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hilnaric

Thoughts on Husky Cherry Red?

hilnaric
9 years ago

Does anyone here grow Husky Cherry Red? I'm interested in this one because I have fairly limited sprawl space and I see it's supposed to be a dwarf indeterminate.

Does it really top out at around 50"? And if you grow it, how is the flavor? Looking for something that isn't too sweet, and also one that can be picked at color break and ripen well inside.

Comments (16)

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    I am growing one in container. It already has fruits and the height so far is about 25". The fruits are bigger than cherry.
    It is a perfect patio container plant and should need much smaller space in garden. No need for elaborate support system. A small 3-ring tomato cage is all needed.

  • carolyn137
    9 years ago

    There used to be a lot of Husky ones, bred by Petoseed, but what happened is that consumers were not used to the dark green rugose foliage that they had, so seed sales were slow they were dropped and the only one left in production is Husky Red Cherry, which I've not grown.

    Conchita, it certainly sounds like it would meet your needs but I'd also suggest in some future year some of he wonderful new Dwarf varieties that have been bred at another message site. And yes,some of them are semi-determinate and some are indeterminate.

    In the link a the bottom where you see source being USA/Australia,those are the ones from the Dwarf Project listed.

    And here's a list of the Dwarf varieties released to date, a cooperative project between US and Australian folks, If you go to the list below the years in which they were released you can click on any of them to find a description, fruit color,shape,plant habit,etc.

    http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Category:Tomato_Dwarf_Project

    Hope that helps,

    Carolyn.

    Here is a link that might be useful: All Dwarf varieties

  • centexan254 zone 8 Temple, Tx
    9 years ago

    They grow just fine. I have 3 of them growing this year. Last year I grew 2. A larger container would be ideal for one. As far as size it stays fairly compact. Mine are not that super bushy at this time. It seems to keep putting out new growth. The heat here puts a damper on things for a couple of months.

    Mine seem to grow, and set fruit in spurts. It will grow, bud like crazy mad. Set Fruit, some of the plant will die off. I cut that part off. Let the rest grow. It keeps up that cycle till frost hits it.

  • hilnaric
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks for the replies, everyone. I'm glad to know it really is a compact plant.

    Carolyn, thanks for the link. I was vaguely aware of the dwarf tomato project but I thought it was all geared to normal sized fruits?

    One reason I was looking for a more compact cherry is that in the past for me those have seemed to want to be the longest vines, usually bigger than the beefsteak types I've grown. But if I could have a good productive slicer/beefsteak and a cherry that are both compact, that would be great.

  • carolyn137
    9 years ago

    Carolyn, thanks for the link. I was vaguely aware of the dwarf tomato project but I thought it was all geared to normal sized fruits?

    &&&&&&

    Most of them are normal sized fruits, from beefsteak size to midsize, and while I can't remember if any of them are cherry sized, there;s so many new ones being grown out, perhaps some of them too.

    Would it help if I asked if there any are cherry ones and get back to you here?

    I do know that someone asked recently if there were going to be any new varieties with paste type fruits.

    I've only grown 5 of them and that quite a few years ago, from plants sent to me my best tomato friend since 1989 and that's Craig LeHoullier, the North American Coordinator for the project while Patrina in Australia is coordinator for down under,

    I don't have my data book near me right now but some that I grew were Summertime Green, Summertime Gold, Wild Fred and Sweet Sue, and all of them had large fruits.

    Carolyn, and I must remember to do a thread here about which varieties are in the basket of tomatoes at the top of the page. Years ago there was a contest here where folks submitted pictures, and the winner was the same Patrina I mentioned above and I asked her again if she could remember which varieties and she answered as best she could.
    When it was fresh in her mind she did ID them and I saved that thread, but that was a couple of computers ago and long gone. From time to time someone does ask about those basket tomatoes.

  • mbrowne
    9 years ago

    Husky Cherry Red is one of my favorites for flavor, and they're very productive. They're very hardy, and mine top out around 4'. Nice, tangy flavor. Why do you need to pick at color break?

  • Lindsey (CA 9b)
    9 years ago

    First year growing tomatoes, or any vegetables for that matter, and planted two determinates in large clay pots: a Patio Tomato and a Bush Goliath tomato.

    For a large fruiting determinate, I highly recommend the Bush Goliath tomato. I planted the HD Bonnie start on 5/7 and the picture of the plant, taken on 7/12, is only 24 inches tall and full of fruit. My best guess there are at least two dozen tomatoes on it. I originally had a 33" cage on it, but from the stocky growth habit, I took it off early on. Big mistake. As the fruits grew, I was afraid the branches would collapse, so I started adding bamboo stakes.

