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susan2010_gw

Your 'Must Grow' Tomato

susan2010
12 years ago

I'm looking for one or two new varieties to grow this year and thought I might get inspiration by asking what tomato you would grow if you could only have one variety?

I'd be torn, too, but I think mine would be (so far) Cherokee Purple.

Yours?

Comments (97)

  • euarto_gullible
    12 years ago

    I try new varieties every year, but Pink Brandywine is the only one I've planted every year, simply because it's the gold standard of tomatoes for me.

  • greenmulberry
    12 years ago

    For me it Opalka. Its just the best all around tomato, it makes great sauce, is easy to peel for freezing, has very little seeds, tastes great fresh, and grows wonderfully for me.

    I always grow a black and a green slicer for variety, but the bulk of my crop is Opalka.

  • tylenol
    12 years ago

    I prefer beefsteaks.

  • harveyhorses
    12 years ago

    Tylenol are you sure those are not Bloody Butcher? I want to grow THOSE!

  • helenh
    12 years ago

    Cherokee Purple and Pale Perfect Purple are favorites. If I could have only one, PPP because Cherokee Purple is a little more fragile (rots if a worm eats a little hole in it). I also like the big pink beefsteaks so it would be hard not to have a few of those, but they come later in the summer and are treats not mainstays.

  • pz1122
    12 years ago

    Red/Pink: Eva Purple Ball

    Orange: KBX

    Cherry: Torn between Sunglod and black cherry

    Paste: Still waiting for something to wow me

    Black: Black Krim

    Green: Aunt Rubys German Green

  • vtguitargirl
    12 years ago

    Pruden's Purple - awesome taste & out performs Brandywine in my garden
    San Marzano - great for cooking & very productive
    Cherokee Purple - great taste
    Jaune Flamme - yummy little tomato for salads & sandwiches that ripens long before the others

  • missingtheobvious
    12 years ago

    Tylenol are you sure those are not Bloody Butcher?

    Yeah -- doesn't look at all like the usual photos of Aunt Gertie's Gold.

  • nordfyr315
    12 years ago

    Black From Tula

  • jwestbury
    12 years ago

    As one not blessed with good tomato-growing weather, I'm a fan of both Black from Tula and Sungold, though, after last year, I've decided to change out Sungold for Isis Candy Cherry from Tomatofest -- it was by far the best of the cherries I grew last year, and more productive, too.

    Last year, Tula was the only non-cherry I got reasonable levels of production from. (Indeed, I got no production at all from several plants, with this damnable La Nina around.)

  • plantinellen
    12 years ago

    Green Zebra and Black Zebra -- love the tangy-sweet taste and striking appearance (especially when paired with other tomatoes).

  • rathersmallbunny
    12 years ago

    Love this thread! So far I really like Black Krim and Sungold. Last year I also tried Momotaro (apparently the #1 tomato in Japan). Strangely it started off rather bad, but then the fruit got better and better until by the end of the season it was really tasty though the skins were a tad thick.

    This year I'm trying some new ones like Black Cherry, Odoriko and Bloody Butcher. Will see how they go! I have a real weakness for tomato seedlings. Going to the farmer's market is a struggle as there are new ones begging to go home every week. I just don't have enough room!!

  • golodkin
    12 years ago

    I love Black Krim, but can never get more than one or two to set per bush, if I'm lucky. Usually none.

    Nothing heirloom sets here, unfortunately.

  • yumtomatoes
    12 years ago

    I would like to change my vote to Cherokee Purple from Pink (potato leaved) Brandywine.

  • muffienh
    11 years ago

    Opalka was great in sauce, salsa, just for adding a bit of tomato flavor to a supper dish. Easy to peel, few seeds or juice, just a rich taste with no bitterness. Funniest looking tomato, everyone thought it was a pepper!

  • bggrows
    11 years ago

    Planted 16 plants last of May. Had some early fruit set but few ripened until after the 6 weeks of extreme heat. Had more blooms and fruit as the temps normalized making for very late harvest.

    My first year for Black Krim and now is my favorite.

    Cherokee Purple and Kellogg Breakfast had few fruit. Big Beef for slicers and is still producing several each day. BB has been a prolific producer for me for 3 years.

  • northerngurl
    11 years ago

    All of the opinions on Juliets mentioned that they were extremely prolific. So far that seems to be the case.

  • kenlerner
    11 years ago

    Second the motion on Big Beef. If I could plant only one variety that would be it. Disease resistant, always productive, big red tomatoes with excellent flavor. The perfect tomato for a BLT. Works very well for me in northern Illinois.

