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highalttransplant

Tomatoes 2011

highalttransplant
13 years ago

It's time to wintersow the tomatoes, and sadly, I don't have a clue what to grow this year, but I thought if I started this thread, all of the tomatoheads would post their lists, and I could get some ideas.

The problem is too many choices! I had over 100 varieties to choose from, and then I participated in Deb's tomato seed swap, and now it's closer to 150!!! How in the world am I supposed to narrow that down to just a few?

And I hate to admit it, but after last year, I'm becoming more of a pepperhead than a tomatohead. I learned that extra pepper plants can be stuck in the nearest empty pot, or even in the flower beds. Extra tomato plants ... not so easy to find a place for in a small garden. Also, the tomatoes were a bit pickier about location. No matter how close I crammed the pepper plants, they remained healthy, and all produced well. The tomato plants don't like being too close, and tend to block one another's sunlight, so the ones in the middle become very disgruntled! So in order to keep them all happy, I'm going to have to space them out more, which means a maximum of 7 plants here at the house, and 6 - 8 plants at the community garden, assuming that I'm able to get a plot this year.

Feeling overwhelmed with choices ...

Comments (22)

  • Dan _Staley (5b Sunset 2B AHS 7)
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Peppuh. Ayuh.

    Dan

  • colokid
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I know what you mean. Last year 36 varieties. this year I am trying to find place for 10
    Stupice (all ways one plant),Pruden' purple, thessaloniki, spudakee, tarasenko 6, giganisque, pusta kolox, NAR, brandy wine red (the true RL one), one of the brandy wines-cowlick-landis or OTV, and my preacher joe X unknown that I am growing out. My spelling may not be correct.
    Kennyp

  • digit
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've done better this year. The 29 varieties in 2010 with a too early start, too many weeks here at home, too early transplanting to the garden anyway, too few ways to protect them from late frosts, too much cold wind . . . lost plants . . . confusion . . .

    Okay Bonnie, in 2011 - I've got 22 varieties: Big Dwarf*^
    Big Beef
    Dagma's Perfection*^
    Dusky Rose*^
    Early Girl
    Gary O Sena^
    Goliath
    Kellogg's Breakfast*^
    Milka's Red Bulgarian*^
    Orange Minsk^
    Rainy's Maltese^
    Thessaloniki^
    Woodle's Orange*^
    Bloody Butcher^
    Buisson^
    Lunchbox
    Pink Pearls^
    SunSugar
    SunGold
    Sweet 100
    Sweet Quartz*
    Wow*^

    *new-to-me
    ^open-pollinated

    Obviously, I'm making a real commitment to trying out new OP slicers while not dropping any of my standards, hybrid or OP! All this is good because I am willing to grow more than a dozen slicers each year (. . . might as well be a dozen different slicers ;o).

    If you want to know my preferences, Bonnie, look at the ones that are not new-to-me. Yes, I'd like to have all OP's but, at this time, I'm not about to give up on those disease-resistant, thrive-on-abuse hybrids!

    I'm really looking forward to having the Pinks back and to trying some Oranges/yellows! I really wasn't very impressed with Minsk last year - huge plant, few fruits. Of course, I love those orange cherries.

    The pink cherry Sweet Quartz would add to the colors in that group. Isn't that a terrible name? Here! Bite into a piece of quartz . . ! No wonder that variety has been out for years and hasn't caught on! Anyway, DW & I will refer to it as Sweet Rose (just like we call Bloody Butcher, JaliRanchr ;o).

    Steve

  • jaliranchr
    13 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hi all! Well, just finished my 2011 list today. Fewer varieties than the last few years, but still plenty of new ones, in addition to old favorites. Hope everyone has a great growing year! I prefer to lurk these days just to see how all of you are doing. Digit! LOL

  • xaroline
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    At Seedy Saturday I bought the following:
    Sophie's Choice
    Jaunne Flamme
    Silvery Fir Tree
    Variegated

    Caroline

  • kareng_grow
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Last year, I grew black cherry tomatoes on advice from folks on this forum and was not disappointed. Fabulous flavor. This year I'm going to try Milano - plum tomatoes and the super sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. Don't have room for anything else.
    I've also started getting hooked on peppers and will grow some Big Jims this year. My Ancho chiles were insanely successful last year in my greenhouse so will grow some more this year.

