I would have to go with these 2 over the past 5 years

Granny Cantrell German Red
Spudakee

[QUOTE=WVTomatoMan;219990]@J Peazy:
No offense, but we have a terminology issue. :) [/QUOTE]



None taken. How else might this been interpreted?

[SIZE=2]J Peazy:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=2][/SIZE]
[SIZE=2]To me a large fruited variety is one that consistently produces 2+ pound tomatoes. Examples of large fruited varieties would be Aker’s WV, Neves Azorean Red, and Big Zac just to name a few. Many of the beefsteak varieties can produce big tomatoes, but they don’t do it consistently. For example I’ve grown 2+ pound Brandywine tomatoes, but that is the exception rather than the norm.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Box Car Willie is a very productive plant yielding tomatoes in the 8-12 oz. range with the average being 10 oz. That is larger than the 9 oz. size you suggested, but I would not consider it to be a large fruited variety.[/SIZE]

So, large fruited means one thing to you, but means something different to me.


Randy

I can understand divergence in terminology when speaking of tomato sizes since in the commercial grower's world, large tomatoes run about 7 or 8 ounces, extra large are in the 10-ounce range, and tomatoes at and over 14 ounces are considered jumbo.

Of course in the heirloom tomato world, we generally have a different outlook on size catagories since we don't usually refer to 2-pound tomatoes as gargantuan or behemoth. Maybe we should.

[QUOTE=WVTomatoMan;220162][SIZE=2]J Peazy:[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]To me a large fruited variety is one that consistently produces 2+ pound tomatoes. Examples of large fruited varieties would be Aker’s WV, Neves Azorean Red, and Big Zac just to name a few. Many of the beefsteak varieties can produce big tomatoes, but they don’t do it consistently. For example I’ve grown 2+ pound Brandywine tomatoes, but that is the exception rather than the norm.[/SIZE]

[SIZE=2]Box Car Willie is a very productive plant yielding tomatoes in the 8-12 oz. range with the average being 10 oz. That is larger than the 9 oz. size you suggested, but I would not consider it to be a large fruited variety.[/SIZE]

So, large fruited means one thing to you, but means something different to me.


Randy[/QUOTE]

I realize that concepts such as size and taste are largely issues of perception. I quantified (9 oz) in order to avoid confusion, albeit unsuccessfully.

Anyone who has read any of my posts surely realizes that I am a complete novice. As such, I have a naive zeal that compels me to regularly commit faux pas such as this one. I doubt it will be my last.

I suppose it is a sad statement, but my concept of size with regard to tomatoes is based largely on what I see in the grocery store. I am from the South but our economy in this area (Mid TN) began to shift from an agrarian one to service-based/manufacturing about thirty years ago. Many of us new Southerners are rather "cityfied" as a result of corporate office and factory moves from areas in which the cost of operation is much higher.

A 9 oz tomato is one of the bigger ones in a grocery store - at least the ones around here.

I appreciate everyone's responses and patience. I learn something new on this forum every day.

I haven't been growing tomatoes very long, and I have been talking about them for an even shorter amount of time.

Please don't worry, I don't think you did anything at all wrong. And 9 oz is perfectly clear.

I think it's just that the tomato fanatics (myself included) on this forum start talking about what they think of as large, and the largest, and the best, and..... You get the picture.

I hope you got some good ideas - happy growing!

J Peazy, don't worry about it. Everyone knew what you meant because you said 9 oz!

I haven't chimed in because I haven't really had any large tomatoes that I consider to be productive. I'm following this thread hoping to learn something myself. Seems to me the most productive tends to be the smaller ones OR the ones I taste and decide I don't like!

Jen

A large tomato lover

[QUOTE=Bama mater;220072]I would have to go with these 2 over the past 5 years

Granny Cantrell German Red
Spudakee[/QUOTE]

Psst...Bama mater,

Granny Cantrell's is pink. ;)

Tormato

[QUOTE]Granny Cantrell's is pink. ;)[/QUOTE]Pink -- Red --- this is one of the more confusing descriptions according to Tania's site. [URL]http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Granny_Cantrell[/URL]

According to the history, lots of folks called it a red, including the original Granny, but technically it's claimed to be a pink because of clear skin over red interior. I never did the skin test, but outwardly it sure looked like a red to me when I grew it. In any case, it's a great tasting tomato. :?!?: :twisted:

I think some of us see color differently than others - pink/red screams different to me....maybe better descriptors are crimson/scarlet. But it does create plenty of confusion - the SSE yearbook tomato section has loads of misplaced tomatoes!

Last year my two heaviest producing large varieties were Sibirskiy Velikan Rozovy and Marizol Bratka.