  • billyberue
    11 years ago

    Cherokee Purple! One of the very earliest and always there til the end. Great producer and wonderful taste.

  • lkzz
    11 years ago

    Thank you for this thread.
    Very informative.

    Has anyone ever grown tomatoes from seed directly in the garden in Zone 7b? My compost grows beautiful tomato plants from seed...

    Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

  • SmokyMist
    11 years ago

    I grew 28 varieties this year, and from those varieties my favorites were
    1.) German Lunchbox ( one of those you pluck while working in the garden and eat right off the vine, very sweet )
    2.) Kentucky Pineapple, beautiful large tomatoes, yellow with red centers
    3.) Bread and Salt - I swear I harvested some softball sized tomatoes from this one.
    4.) Super Snow White - very very mild flavor, loved them in salads.
    5.) Rutgers - just because the darn things are STILL producing tomatoes in my garden and it's November !

    I grew quite a few Italians which did not do well, and black's, which I was just not a fan of.

  • samj530
    11 years ago

    Red: 'Health Kick' Over 100 off 1 plant!
    Yellow: 'Lemon Boy'
    Orange: 'Mr Stripey' Several over 2lbs.
    Pink: 'Watermelon Beefsteak'
    Green: 'Green Zebra'

  • tn_gardening
    11 years ago

    i grew my first black krim this year, and im in love. what a great tasting tomato. yum

  • tytobyto
    11 years ago

    In 25 years I've never had all my tomatoes fail, but I've never grown a tomato that never failed. I would pick at least two to grow.
    Until this year, I would have said Pruden's Purple, but in 2012 Pruden done me wrong. The only tomato that I can say I've always gotten production from is Black Plum, but that's not what I want on my hamburger.

  • sharonrossy
    11 years ago

    Mr. Stripey and Green Zebra are actually on my "Must Not Grow" list. Green Zebra has been a perennial disappointment for me, so I am finally giving up the ghost. Will try Japanese Black Trifele again and definitely Sun Gold cherries.
    Sharon

  • larryw
    11 years ago

    I had so many tomatoes last year that I am cutting down from 52 varieties to only 24 plants for 2013.

    Here are 6 varieties that are sure to go in:

    Lil's Favorite
    Mr. Brown's (Not Ibson's Mr. Brown)
    Golden Queen (Not the USDA one with the pinkish bottom)
    Granny Cantrell's
    Amish Rose
    Big Beef Hybrid

    The truth of the matter is I could probably not eat all the tomatoes from one each of those plants!

  • Creek-side
    11 years ago

    I have a few "must grows", but the most recent is the grape tomato "Sun Sugar." This variety has it all - tremendous flavor, beautiful deep orange color, cracks less often than others, easy to pick, very prolific, keeps for 10 days or more after picking without getting a single spot, produces up until freezing. I can't say enough about this one.

  • tdscpa
    11 years ago

    I wouldn't bother to garden for one variety. Would be almost sure to have a total failure.

    I would have to grow 4: Burgundy Traveler, Mule Team, Prue, Thessaloniki.

  • sue_ct
    11 years ago

    1. Kellogs Breakfast
    2. Brandywine (I have been planting Suddarth)

    We live in prime Brandywine territory. Many people don't get much out of it because they live in climates that are too hot or humid or not long enough. Get a good strain. Zone 5-6 gardens seem to get the best results.

  • gponder
    11 years ago

    Amana Orange, Amish Paste, Heidi, Supertasty, Big Beef, Brandyboy, Sun Sugar, Blk cherry, Swt Chelsea, Earl's Faux, Earl of Edgecomb, Mountain Magic, Indian Stripe, Green Grape, Green Doctors, Chadwick Cherry, Federle, Opalka, Juane Flamme .
    Every year's different but these varieties (with the exception of Earl's Faux, Federle & Opalka) are pretty consistent for me. Our summers are generally in the 90s to occasional low 100s, we're dry with cool nights (50s)

  • tomva
    11 years ago

    I know this one sounds crazy but I tried it for the first time last growing season and was blown away by it Cosmonaut Volkov I thought I would give it a try but figured I was wasting my time but very good producer and very good fruit, I can only imagine after saving seed for a few yrs what the plants will do then as they become more acclimated to my humble back yard, Out of the gate, the first year they blew a lot of my grow every year tomato's away

  • eepi
    11 years ago

    Last year it got tooo hot too quickly but Jaune Flamme didn't have trouble setting fruit, and kept producing until very late, so that's a definite. I'm still in the stage where I'm trying lots of varieties. (Does one ever get past that stage?)