  • david52 Zone 6
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This year, I'm trying 3 different ox-hearts, trying to find one that will do the best here. For home use, they're kind of interesting, with decent flavor and few seeds. So, Kosovo, Cour de Boeuf, and Ox Heart Gigantissimo from Sandhill P.

    Along with the usual assortment of Sun Gold, Vorlon, Thessaloniki, and something called Tappi's finest - which sounded pretty good in the catalog.

  • mstywoods
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'm finally getting into the planting seed game! Just planted a few varieties of tomatoes-

    Brandywines: Big Cheef, Glicks, Sudduth, Red Landis (from seed trade 2011 - Thanks Jay/elkwc!)
    Dana's Dusky Rose (from seed trade 2011- Thanks Jay/elkwc!)
    Black Krim (grew these last year, too)

    We grew yellow pear last year, but think we may pass on those this year. They were good, a very prolific, but prefer the larger tomatoes I think.

    Marj

  • highalttransplant
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Marj, I'm with you on the large tomato preference! I'd pick a meaty beefsteak over a gel filled cherry every time!

    I still haven't planted any tomatoes yet, too busy planting more peppers, LOL. The list is pretty close to done though. I've narrowed it down to 17, which is a couple more than I really have room for, but I don't mind a couple of back-ups in case I lose a plant as a result of some catastrophe.

    So here's what I plan to sow:

    Amish Paste
    Black Cherry
    Box Car Willie
    Carbon
    Cherokee Purple (or Indian Stripe)
    Earl's Faux
    Hillbilly
    New Big Dwarf (for container)

    the rest of these will go in the community garden, if I'm able to get the space (if not, I'll have a few plants to give away):

    Caspian Pink
    Neves Azorean Red
    Giant Belgium
    Striped German
    Black Krim
    Sweet Horizon (aka Rosalies Early Orange)
    Stump of the World
    Pineapple
    Persimmon (or Valencia)

    Hoping to get them sown either Friday or Saturday. Just realized I haven't planted peas yet, which I usually have done by St. Patrick's Day, and it's almost time for carrots and radishes. Seems like this season is already flying by, even though it's really just getting started.

    Bonnie

  • mstywoods
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I just LOVE the names they come up with for plant varieties! Some are sooo creative and interesting - and some are like "huh?!". :^D

    Marj

  • colokid
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Names? I was just over in my favorite tomato place and they mentioned "Pineapple Pig". I think I will pass that one up.
    KennyP

  • provogirl
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here is a list of the tomatoes I am growing this year. I also have a gone a little nuts on the peppers, eggplants and the herbs (15 kinds of basil).

    German Pink Tomato
    Yellow Pear Tomato
    Sugary Tomato
    Beefsteak Tomato
    Chamber's Currant Tomato
    Clementine Tomato
    Crimson Tide Tomato
    Mrs. Stripey Tomato
    German Johnson Tomato
    Big Rainbow Tomato
    Mr. Stripey Tomato
    Green Zebra Tomato
    Juliet Tomato
    German Queen Tomato
    Lemon Boy Tomato
    Red Fig Tomato
    Swap Beefsteak Tomato
    Sweet Baby Girl Tomato
    Costuluto Genovese Tomato
    Stupice Tomato
    Black Sea Man Tomato
    Chamber�s Red Sausage Tomato
    Bloody Butcher Tomato
    Black from Tula Tomato
    Beams Yellow Pear Tomato
    Tommy Toe Tomato
    Cream Sausage Tomato
    Gold Medal Tomato
    Green Sausage Tomato
    White Queen Tomato
    Hillbilly Potato Leaf Tomato
    Japanese Trifele Black Tomato
    Beefeater Tomato
    Fuyu Tomato
    Pink Target Tomato
    Red Meat Tomato
    Banana Yellow Tomato
    Yellow Cr�me Tomato
    Big Beefy Tomato
    Cleota Pink Tomato
    Tlacalulu Tomato
    Kellogg's Breakfast Tomato
    Ailsa Craig Tomato

