My bad...but I have to learn somehow, right? We did get a few that were quite tasty, but I had way (way!) too many. So this year, I'm only growing:

Honeybunch - current tomato.I am so in love with these sweet little morsels for salads or right off the vine!

Italian Ice - white cherry tomato - also very sweet, crispy and very good in salads or just as a snack

Bush Steak - a determinate "beef steak" type tomato made for growing large fruits in a small space.

And that's it! I'll grow a couple plants of each, and that will be plenty. I'm late getting going this year (just ordered my seeds last weekend), but will get them sprouted in the house as soon as they arrive, and grow them out in the greenhouse for the spring.

Bon appetite!

Jamie,
Not sure I understand your post 100%. If I do I will say any cross you got from planting too close last year shouldn't show up till you planted seeds saved from the fruit of those plants. Any cross you had last year would be from the fruit the seeds for last year were harvested from or a previous cross and they are unstable. If they were on Early Girl vines I would say there must of either been a mix up in seeds or something if these were bought seeds. Jay

Thanks Jay...my mom had said it was probably from planting different varieties too close, as it had happened to her before as well. Perhaps we both got bad batches of seed? I don't save tomato seeds, so everything I grew was from bought packs. It seems like the other tomatoes I planted were okay, but the Early girls were pink/striped with no flavor (not typical). Those I gave to my mom did fine, so I figured it must have been something I did. Weird.

No worries though...with any luck, the seed I ordered this year will be stable, eh?

Thanks for the clarification...

Jamie

Wow, these lists are so impressive!

For my itty-bitty gardening space, I'm going to try Italian Roma and Sugar Sweetie from seed (first attempt at doing so), but if they fail, I might end up trotting over to the local nursery for whatever is being offered -- usually Sungolds and Early Girls.

I think everyone's lists are impressive no matter how many they are planting. It is great to see the different varieties that everyone is trying. And good for those of you, like Laura, who are going from seed for the first time. Good luck! It is intimidating the first time, but you will be fine. :)

Got them sown today. :)

{{gwi:1189427}}

Shelley,
Looking good. I have 3 1/2 trays started including peppers. One tray is about all up. Over the next week should have a bunch show their heads. Will be watching for updates on their progress. Jay

I have my first tomato sprout! Which is amazing, considering it was wintersown (outside), and the lows this past week have been consistently in the teens! I have had a row cover over the containers ... but still. So who is this tough guy you ask? Well it's a girl, Galina's Yellow Cherry : ) Now if I can just keep her alive until I can plant her out.

Bonnie

jali, those Skorospelka are sturdy lil' buggers! I'm ready to plant out two toms and a number of peppers, waiting for the weather pattern to change in a few days for that, likely mid-next week I'll set up the hoops and plastic and set some peppers out, a few WoWs too.

I'm trying 'Orange Oxheart' again, poor germination and the one that did come isn't looking that good, likely the last year for this if it performs like last year.

I'm also trying a 'Nineveh' for canning that someone mentioned somewhere, that is a sturdy lil' feller also.

Needless to say, I'm more than ready...where are those upper air analyses again?!?

Dan

Bonnie,
Galinas was the first to sprout for me too (indoors).
I may have to put some tomato seeds out for a late WS and see how they do, just for grins.

Thanks, Jay. The fun has just begun for we materheads. Good luck and good growing everyone! :)

Glad they are coming through for you, Dan. They are a wonderfully tough and tasty Siberian. That's the reason I'm so high on this one. :)

I have Early Girl, SuperSweet 100, Delicious, Brandywine, and Everlast for this year.

Early Girl always does great for me, I found some Bloody Butcher seeds at a nursery and next year I will start those from seed since several people have written that they like it better than early girl. I bought the Early Girl a few weeks ago at a local nursery and it is now showing bloom buds coming.

I bought the SuperSweet100 at the same time. I hope its good, I alway get Sweet 100 and got the supersweet version by mistake.

I found a Brandywine seeding at one of the nurseries I haunt. Cost me 3.89 for a 3 inch tall plant. grrrr I found some seeds and next year will grow my own. I have never grown this and am seeking an old fashioned beefsteak that is sandwich sized and has flavor to die for. I hope this fills the bill.

A different nursery had Delicious. I had seed planted for this one but I bought it anyway. It is showing yellow on blossoms and it is only about 12 inches tall. So it is showing promice for early production.

I found some Everlast seeds in the burpee specialty seeds at lowes and bought both packets they had. I have a couple of seeds planted. I cant find anything about this variety on the web. According to the package its a long keeper.

Next year I am going to start all seeds in January.

Does anyone have any extra Brandywine Suddeth seeds (sp) for trade? Or any other huge yummy op indeterminate for trade?

I can go thu my seed box and see if I have anything to interest you. I know that I have Oregon Spring and a few other cold crop ones.

pam

Pam,
I sent you an email about the seeds. If you didn't receive it please let me know. Jay

Hi Jay
Did you get my reply email? Sometimes aol email gets put in spam folders. I resent my email to you using my gmail address.

pam