Bradley is a good variety. Its done well for me here in East TN. Ponderosa Red is a good one too.

Abby

Do you plant only 1 variety? And how many plants do you usually put out? Planting a mixture of varieties of early, mid-season, and late season types not only insures more production but a higher quality of fruit too.

Dave

PS: I have linked some of the many "favorite" discussions below if you wish to review them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Favorite tomato discussions

Thanks Dave! I found the link EXTREMELY helpful and entertaining. Especially the link about how much is too much. This year I planted 15 just for me and my husband. I usually plant a variety of tomatoes, but you see I from Colorado and not used to the Texas heat and have learned from last year that you can't just plant any tomatoes here and get them to produce well due to the extreme heat. Therefore, this year I took the advice of a local and stuck with celebrities. Obviously, I haven't been thrilled with the results and intend to do something different next year. I tell you, gardening here in Texas has definitely thrown me for a loop. Just when you think you know something about gardening, try moving to a different climate. It is a sure way to humble the most proud gardener!

Thank you again for your advice. You continue to help tremendously!

Happy Gardening - Kara

Pale Perfect Purple is the best overall tomato I've grown. An extremely heavy producer with taste. Considering taste alone my best has been Neve's Azorean Red.

Jim

It can vary. Most of the time it's the one I'm slurping down at the moment.

However, Cherokee Purple and Ponderosa come to mind.

brazosvalleygardener, who posts here often is also in Texas and does very well with his tomatoes. One list of his favorites lists that I saved (we have similar early heat problems here) included:

Big Zac
Porterhouse
Red Brandywine
WES
Marianna's Peace
Tennessee Britches
Cherokee Purple
Hillbilly
Black Giant
1884
Main Crop Pink

As a result I am trying some of them this year with excellent results. Especially with the Marianna's Peace, the 1884, and Porterhouse. I don't think you can find transplants for them tho - you'll have to grow them from seed. But using at least 3 different varieties with your 15 plants would insure you better luck I think.

Arkansas Traveler and Brandy Boy are 2 others I'd always have on my list.

And I have found over the years that early as possible planting - even if it means protecting them on those few cool nites - gets me plenty of fruit set before the worst of the heat arrives.

Our heat spell finally broke here today and we will now have several good days for fruit set before the next heat moves in. Timing is everything. ;)

Dave

Bradley, as mentioned above, is an excellent variety overall. But it doesn't have the flavor punch I'm looking for. Last year I crossed it with Cherokee Purple attempting to downsize the vine ... but what happened was a downsizing of CP flavor and opening up the density of the interior. Pretty hybrid on the outside though.

Burgundy Traveler has better flavor, prettier shape and color than Bradley, but lacks the production. Still, Burgundy Traveler is a worthy contender in the "Bradley/Traveler" pink tomato category.

Cherokee Purple has been my favorite tomato since 2005, and this year looks good for good ol' CP ... but today, when I went wading through the jungle, I found JD's Special C-Tex is far outpacing Cherokee Purple in production and fruit quality. And tonight I will know if JD's surpasses Cherokee Purple in the taste category. I noticed the stinkbugs favored JD's over CP, and that's always a good sign regarding flavor.

However, overall, I have to say Indian Stripe has become and is increasingly becoming my favorite tomato. It's earlier and more productive and less picky about setting fruit under adverse conditions than Cherokee Purple, tastes as good, looks basically the same, and adapts well to a 10-gallon container ... which always is a plus.

Bill

As a new person, may I also mention, although folks who have been here a while get annoyed with the favorite topic being repeated, I LOVE this topic. Because of these lists, I have ten varieties of tomato seeds ready to try for next year. I don't have much input to share as a new gardener, but you folks are definitely impacting me.
Kara, you're going to do some canning? I stayed away from purple varieties because I wasn't sure if the sauce would be purple or brown, and my hubby would probably not eat either. Do you know alot about canning these varieties?

Grace,
Carolyn P.

Hi, I've got to agree with jwr6404 and the Neves Azorean Red. It's a huge plant with very nice flavored fruit of a juicy consistancy. Heat doesn't bother them and so far early blight isn't a problem. Will definitely be growing them again and again. You'll probably have to start them from seed but it's worth the effort. Happy gardening.

I stayed away from purple varieties because I wasn't sure if the sauce would be purple or brown, and my hubby would probably not eat either.

****

Carolyn, when you see the word purple associated with a variety name it almost always means a shade of pink, and not purple or brown. And the exterior color of the tomato doesn't have much to do with the interior flesh color.

The word purple to indicate a pink tomato was first used in the late 1800's.

Eva Purple Ball
Aunt Ginny's Purple
Prudens Purple

.......all pink, for example.

Cherokee Purple does have a darker colored flesh, but not purple or brown. And even the so called black varieties have just a darker flesh color but not purple or brown.

The only two varieties that I know of that actually do have a tint of purple on the exterior are Purple Calabash and Noire des Cosebeauf. ( smile)

Carolyn

SunMaster, Heatwave, and solarfire come to mind. I am in Colorado so as you know, from having lived there, it can get somewhat hot but usually cools down at night and we don't have the humidity to deal with either. Good luck in your growing next year! :-)

I don't know a thing about gardening in Texas and I don't have vast varietal experience like some but not being a complete novice to growing things, I too like the threads about varieties, which inspired me to grow 20 now 21 varieties this yr, most new to me. We've enjoyed it very much and would not have done it without you all. Thanks!

