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t_bred

recommendations for mid-season pl's

t_bred
16 years ago

I decided to try this next year. I am only going to plant potato leaves. The past 3 years about this time, all my plants are a mess with septoria,except the pl's. I would love some ideas other than the late season beefsteak variety,many wich I have grown.I don't need giants either just some reliable good tasting. I would like to try 4 or 5 varieties next year. Thanks all!!

Comments (12)

  • korney19
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Here's some I'm growing this year, many are from Bill Malin (aka Spudleaf Willie), plus some better ones over the last few years:

    Spudatula--76days--Indet. Potato Leaf variant of Black from Tula. 6oz fruits. Huge 7-8" long leaves by 3-4" wide. From D. Jones. The darkest "black" Bill Malin has ever grown, with almost black tops and brick red bottoms. Cut fruit is a deep brick red, almost black.

    Gary O' Sena--70-75days--pink purple fruits, potato leafed, developed from Brandywine x Cherokee Purple. \ This is a potato leaf indeterminate with good production of 1 pound or larger fruits. The parents of the cross were Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. Keith Mueller developed this variety with the objective of combining the excellent fruit and flavor characteristics of the Brandywine and Cherokee Purple parents.

    Aunt Gertie's Gold--75-80days--Potato leaf - Large plant, high yield of 8oz-1# gold fruits. Some may be blemished but the taste AGG is superb. Seeds to Chuck Wyatt from a VA friend.

    McKinley--75days--Indet. Potato Leaf pink. 11oz fruits. A "Showpiece" plant with light green potato leaves & almost perfectly shaped globe fruits. One of Bill Malin's favorite PL's. Rare.

    Red House Free Standing--78days--DETERMINATE Potato Leaf Dwarf Rugose. Red 8.5oz. Flattened beefsteak in 5-7 clusters of 3-4 fruits. Very productive. Plant is 3ft tall, very bushy. Excellent flavor. Potato leaves are like white oak leaves with 3-4 smooth lobes on edge.

    Spudakee Purple (Cherokee Purple Potato Leaf)--80days--Indet Potato Leaf variant of Cherokee Purple. Pink-purple 10oz flattened globe w/green shoulders. Has a sweet, juicy wine-like flavor, very productive, clusters of 3-4.

    Kimberly--38-45days--a selection made in the early 1950fs by John de Roque of Kimberly BC from Siberia x Tiny Tim; very early Stupice type tomato--even earlier. ÂÂ Best flavored early tomato so far. Easily beats Stupice and Matina. About 2oz, golf ball sized red fruits.

    Galina's--Originally from Siberia, this very sweet golden-yellow cherry tomato is about the size of a quarter and produced in long, fruit-laden clusters. The flavor is not just sweet, but has richness and complexity that makes it very tasty.

    Jagged Leaf--67days--Indet. Potato Leaf. 3oz red globes. Very early like Kimberly, prolific--set fruit until frost. Tasty for such an early tomato. Flattened globe fruits in clusters of 1-3.

    Daniels--Huge lucious pink fruits amazingly early for their size.

    Gogosha--75-85days--ind. vigorous potato leaf, 1-2# blemish free fruit. Light candy pink color, very tasty, med yield. To America in late 1800's from Tarnipal, Ukraine.

    I find that many PL's are often large & pinks, though have greens, yellows & oranges too...plus very few in the 60-70 days range. I'm growing a SunPlum PL this year that's a large cherry, a little smaller than Jaune Flammee for me if you want to try some... they are about F5 or F6...

  • t_bred
    Original Author
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for taking the time with the info and descriptions Korney!! You reminded me that I did want to try Aunt Gertie's Gold next year.I have been able to locate those along with Red House free standing and Kimberly. The other two I am in search of are Spudakee Purple and Gary O'sena. I think I'll be doing a little homework this evening. Also, has anyone grown Nepal? Is it a p.l.? Korney, if you are offering some Sun Plum seeds let me know how to contact you. Thanks!!! :)

  • HoosierCheroKee
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    T-bred,

    Let me put in another strong recommendation for the Spudakee Purple. This year it was the strongest producer, one of the healthiest plants, and very heat tolerant in a very hot, dry summer.

  • t_bred
    Original Author
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks Hoosier, It does sound great. I am having trouble locating that one and Gary O'Sena though. Still working on it. This summer in N. IL. we have had non-stop humidity. Hopefully, some of these will perform well,as Iv'e heard p.l. and rugosa leaved tend to be more tolerant. As a matter of fact,the only plants I haven't pulled are my p.l.'s.

  • User
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Stupice, a medium sized red. Lots of fruit and an organic heirloom that I tried this year.
    www.seeds-organic.com has good description and I think it's 60 days.

  • jwr6404
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My best overall tomato ever (productive/taste)happens to be a PL. It is the Pale Perfect Purple aka Perfect Purple. Try it,you'll like it.

  • suze9
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Aunt Gertie's Gold - has always been on the late side for me, though

    Brandywine OTV

    Gary O'Sena - Sandhill had it at one point in time, might want to check to see if they are still in stock

    Vorlon - Stabilized cross between Cherokee Purple and Prudens Purple

    Grub's Mystery Green PL

    Aunt Ginny's Purple

    Brandy Boy (hybrid)

  • dangould
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nepal is regular Leaf.

    I got my seeds from Johnny's back 20 years ago.

    Definitely RL.

  • seedsonshirt
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Suze, who sells Vorlon?

  • barkeater
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I highly recommend:

    Bloody Butcher - Best tasting of the earliest PL's, and bigger than Kimberly.

    Brandywine - always midseason for me.

    Aunt Gerties Gold - as others have mentioned.

    Winsall - similar to Brandywine, but a bit larger and a bit more productive.

  • suze9
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Suze, who sells Vorlon?

    @ seedsonshirt:
    No one that I know of. If you'd like a sample, send me your address. suanders AT gmail DOT com. Not a general offer.

  • jtmacc99
    16 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I'll second the votes for:

    Aunt Ginny's Puple (I just love the way this one tastes.)

    Brandywine OTV - I'm not sure if you'll find a better Red (not Pink) medium-sized, blemish free, PL mid-season tomato than this one. I sure haven't.

    Kimberly - I agree 100% with the description posted by korney.

    Those are the three I will grow almost every year.

    There are a few others I grow occasionally:
    Brandywine and Brandywine Yellow - Both taste fantastic. Seriously. But I don't grow them often because of the generally low number of outstanding tomatoes.

    Pruden's Purple - Super productive plant, and frequently gives me two pound fruit, but I like the taste of Aunt Ginny's Purple better.

    Lillian's Yellow Heirloom - Like Brandywine, the few fruit I harvest are seriously great, but it's just not that productive.

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