PNW 2023 possible list need advice
 

Hi All,

This is my second year in the PNW Western Washington in Olympia.

I am hoping for a critique and reduction of my 2023 list by TV members that grow in the PNW or similar climate with cooler temps and even cooler nights.
They will be grown in large grow bags under a small high tunnel.

I have to narrow down the list to under 14... tops

Indian Stripe
Earl Faux
Spudakee
Eva Purple Ball
Azoychka
Dana Dusky Rose
Rebel Yell
JD C-Tex
Terhune
Bear Creek
Aunt Ginnie's Purple
Big Cheef
Paul Robeson
Vorlon

Pervaya Lyubov
Barlow Jap
Black Bear
St. Pierre
Linda Faux
Pale Perfect Purple
Seek no further love apple
Noire de Crimee


Caspian Pink
Nepal
Aunt Ginny's Purple
Druzba
Brandywine, Red (Landis Valley)
Rose
Bloody Butcher
Matina
Goose Creek
Beauty
Schwarze Sarah
Beliy Naliv
Paul Robeson
Stump O' The World

Thanks for all for taking the time to help.
Gary

Have you grown any or all of those already?
KarenO

When I grew Dana's Dusky Rose and Pale Perfect Purple, I thought they tasted very similar. PPP was very productive.

I cannot grow Brandywine in the north because it is so late that it tends to crack and then rot before ripening.

Linda

I have grown some in the first group that did well in warm sunny California... like Eva Ste Wendell, Terhune, Earl Faux, Danas, Bear Creek, and Rebel Yell.

This season I planted many not on this list and almost all those tasted poor and had poor texture. But many of those were "recommended" hybrids from the nursery. And again were grown under a hoop house plastic all season in large grow bags.

I did plant this year Terhune and Spudakee both were pretty good taste and texture. Vorlon had good texture, very productive, but bland. Same for Prudens Purple.
Last year I had Eva Purple Ball and Eva Ste Wendell and both good but were super late. Last year had Earl Faux was good but always pretty catfaced.
I didn't have problems really with plant health, productivity, or vigor (in fact Spudakee mid season broke itself under the weight) it was taste and texture. Esp texture. I did give potassium and only watered when necessary. So strong tasting with good texture I need, I can't taste mild and hate mealy. This list was compiled trying to find those attributes from people growing in cooler areas.

Linda, was Eva or PPP mid/late for you?

How big are your grow bags and what kind of support system are you planning on? Are you planning on doing a lot of pruning?

from your list, i have grown matina, jds, azoychka, and pervaya lyubov a number
of times. matina, and pervaya lyubov are main stays in my garden. i have also
grown paul robeson.

matina, and bloody butcher are similar size, so maybe choose one over the other.
matina is early, productive, and good tasting, and i like it a lot.
jds did much better over all than paul robeson.






keith

Patihum,

I have been growing for the last 5 years in 10 gal grow bags, 3 in Calif and 2 seasons here. The high tunnel is cattle fencing 4 panels arched and I use storm window plastic to get the highest light pass thru.
I use parachute cord and a clip tied to top of tunnel and at bottom stem and wrap thru season. I do a lot of pruning to single stem to keep disease down and more light. It also allows me to get them closer to I can have more varieties at the expense of less output per plant. I use electric toothbrush to pollinate.

Hey Keith.

How is the skin on Matina?

So JDs was earlier and better than Paul Robeson?

I forgot I did Azoychka last year and I liked it but it stopped during the so called heat here. Well in a tunnel even though I have open ends and a large fan, it's quite comfy warm. I sit in it every day.

I was born in Flint left when 6. All I remember is snow...

i don't remember the skin being an issue with matina, just a regular thin skin tomato.
jds was more productive than paul robeson. i would have to grow the latter a few more times to give a more fair comparison. earlier, i am not sure of, but possibly.


flint has nothing on snow compared to calumet. you have to see lake effect in action to appreciate the scale of it.






keith

Strawbaleking I don't remember now, but Pale Perfect Purple is supposed to be early and Eva is supposed to be mid-season.

You might be interested in Bulgarian Triumph as it is fairly compact (does fine in a nasty round cage) in my garden so I think it would be good in a container. It's a red saladette with excellent taste and I grow it instead of the two listed above. Unfortuantely, it's mid-season though, not early.....

Oh I just re-read your post, and I think a ten-gallon grow bag would be overkill for BT!


Linda

If you are in a tunnel, with a soil floor, I would consider planting into the soil, and not into grow bags. I would also suggest trying Amana Orange, Taiga and Midnight Sun. It looks like you want to stay away from hybrids.

Which hybrids did poorly for you last year?

Hi, Fred.

The soil stays pretty cold here even in raised beds for a long time. Sun and any kind of better night time temps doesn't even start till July. Growing this way gave me a pretty long season (for here and compared to everybody else around here) I am used to a longer season... must grow tomatoes I need tomatoes! Plus I have a large sunny patio with very little soil areas that are covered in rocks or shade. I used to have 2 acres in N. Calif this house was all could get $ get that didn't totally suck after looking for a year. 10-14 plants is max I can fit. That's ok.

I have tried so many hybrids over the years and am always disappointed with mealy texture. Not health or productivity. Pink and black heirlooms always made me happy in general with texture and flavor. Hybrids were never any earlier generally.
I did kinda like Damsel hybrid this year but it was later than Spudakee and Terhune! And less productive. I tried some older hybrids this year like Moreton but that was mealy as well. Spudakee, Terhune, Vorlon and Carbon were not mealy. But Prudens, Vorlon and Carbon were a bit bland for me. They were even in Cali as well for me. Carmello tasted good and was off the chart productive but the skin was very thick here.
And where I used to live I had fusarium so bad I had to graft. I tried straw bales but it's carried in the wind and dust dirt that I still had to graft. But holy moly those tomatoes in the bales did well in Cali compared to my raised beds. As well as winter squash. Here, its stays so cool so long trying to get the bales ready, every thing was delayed that I did plant outside the tunnel.
I did try Taiga this year but it was outside and very very late and very catfaced. I did have some of Karma series in the tunnel this year and they were pretty late and the outer flesh? was kinda firm for me. Spudakee, Vorlon, Terhune, and Prudens were early compared.
So, yup, I am texture sensitive and also need full on flavor. So I am trying to eliminate ones like that that people might describe as sweet and mild. Ping Pong ball to tennis ball size.
Amana Orange gets described as low acid sweet, it really that?
Thanks for any and all help!
Gary

Linda,

I get alot of different maturities on Pale Perfect Purple listed and from users, I guess it's more sensitive to temp/sun units. I have grown both Eva's and both I really love taste and texture but man were way late here. So having something similar but earlier would be great.
That's the only thing about containers is the watering or not watering, so any variety sensitive to BER I shy away from. I was on drip in Cali but still had problems in Cali due to the heat with a few types of hearts but especially Whopper hybrid. I may go to livestock troughs for pots next year.
Thanks for your help!
Gary

It's been a while since I grew Rose, but I remember its distinctive flavor (more sweet than tart)! I grew it in the Bay Area, with days in the 70s-80s and nights in the 60s.

If you're looking for strong flavor, have you tried Purple Calabash? It's a love or hate variety. The people who love it describe the taste as winey. Haters spit it out.