So, from my fairly limited experience, a few of this yrs. standouts of full sized tomatoes are,

For ease of growing, earlyness, production and at least acceptable taste,

Jet Star, Lemon Boy and Carolina Gold. All returning favs for this catagory.

For production and good to very good taste,

Cherokee Purple, Brandywine OTV, Missouri Pink Love Apple. All new to me.

For taste alone,

Missouri Pink Love Apple, German Queen, Cherokee Purple, Brandywine OTV.

Aunt Gerties Gold is still ripening but yield would prevent it from being on all but the last list.

I hope "hybrid" is not a dirty word in here.

For canning, I usually prefer a determinate variety that is a good producer of tasty red tomatoes. Pick-your-own farms grow lots of those.

Indeterminates are fine for canning also...Better Boy Hybrid for example, makes great juice or canned quartered tomatoes. Another would be Big Beef (although they are actually medium in size in my opinion). Very heavy producers of tasty maters for canning or fresh eating.

I have found that several hybrids rival the flavor of the tastiest OP's. So I hope we don't get hung up on heirlooms at the expense of neglecting the best available hybrids.

Early Girl Hybrid is my favorite early tomato due to disease resistance, productivity, earliness, and acceptable flavor and size......a must-have a couple vines of this hybrid every year!

My favorites are SunSugar, Cherokee Purple, Cherokee Green, Black Cherry and Legend.

After growing these babies, I will be replacing my Better Boy's for sure!

PJ

DigDirt has a list after my own heart :)
It appears we have similar taste. :)

I have to say this year was the worse gardening year I've had in years. We had cool nights too late this year and it really stunted the tomato growth early. It does look like the fall will be better.....as hot as it is, we've had rain in August...not much but some bodes well. Get your plants in now. I have a feeling we will have a quick freeze about mid Novemeber. Maybe earlier.

I don't really have a favorite......I like to try new varieties all the time so I don't care much other than they get ripe on the vine......which is a battle with the squirrel I have hanging around.

Good luck.....gardening in Texas is always fun.

If you want something with a profile like Celebrity but a big producer, try an OP tomato named Druzba. It's a good red tomato, what I would call "normal looking," which is important to some people that are skeered of other heirlooms, heh. It produces well in the heat, it survives a lot of bungling (something I'm good at), and it is very productive, right into winter. I've been thinking of maybe using it as a base for a hybrid with something more spectacular in the taste department. It tastes better than Celebrity, maybe, but it's not a show-stopper in this regard.

Indian Stripe, too. I grew that this year and was very impressed. I think the tomatoes look better than Cherokee Purple, as well, because there were no twisted, lop-sided weird-shaped monstrosities.

From the 35 varieties I've grown this year, Goose Creek tops my list for taste and disease tolerance. It is Laurel's top seller at her shop in Los Angeles area, and does well here for me in N. California.

Next would be Earl's Faux, followed closely by Ed's Millennium a local favorite in Santa Clara Cty.

In terms of "producers" for canning, etc. I rely on Druzba, Big Beef, Dona, and Carmello (the later 2 being hybrids). Indian Stripe was new for me this year as was JD C-Tex and they will both be back again next year.

What WON'T be back in my garden next year: Kimberly, Siberia, Extreme Bush, Brandywine Sudduth (too bland), Mortgage Lifter (early disease), and Eva Purple Ball (pretty, but no taste).

Raybo

I only have one vine of Estler's Mtg. Lifter, but it looks like a winner so far. Would have to call it one of my best!

This is a 18 ounce one that I picked today.

A couple of weeks ago, when I saw some ugly-lookin' Cherokee Purples at the farmers' market, I bought a few, as I'd heard the name bandied about here. Sliced one up when I got home, died and went to tomato heaven.

Best tomato I ever had, ever, by a long shot. I've been making a perfect fool of myself raving about it.

So that's what I'm trying next year.

They're a nice, normal red inside. The outside looked pretty bad, misshapen, green on top, unappealing reddish pinkish below. But who cares?

Christine

"Indian Stripe, too. I grew that this year and was very impressed. I think the tomatoes look better than Cherokee Purple, as well, because there were no twisted, lop-sided weird-shaped monstrosities," said Doof.

EXACTLY! And the vines are more compact and controlled. Tastes the same and is just as meaty as Cherokee Purple.

I tried Elbe on a lark this year and it's been my favorite of the large toms. Beautiful large orange tomatoes, meaty with good taste, and consistent producer. Has outperformed Kellogg's Breakfast for me this year. I agree with Raybo on Eva Purple Ball - very pretty tomato with absolutely no taste.

After reading this thread, Indian Stripe is on my list for next year!

This is a hard call, but if I'm forced to choose:

Black Krim
Caspian Pink
Hillbilly
Mariana's Peace

All have great flavor and have performed for me consistantly.

Not a hard call for me....Lucky Cross

So hoosiercherokee, you talked about comparing the taste of JD's CTEX against the Cherokee Purple. How did that turn out?

Digdirt,

You mentioned not being able to buy transplants for these heirloom varieties, but there is a place that sells them. I've heard good things about them. Of course, it's more expensive to ship transplants than to start from seed, but it might be an option for some. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Selected Plants

Susancol - Based on my own experience this year, if you buy plants online, have them sent UPS or FEDEX. The US Post Office will "cook" plants until they look like spinach.

Carolynp - Tell your hubby that those "purple" tomatoes are really just a shade pinker than Heinz ketsup.

Big Boy and Big Beef are what I would plant for canning....excellent in most respects, but not huge.
These are both hybrids (sorry).