reliably productive varieties for southeast?

11 years ago

I am fairly new to gardening in the southeast & haven't had a lot of luck with tomatoes yet. I'd like to grow heirlooms & OPs with great flavor, but I'd also like the plants to be productive, since I have a limited amount of space. Any recommendations? Thanks!

Comments (8)

wertach zone 7-B SC
11 years ago
Rutgers and Marion are good choices for OP. The fruit isn't a one slicer for a sandwich but they are tasty and do well in our heat and humidity. Great for canning and freezing.

I grow Brandywine for the flavor, but they do not produce much fruit and they are prone to diseases.

I'm in 7b SC close to Greenville SC. Someone from 8B in GA might chime in and give you better answers.

Since you are fairly new to gardening in the southeast I'm guessing you moved to GA? If so you will find things quite different here!

Best of luck and never give up!
digdirt2
11 years ago
Link below is to several tomato discussions and variety recommendations from over on the Georgia Gardening forum.

Browse through the replies from farmerdill as he is exceptionally knowledgeable about gardening in your area.

dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Georgia Gardening forum on tomato varieties
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growsy
Original Author
11 years ago
wertach - I am wintersowing for the first time this year. I've had a lot of success, but one of my failures was the Rutgers seed. I just put some more out yesterday - hopefully it will sprout. My dh likes Brandywine too, but would like more tomatoes! I will keep at it - I'm a CA native & gardening out here is very different - but I can't imagine not trying. Thanks!

digdirt - thank you. I did try searching, but I think I searched the tomato forum instead of the Georgia forum. I appreciate your pulling that up for me. I will look for farmerdill.
fusion_power
11 years ago
Tropic, Burgundy Traveler, Druzba, Lynnwood, Box Car Willie. Plant them as early as possible which for your area would be between March 15th and 25th.

DarJones
growsy
Original Author
11 years ago
thank you, DarJones. I have Box Car willie & I will start the seeds tonight. I'm going to keep a list of other recommended varities for next year.
farmerdill
11 years ago
There are two major problems in the southeast. Southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) and Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus. If you have either of them, you will have problems with tomatoes. Box Car Willie is so suceptible to Souther Blight, that I have never gotten a single tomato from them. Some years I have been able to grow other OP's like Marion, Ponderosa's, Prudens' Purple etc. But for a reliable crop I have to rely on TSWV resistant varieties like Bella Rosa and Amelia.
fusion_power
11 years ago
Farmerdill, the best I recall, southern blight infests the soil. If you have it, it is hard to get rid of and if you don't have it, then avoid importing it via infected plant materials. There is at least one line available in ars-grin that is resistant to southern blight.

DarJones
ourhappyhome
11 years ago
I am growing Boxcar Willie, Arkansas Traveler, Eva's purple Ball and Cuostralee for flavor and production. These do very well in the central Georgia heat.