What to choose for new weather in the North East?

camochef · March 31, 2013

As someone that has grown thousands of different varieties of tomatoes over the years, I have to point out that no two varieties will perform the same for different people in different locales. Why even in the same garden in the same year you can find differences in the same variety in different areas.
What was outstanding one year, may be unimpressive the next. Still we all have our favorites that we grow year after year. Most years they do very well, but not every year.

Last year I grew my favorites that have performed extremely well, year after year, no matter the weather conditions, dry, wet, hot or cool. Most did very well... but the most impressive was my German Johnson-Benton strain which was grafted to Maxifort rootstock. It was the very last plant put out in my gardens and just a runt compared to all the other varieties that towered above it. It not only caught up, but surpassed the others and out produced them all. Including the same variety grown from seed that was directly across the pathway from it.
It was a great producer of very large and tasty tomatoes and was without a doubt the best tomato grown last year. The same variety from seed was second best.
Purple Dog Creek, which was number one in 2011 was third in taste and size, but not quite as productive.
My usual Brandywines followed, (Cowlick's, Glick's, Sudduth's) along with Barlow Jap, Liz Birt, (which was the first to ripen last year), Earl Faux, Dana's Dusky Rose, Bear Creek, and Pink Sweet. Others like Tarasenko6, Daniels, Terhune, Amazon Chocolate, and my own DDRXBW-C did extremely well also.
The only losers last year were Delicous and Kumato both of which were pulled early.
Most years it's been the Brandywines that really out-produced and tasted best, but it changes year to year. I also think last year was one of the worst in this area for diseases, Septoria, and Early Blight were worse than I've seen other years. I can't say for sure, but I think this has to do with the invasion of stinkbugs we've seen the pass few years. They certainly ruin a lot of tomatoes with their appetites.
I'd suggest trying different varieties to see what does best for you over the years and keep a journal each year of planting info, weather, watering fertilizing...just about everything you can think of, then use your best judgement to determine what varieties are to be YOUR favorites.
Enjoy
Camo

March 31, 2013	#22
camochef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 707	As someone that has grown thousands of different varieties of tomatoes over the years, I have to point out that no two varieties will perform the same for different people in different locales. Why even in the same garden in the same year you can find differences in the same variety in different areas. What was outstanding one year, may be unimpressive the next. Still we all have our favorites that we grow year after year. Most years they do very well, but not every year. Last year I grew my favorites that have performed extremely well, year after year, no matter the weather conditions, dry, wet, hot or cool. Most did very well... but the most impressive was my German Johnson-Benton strain which was grafted to Maxifort rootstock. It was the very last plant put out in my gardens and just a runt compared to all the other varieties that towered above it. It not only caught up, but surpassed the others and out produced them all. Including the same variety grown from seed that was directly across the pathway from it. It was a great producer of very large and tasty tomatoes and was without a doubt the best tomato grown last year. The same variety from seed was second best. Purple Dog Creek, which was number one in 2011 was third in taste and size, but not quite as productive. My usual Brandywines followed, (Cowlick's, Glick's, Sudduth's) along with Barlow Jap, Liz Birt, (which was the first to ripen last year), Earl Faux, Dana's Dusky Rose, Bear Creek, and Pink Sweet. Others like Tarasenko6, Daniels, Terhune, Amazon Chocolate, and my own DDRXBW-C did extremely well also. The only losers last year were Delicous and Kumato both of which were pulled early. Most years it's been the Brandywines that really out-produced and tasted best, but it changes year to year. I also think last year was one of the worst in this area for diseases, Septoria, and Early Blight were worse than I've seen other years. I can't say for sure, but I think this has to do with the invasion of stinkbugs we've seen the pass few years. They certainly ruin a lot of tomatoes with their appetites. I'd suggest trying different varieties to see what does best for you over the years and keep a journal each year of planting info, weather, watering fertilizing...just about everything you can think of, then use your best judgement to determine what varieties are to be YOUR favorites. Enjoy Camo