  • missingtheobvious
    11 years ago

    Remy Rouge is a great-tasting red cherry; some call it sweet, some call it full-flavored, but the half dozen people who tried mine were all wowed by the taste. Best when fully ripe. Tough skin.

    This is a very attractive plant; next year I will put it on the front porch. It was happy in a 4 gallon pot, but requires a large and strong support. After losing half its branches and most of its foliage to Late Blight, it recovered, replaced most of what had been lost, and kept setting fruit. (I trimmed the bad bits on a daily basis, but had to give up spraying due to near-constant rain.)

    Buy it from Sample Seeds here:
    http://www.sampleseeds.com/?page_id=4260

    Tatiana's and Sample Seeds call it det, but Ventmarin says indet. Tatiana's calls it midseason; Ventmarin says 65-75 days. Ventmarin says fruit size is up to .36 oz. and height is 6-7'. According to Ventmarin, "Remy" is an alternative name. Everyone agrees it's French.

    Though not named for GW's Remy, she's the one who sells it.

  • FieldMarshall316
    11 years ago

    I grew 15 different types last year and this year I am only growing Amazon Chocolates. They out produced and outlasted every other type of tomato. I had a couple of tomato plants die and replaced them with garden center plants that brought disease. The Amazon's were the last to succumb, but that wasn't until September, well past the growing season here in Houston. Hands down the best producing best tasting tomato I have ever grown. I'm planting over 200 this year hoping to sell to upscale restaurants.

  • bobb_2002
    11 years ago

    I like Cherokee Purple flavor, and some years I get real good crops. Last year was pretty good. Sungold is great for salads and just snacking and was very prolific last year. Juliet is also prolific and relatively crack free but the flavor is not very intense. I still grow it because it is so reliable.

  • jerseyjohn
    11 years ago

    Sorry, can't provide pic......but is on Google Images.

    Goldman's Italian-American. Tasty, productive, and awesome to look at !!!!!

  • mary14889
    10 years ago

    Green Doctor Frosted is my new most favorite tomato for the most exquisite tomato flavor. I just finished canning some tomatoes this evening and I have to laugh at myself. Last spring I planted a green gage plum tree. I could have saved a lot of expense and trouble by growing and canning GDF instead. They look and taste very much like green gage plums and will be lovely to have for a winter breakfast. Next year I will definitely grow more. Btw, my seed came from Fedco and they were yellowish when ripe as in the photo. Later in the season turned oval like a good sized grape tomato while earlier in the season they were small and round. Curious.

  • seysonn
    10 years ago

    Interesting observations:

    I almost read all the posts. What I found were:

    == There were some all time favorite:
    ......BLACK KRIM, MORTGAGE LIFTER, KELLOGS BEEF STEAK, RUTGERS, SUNGOLG, CHEROKEE PURPLE, BRANDY(SOMETHING) , OPALKA ...

    == Did not here some of the famouse names: STPICE, BLOODY BUTCHER, SUN SUGAR, SWEET 100, EARLY GIRL, CELEBRITY, BIG BOY,

    == And lastly, but very interesting obvervation: PEOPLE TALKED ALL ABOUT THEIR FAVORITS AND WHAT THEY WILL PLANT pre season... but NOBODY CAME BACK TO REPORT HOW THEIR PICKS DID.

    Somehow we like to talk about it in anticipation, but rarely want to admit that our choice was a bad one....our failure

    I have opened a similar thread myself, talking about NEXT year's choice. It remains to be seen that I will report how badly I failed.

  • zzackey
    10 years ago

    Golden Jubilee is my favorite and then Sungold. I had about 100 Sungolds on my plant before it died early. Probably too much rain.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    I had a previous post in this thread. But this time around came across it just by incident. So , once again I read most of the posts.

    What I found out was somrthing that re enforced my decision to add the followings to my 2015 grow list:

    == Kellogg's Breakfast (Yellow )
    == Brandy Boy ; A Burpee hybrid but I have read raved reviews on it. Got to try it.
    == Rutgers : An all time favorite. I grew it about 5 years ago once. I cannot remember specifics but it was tasty, medium size.
    == Indian strip: This is also going to be an addition to my brown/purple tomatoes. Cherokee Purple and Japanese Black Trifele are already in my list . I grew both of them this past season.

