Thanks,

Brett

Carla in Sac

The short answer is that taste is very subjective and unique to each individual. What variety is best will very greatly for each individual.

That being said, if you have a particular variety that you consider to be a good tasting "baseline" of sorts, then that type of information could possibly help in making a recommendation.

Even though it's not a hybrid, the only recommendation I feel safe to make, across the board, is to try Neves Azorean Red if you haven't already. It's a larger (averaged 1.25-1.5 lbs.) red slicer with great taste and the plants grew very well in a terrible year of weather - no rain, 100 degree days, etc. The fruits almost never cracked - even when we had a downpour after two weeks of no rain, they still didn't crack, even when they were fully colored.

Hope this helps.

But, to answer your question there are few hybrid reds I like and the ones below are some of the earliest bred and thus, to me and I think many others, have some of the best tastes around.

Jet Star F1,Moreton Hybrid,Supersonic F1, all bred by Harris Seeds and Ramapo F1 bred by Rutgers U.

I don't usually grow hybrid cherries except for Sungold F1, so haven't grown many red hybrid cherries, but I'm very impressed with the variety Mountain Magic F1 bred by Dr. Randy Gardner, formerly of NCSU. He graciously shared some seeds with me so last year was the second year I grew it. And I can also recommend Smarty F1, a grape tomato, offered by Johnny's.

Many places are listing MM this year but the best deal money wise is with TGS in FL.

When you pick them red, keep them for a few days and they then have a much better taste. They also have lots of diseases tolerances bred in which are described at the various sites that list them this year which you can find by Googling, but as I said TGS has the best pricing on these and I hope they still have some in stock.

Hope that helps.

Carolyn

Carolyn

Tom

I like Big Beef.

Weldon

Favorite cherries are Sun Gold and Gardeners Delight.

Dave

Parks Whopper is also good

It all comes down to the variety that you have success with. After trying different varieties over the years the one that is best suited for your climate is what everyone should plant.

I have had the most success with Beefmaster year in and year out in my location. So that will always be my number one plant each planting season. If it works don't fix it.

Luther

Our rankings:
1. Big Beef: incredibly prolific, largish and very tomatoey. Not too sweet, which works for us.
2. Jetsetter: not as prolific, about the same size Big Beef and again very tomatoey, especially with salt. A bit more sweet than Big Beef.
3. Jet Star: not very prolific compared to Jetsetter, similar size but sweeter and blander than those above, but the taste improved with salt.
4. Bear Creek: not a red hybrid slicer, but recommended from a forum member. A bit larger than above and less prolific that Jetsetter and definitely Big Beef, low acid. Great tomato for my uncle who cannot eat acidic tomatoes.
5. Clint Eastwood's Rowdy Red: much smaller later tomato than the rest. Taste was not that impressive as the name: not so rowdy, not so red. :)
6. Dona: smallest (larger than ping pong ball size) earliest tomato. Prolific, but the taste has not been interesting. Tastewise, it was better less ripe than fully ripe, where it became watery and bland.

Jet Star is a rock star for me, I've been growing it now for about 18 years and it's never failed to to provide a good crop. They taste good too.

None of the OSU varieties developed by Dr. Baggett can hold a candle to this tomato. I buy the plants at Bimart in the gallon size for 2.50 each.

I am having good luck with "Beaver Lodge" and like the taste for a slicer. I also like the boring old Early Girls for flavor.

I find Dona mentioned earlier in the thread and assert that the person was NOT growing and tasting a genuine Dona F1 hybrid. If you want to know more, search for keyword Dona on this forum.