    I harvested the first four on 7/18. The two largest ones were 10 oz and 12.4 oz. Since I haven't had an issue with critters, I let them ripen until they were fully colored. I think they tasted great and plan to have one or two next year (with a cage!).

    Another two harvested on 7/28 and were a total weight of 1lb 2oz. The 7 smaller tomatoes on the right are from the Patio Tomato which are ok, but I'm not growing one next year.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    Way to go , Lindsey .
    That is great for someone doing this for the first time. You beat the pros.

  • Lindsey (CA 9b)
    9 years ago

    Thanks seysonn.

    Back to the topic at hand, I actually have a Husky Cherry Red tomato and the Bonnie tag said Indeterminate. I planted it in a raised 4x8 bed. 4x6 was allocated to 6 indeterminates in 2 rows of 3 all outfitted with Texas Tomato cages. When I noticed the Husky Cheery Red was a lot shorter than the others, I went to the Bonnie site and it said it was a dwarf indeterminate.

    It too was stocky in nature and removed the TTC and added one 1x1 stake. Should have left the cage. One branch split from the maturing fruit but was able to add a bamboo stake and it survived. It's currently about 3' high and has multiple stakes.

    I like the "tangy" Husky Cheery Red, but prefer the sweeter little Sun Sugars (pictured) though it's a monster plant that is over 8' tall. I added another 2' TTC extension the other day.

    Poor Husky has to fend for itself between a zucchini and a Gold Medal even though I thought I had allowed enough room between plants. I chuck this year as a learning experience and hope to give everyone more room next year with wider spacing and additional beds.

  • hilnaric
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Wow, I didn't think this question would get nearly this many responses. Thanks, everyone.

    Would it help if I asked if there any are cherry ones and get back to you here?

    That's very kind of you, Carolyn, but I went all through both your links and it appears that so far iditarod is the smallest fruiting one. I'll keep an eye out for future releases.

    BTW, I often wonder about those tomatoes in the basket, too. :)

    Why do you need to pick at color break?

    Because I have a number of idiot neighbors who run restaurants for the squirrels and raccoons, unfortunately. But the critters aren't at all adverse to grabbing a snack while waiting for a table. :(

    lindseyb, you're doing wonderfully well with your tomatoes. Funny you should mention Goliath. Just over the weekend I was at a farm in central FL where they have a hydroponic shadehouse and Goliath (don't know if Bush Goliath is a different variety) was the only tomato still producing, even though it was over 100ú in there.

  • Lindsey (CA 9b)
    9 years ago

    conchitaFL, Now that you mention that, I checked the Bonnie Plant site and it offers both an indeterminate Goliath and an determinate Bush Goliath. I put the indeterminate Goliath on my long list of recommendations found here on Garden Web to consider for next year!

  • chewy2u
    9 years ago

    some sellers of the new dwarf project

    Tatania in Canada has the super best selection of tomatoes. she might have all of these new dwarf's but I am not sure. off the top of my head I can think of

    Victory Seed has a good selection.
    The Sample Seed shop has Rosella Crimson
    Sand Hill Preservation
    Heritage Tomato Seeds look down the left side the last click is for the Dwarfs organized together.

  • hilnaric
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, Chewy2u.

    Just for the record, I planted both a beefsteak and a husky cherry red on Oct. 18 (late, but since we hardly ever get a frost here, I decided to risk it).

    The beefsteak is tall and willowy (not surprising since the angle of light this time of year means I don't get as much as desirable), but is blossoming. Husky Cherry is growing slower but much more sturdy looking. No blooms so far.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    UPDATE:

    My Husky was a regular size fruiting, just shown in Lindsey's picture.
    I had it in container and it did "ok" but not worth growing it again. I had also a "Bush Steak" in container (same size) . The BS did much better. So it is going to come back next season. Husky will be zapped.

    Seysonn

  • BeeAnn9
    9 years ago

    I was Very disappointed with the Husky Cherry Red I planted this year. It was planted next to a jet star plant which remained healthy all year. But the Husky Cherry got some kind of a disease which caused all the branches to turn brown and die. I do not intend to plant Husky Cherry again.

  • hilnaric
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks, BeeAnn. Sorry that happened, but I have to say that so far mine is just chugging along in its slowish, imperturbable way. Has the first teeny little buds on it now, but the weather here has been pretty cold at night so I don't know if anything will come of them.

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