    Okee Dokee. In another couple of months (in Feb) I will start germinating. I have all the seeds I want except the ones mentioned above.

    Seysonn

  • centexan254 zone 8 Temple, Tx
    9 years ago

    For me my list seems to grow each year.

    Cherokee Purple is on the top of that list.

    Next is Black Prince it is a great early producer. It just does not like extreme heat. I had no problem with making a cutting of the healthy part, and rooting it. Once the heat wave broke it was transplanted, and I got a nice fall crop of them.

    Mr. Stipey is up there on the list because they were so tasty.

    Creole Hybrid produced well, and tasted good.

    Bush Goliath gets most prolific of the slicers. I lost count of the tomatoes I harvested off of it. They were very good.

    Yellow Pear it survived the heat. Produced when everything else quit. It was oblivious to septoria. For every branch it lost 3 more grew out. Many pounds of the little yellow things were harvested. They tasted best when left to ripen to a slight orangeish color.

  • williammorgan
    9 years ago

    San Marzano Redorta

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    OK. If I had to grow just ONE, variety, then it would be Cherokee Purple. My second choice is Anananas Noire aka "Black Pineapple" which I think it is the most in appropriate name. This tomato has NO resemblance to pineapple and definitely it is not black or even brown.

  • smithmal
    9 years ago

    Indian Stripe.

    In comparison, the other blacks I've grown included:
    Black Cherry
    Cherokee Purple
    Paul Robeson
    Noire de Crimee
    Nyagous

    and IS is hands down better that the ones listed above (although CP comes in a close second).

    smithmal

  • chewy2u
    9 years ago

    I'm looking for one or two new varieties to grow this year and thought I might get inspiration by asking what tomato you would grow if you could only have one variety?
    I'd be torn, too, but I think mine would be (so far) Cherokee Purple.
    ###########

    I am in Massachusetts also and for MA the winner is Jet Star by far.

    I have grown CP and Jet Star side by side and JT wins hands down with double the yield and larger tomatoes of higher quality and the same flavor. size of vine is almost identical. Jet Star is a little more bushy to get more tomatoes.

    for Jet Star you must get genuine seeds. do not buy plants or you will not get jet star in new england. you will get later F2 f3 f4 etc from sellers who save seeds to save money. and the yield on F2 is half that on genuine seeds.

    the best place to get Jet Star seeds is Fedco or Totally Tomatoes. but do some google searches if you need to find a different seller. of course Harris sells them as Jet Star is a Harris seed.

    also jet star is much better than its partner Supersonic.

    I get jet star going early then I get some seeds in close to May 1 and the first set of plants fully ripen all toms then the 2nd set takes over until freeze time. Supersonic is used for that late crop. but I prefer 2 crops of Jet Star. Experiment and see what you like. I am in colder area zone 5 you are warmer and have more grow time in zone 6.

    every farmer I have talked to in 50 years says if they could only grow one it would be Jet Star. Fedco catalog lists contests of varieties over time and Jet Star always wins first place in New England at least.

    BUT YOU MUST GET SEEDS TO GROW REAL JET STAR.

  • nugrdnnut
    9 years ago

    Cuostralee... first year growing it, but plenty of big, beautiful, and great tasting tomatoes. During the hottest part of summer there was some blossom drop, but started right back up when we came out of 100+ degree weather.

    Like many others, Sungold will be in our garden every year!

  • nugrdnnut
    9 years ago

    Cuostralee... first year growing it, but plenty of big, beautiful, and great tasting tomatoes. During the hottest part of summer there was some blossom drop, but started right back up when we came out of 100+ degree weather.

    Like many others, Sungold will be in our garden every year!

  • teddyd30
    9 years ago

    Matina. Big enough to slice and put on a sandwich, but small enough so eating one doesn't turn into a self-imposed homework assignment. Here's how I grow 'em: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9b4LktURbMQ

    Here is a link that might be useful: Growing Tomatoes

  • caryltoo Z7/SE PA
    9 years ago

    Black Krim. I've grown both Cherokee Purple and Black Krim and prefer the Krim.

    I also always grow Anna Russian. Huge, heart-shaped fruit, dense flesh and good for canning. Last year, however, I think I got one fruit from two plants because the rabbits love them too. Every time one got close to ripe there'd be a huge bite out of it the next day.

    Caryl

  • Hermitian
    9 years ago

    For my climate, Black From Tula and others.

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