    ProvoGirl

  • digit
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    This morning, it rained and now, sunbreaks -- the outdoor thermometer has just reached 40F altho' it is past mid-day. So, I am frozen beside the remote thermometer ready to make changes in the greenhouse. I figure I've got 60mins tops, before I have to do one thing, or another.

    The transplanting of some of the tomatoes into pony packs began this week. This will go on for awhile since there has been 3 sowings of seed . . . and, I broke down today, planting 2 more varieties!

    DW had hurt my feelings in 2010 saying that we had too many cherries and, "especially those big Sweet Chelseas!" I've pouted for 6 months now until she said today, "We really should have more of those Sweet Chelsea for the freezer."

    Since my container had room for more than the Sweet Chelsea, I snuck in Dr. Carolyn yellow cherry seeds! Won't DW be surprised?!

    Jali, it is good for us to actually see what you are up to!

    Caroline, did you buy seeds from Jeff Casey there in Calgary?

    David, with your cooking interest & talents - it makes great sense to me that you are working with an oxheart!

    I actually looked up the one named 'Stump of the World' and still don't know where the name comes from. It was also called 'Big Ben' for Ben Quisenberry the originator or, preservationist. (Marj, you can see how tomato gardeners would ignore that perfectly sensible name and go for: 'Stump of the World.' ;o) Not looking up Pineapple Pig . . .

    Yes, I like the peppers but for the most desirable fruit of annual garden plants, I want 1st & foremost either melons or tomatoes. And, if melons are limited because of the climate -- I'm delighted that there are 1 or 2 tomato varieties to make life interesting.

    Oops! There's that sun again! Just when I thought I'd need to go out to close the vents and turn the greenhouse furnace back on! Now what? I wonder if I have time to make a run to the hardware store . . .

    Steve
    ProvoGirl, with "Tomato" written with every variety you should see what your list looks like as a "word cloud." I did! Choose "any which way" in Layout. It'll look like a spilled packet of seeds!

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wordle Word Cloud

  • digit
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh and Karen, I fell for Black Cherry last year -- or, at least, DW did!

    I knew, knew, knew she wouldn't like a black tomato! But, she thought they made a pretty picture - Yep! She doesn't want to see another one of those out there . . .

    There's no accounting for that woman's taste!

    S'

  • elkwc
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Due to my current job situation I'm a week behind starting my mater seeds. Hopefully with get them and my pepper seeds all planted this weekend. Like always having a hard time keeping numbers down. And that is after I eliminated over 250 varieties from my collection. Seems I receive too many new ones I feel I must try.

    Jali great to see your list. You have some interesting ones. I'm leaving off some this year in order to grow a few new ones and old ones I hadn't grown in a few years. They will be back next year including your Rainy's Maltese. If you haven't tried Dana's Dusky Rose I need to send you seeds. The same for you Bonnie. I really liked it last year and it did well here. Hopefully it will continue. I shared seeds with a few and it seemed to do well for everyone.

    I also plan on trying my hand at grafting this year. There will be a learning curve and no better time to start. I will limit it somewhat due to my work demands. Hope to graft 20-25 using 3 different grafting rootstocks and compare results to non grafted plants of the same variety planted side by side.