Hi J PEAZY-

I am In Middle TN (Nashville) and one of the best performers for me by far has been Amazon Chocolate... excellent production ,,, handles the heat and humidity well , nice size,, blushes before any other variety I have out this year(12).

and the best part , the 4 I have ate so far this week have been awesome in depth of flavor...it is a must grow..no signs of disease so far and not a pest magnet like some of the others I have out this year. I have grown some great tomatoes over the years and this one is near the top.

regards, Andy



[QUOTE=J Peazy;220393]I realize that concepts such as size and taste are largely issues of perception. I quantified (9 oz) in order to avoid confusion, albeit unsuccessfully.

Anyone who has read any of my posts surely realizes that I am a complete novice. As such, I have a naive zeal that compels me to regularly commit faux pas such as this one. I doubt it will be my last.

I suppose it is a sad statement, but my concept of size with regard to tomatoes is based largely on what I see in the grocery store. I am from the South but our economy in this area (Mid TN) began to shift from an agrarian one to service-based/manufacturing about thirty years ago. Many of us new Southerners are rather "cityfied" as a result of corporate office and factory moves from areas in which the cost of operation is much higher.

A 9 oz tomato is one of the bigger ones in a grocery store - at least the ones around here.

I appreciate everyone's responses and patience. I learn something new on this forum every day.

I haven't been growing tomatoes very long, and I have been talking about them for an even shorter amount of time.[/QUOTE]

I think you make a good point WVtomatoman. Toms taste differently in various soils. I grow about 10 different kinds in northern MO. Mortgage Lifter is one of my favorites here. Very good flavor here, and of course a great producer. Seems great dark green plentiful foliage, plus sun makes the sugars for sweet tomatoes. I grow about half hybrids and half heirlooms. Like them both.

I simply find 100 lbs of toms from one plant a little hard to believe ,much less all over a pound . Who else has accomplished this remarkable feat ?

Let me start off by saying that I consider tomatoes that generally produce fruits slightly under or over a pound to qualify as large-fruited here in Texas. Also, size drop off later in my usually short season can happen fast. Just defining my terms here to avoid confusion.

Another thing - if I don't like the taste, doesn't matter to me how big or pretty or etc. the fruit was. So here are some of my larger favs that come to mind:

Reds:
Wes - one of the very best red hearts I've ever grown for taste, size (and slow to drop off on size for me when it gets hot) + production. Always have at least 2 Wes plants in my tomato garden. :yes: Picked over 50 fruits from two plants this year, and most of them looked just like this:
[URL]http://www.feldoncentral.com/garden/photos/v/settfest11/DSC_2356.JPG.html[/URL]

Some still unnamed BW x NAR RL F6 Red I've been working with (original cross by Bill in IN). Need to see if I can manage to completely stabilize this selection, but amazingly good med-lg to lg red beefsteaks (usually 12-18 oz +) with high production. Taste strongly favors the BW part of the cross.

Top Sirloin, Aker's WV, and Linda's Faux - all large fruited and have classic, old time red beefsteak tomato taste with good production. Cuostralee is another terrific larger red beefsteak, but it's never been that productive for me in Texas. Might do better for you re production in TN.

Pinks - Dot's Delight, Hunt Family Favorite, Terhune, Mortgage Lifter Estler's (but not other MLs), Brandywine Liams, BW Sud or Fliptx, Hege German Pink, Stump of the World. Honorable mention for Cosner, mainly for flavor + production - more of a med-lg for me though.

Darks - Big Cheef, 53 Flathead Dark F? PL (prolly Indian Stripe x Daniels), Spudakee, Black Bear, Black Magic - can think of several other terrific full-sized darks, but you said large.

Bicolor - Serendipity (stabilized Earl's Faux x Mystery cross) is the main one that comes to mind. Lucky Cross would be a close second for size/taste - but Serendipity has been much more productive for me for the last two years. Honorable mention for Holy Land Yellow Strain and perhaps Regina's Yellow.

Yellow/Orange - Maylor Roth's Orange is terrific, large and productive, one of the very best tasting I've ever grown in this category. Catwell, though not quite as large, is on the med-lg to sometimes large side, and also tastes great. Jumbo Jim Orange and Dr. Wyches are others that come to mind. Cherokee Yellow also threw some whoppers for me early in the season, and it has great, full flavor. Casey's Pure Yellow and Trees Bottom Yellow are worth honorable mention I suppose - both can get at least med-lg.

Green - for large and good, probably Absinthe and Green Giant. Cherokee Green is also a terrific green variety and productive, but fruits don't get as large as the other two do in my garden. For med-lg to lg green bi/tricolors, either Captain Lucky or PHX F3 (another very nice one from Bill in IN, but likely not stable at this point)