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Old September 15, 2007   #59
Fusion_power
Tomatovillian™
 
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Alabama
Posts: 2,250
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Mark,

I have some known good Rio Grande if you would like to try them. Chuck grew seed out in his garden and got lots of bee made crosses. If you dig out the old references, it is consistently described as an elongated oval variety. You are correct on the VFF rating but in my garden, they are also more tolerant of nematodes than most varieties I grow. Some varieties show nematode tolerance by being so vigorous that they outgrow nematode damage. This may be what Rio Grande does.

Re Heidi, Couldn't agree more that it is an outstanding paste variety. I would argue pretty hard that it is a vigorous determinate. My plants rarely get over 3 feet tall, but they are very bushy with numerous side branches. They are also very consistent year to year with little variation in fruit size or shape.

As for Borgo Celano, it is pretty bad if you try to eat it sliced, flavor is bland, aroma is mild, and texture is somewhat mealy. The flavor only comes out when it has been concentrated by either drying or else cooking down as a paste tomato. Remind me next year to grow some, dry them, and send you a sample. I think you will be surprised at how good they are.

Fusion
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