    Below is a rough list of what I will start. Not all will find a home in my garden. Some I will be give away for others to try. Jay

    2011 Tomato List

    All Around Types

    Amish Canner
    Atkinson
    Glick's 18 Mennonite
    Heinz 1439
    Heinz 1350
    Kanora - Kansas variety
    Mozark - A University of Missouri variety - Det
    #670
    Hunt's Family Favorite

    Bi-Colors

    Arkansas Marvel
    Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye
    Texas Star

    Beefsteak/Slicers

    Barlow Jap - Pink
    Big Cheef - Brandywine Cross
    Brandywine OTV
    Carmello OP
    Cleota Pink
    Costoluto Genovese
    County Agent - Red
    Cowlick Brandywine - Pink
    Earl's Faux
    Ed's Millenium - Brandywine selection
    Germaid Red
    Grandma Suzy's Beefsteak
    Hege's German Pink
    Lancaster County Pink
    Make My Day
    Pomodoro Costoluto Genevese
    Purple Haze F5 - One of the top 3 I grew last year. A very good pink selection from a PH grow out. Feel it is about stable now.
    Royal Hillbilly
    Strawberry Margarita
    Sweet Corners Pink - Don't know anything about this one. Sent to me and sounds nice
    Todebusch Pink

    Cherries

    Aunt Rubys German Green Cherry
    Black Cherry
    Black Mystery Pear - Checking to see if it is stable yet
    Blondkopfchen
    Camp Joy
    Cherokee Green Pear
    Green Doctors Frosted cherry
    Mountain Magic Hybrid
    Smarty F1 hybrid
    Sungold Hybrid
    Sungold Select OP
    Sweet Treats Hybrid - A very good cherry I grew last year
    Texas Star Cherry cross - Checking for stability. The best cherry I grew last year. A bicolor
    WOW Cherry Hybrid - Have extra seeds for anyone wanting to try this new cherry

    Darks

    Amazon Chocolate
    Black from Tula
    Black Goosecreek
    Carbon
    Cherokee Chocolate
    Cherokee Purple RL & PL
    Dana's Dusky Rose - One of my top 3 last year
    Indian Stripe
    JD's Special C-Tex
    PPP x P "C" - Pale Perfect Purple x Purple Price
    Purple Haze - I will be growing the real PH along with at least 3 different selections from grow outs and attempts to stabilize them.One is named Haze and supposedly stable now. One is a pink and listed under the pinks
    Spudakee - PL strain of CP
    True Black Brandywine
    Vorlon

    Green when Ripe

    Absinthe
    Cherokee Green
    Emerald Evergreen

    Oxhearts
    Guildo Pietroboni
    JD's Special Pink Heart

    Plum/ Paste/Other small types

    Cody's Paste
    Grandma Mary's Paste
    Heinz 2653 Paste
    Hog Heart Paste
    Malinowski

    Yellows/Orange

    1884 Yellow Pink Heart - Darrell Merrell variety
    Belarus Orange 1
    Casey's Pure Yellow
    Golden Queen non USDA
    Juane Flammee'
    Kellogg's Breakfast
    KBX
    Lillian's Yellow
    Orange Minsk
    Woodle Orange

    Others

    OSU Blue Fruit
    Tomasil - White

    Suppose to receive some other new varieties to try from a breeder. If they arrive in time I will eliminate some on the list to make room for at least a few of them.

    Grafting Rootstock

    Emperador
    He-Man
    Maxifort

    Hybrids other than cherries - Will pick 5-8 from this list

    Big Beef
    Big Zac
    Brandyboy
    Geronimo
    Goliath
    Heritage Hybrid
    Jetsonic
    Jet Star
    Moreton
    Momotaro - Nematode tolerance
    Old Fashioned Goliath
    Pear Goliath
    Porterhouse
    Pink Beauty
    Prime Beef Goliath
    Ramapo
    Red Defender
    Security
    Sunny Goliath

  • highalttransplant
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Finally got mine sown today!!! Okay, I know I don't really eat many cherry tomatoes, and I already had Black Cherry on the list, but somehow I planted Isis Candy and Galina's Yellow Cherry today. I'll probably give them away, but if there's room, I may stick on of each down at the community garden.

    Elkwc, nice list! I've tried some on the ones you have listed, and some were on my preliminary list, but didn't make the final cut. No, I haven't tried Dana's Dusky Rose yet, and you're the second person that's recommended that one to me this week!

    Bonnie

  • elkwc
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bonnie send me your address sometime and I will send some seeds of DDR. I've grown all but a couple on your list. You have several nice ones. Sadly I can't grow all I like and still try some new ones every year. And some I will be growing I have had for seeds for a few years and been pushing them back. The seeds are now 3-5 years old so need to grow them if I'm going too. Jay

  • jaliranchr
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Wonderful lists, everyone!

    Hey, Jay! That's a great list. Looks like Pink Berkeley Tie Dye made a lot of lists this year. :)Absinthe is the one Alan Bishop developed, yes? Good luck with the grafting.

  • gjcore
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I've only decided on these 2 so far which I've planted a few weeks ago and look okay.

    Orange Strawberry Oxheart
    Sandul Moldovan

    I'm thinking of throwing all the packets in a bowl, close my eyes and choose 8 more. They all look so good.

  • Skybird - z5, Denver, Colorado
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I finalized all the veggies I'm going to grow this year, and here's my rather brief tomato list! Realistically I can grow 7---I'm growing 8! The two red I'm growing because I had old seed for them, and in my search for the perfect yellow/orange ones, I never got around to researching a few new red varieties (Sand Hill will be getting an order for some red ones next year!), so I decided to just use some of the seed I had around here. Who knows! They might turn out to be great! The descriptions sound good!

    Sungold - gold cherry [57-60]
    Sweet Baby Girl - red cherry [65]
    Earl of Edgecombe - orange 6-12 oz. [73]
    Dr. Wyche's Yellow - gold 6-16 oz. [75-85]
    Kellogg's Breakfast - orange, 1-2 lb. 79-90]
    Big Beef Hybrid - red, 10-12 oz. [73]
    Delicious - red, 1 lb. [80]
    Mortgage Lifter - pink, 2.5 lbs. [80-85]

    I sure hope this is a better tomato year than last year was!

    Skybird

  • highalttransplant
    Original Author
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Well, as I mentioned on my "Admitting Defeat" thread I broke down and bought plants, since my wintersown ones are still tiny little sprouts at this point.

    So here is my revised tomato growlist, which is not near as exciting as what I had planned, but hopefully I will get enough ripe tomatoes to actually can some salsa and tomato sauce.

    Abe Lincoln
    Azoychka
    Big Red
    Black Krim
    Black Plum
    Black Sea Man
    Brandy Boy (hybrid)
    Brandywine
    Delicious
    Goldie
    Italian Gold
    La Roma II
    Mortgage Lifter (x2)
    Orange Blossom (hybrid)
    Pink Beauty (hybrid)
    Thai Pink

    The problem with this list is too many small to medium sized tomatoes. Would have preferred more beefsteaks, and the reviews I found for Thai Pink, which is my only cherry type, did not have good things to say about its flavor. Also, there are a few hybrids on the list, which is not my preference, but at this point beggars can't be choosers.

    Bonnie

  • elkwc
    12 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Bonnie,
    I just read your update on your peppers also. I will put the last of my peppers and tomatoes out this weekend. I received 6 inches of hail on May 24th. Which wiped out most of my plants that weren't covered. Whether in the frames or in ground. Some have rebounded, I rooted the top of one which will go out this weekend. And likewise I bought a few plants to replace the large ones that already had fruit on them that the hail ruined. I have plants now that have fruit and some are fair sized but have only been out a few days. We are in year 4 of a drought. And have had extremely high temps with wind almost every day. They are trying to build a wind farm south of me around 100 miles and have had less than five full days where they could use the tall cranes and erect them since March. Some long range forecasters are saying there is a possibility of more normal temps in July along with normal to above normal rainfall. The main reason I'm setting the plants out now. If there isn't a change by mid August I will yank many of them. But if it is more normal hopefully I will have a nice fall harvest. I will update varieties later. Jay