Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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September 7, 2007 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 610
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Need suggestions for sweet, thin skinned tomatoes.
I’ve searched the forum and came up with about 12 that were sweet (I gave up after reading about 100 threads). I have Carolyn’s book and I believe she has about 25 listed as sweet. Unfortunately, I found no description of skin thickness. I do know that taste is subjective and that growing conditions are a variable.
In addition to being sweet and thin skinned, I am looking for these characteristics: Medium to large size, 6 to 8 ounces and up (no cherry) OP Indeterminate Days to maturity- any, but prefer mid-season Color- any PL preferable Thanks in advance. P.S. Thanks to you all, before I joined this forum I had no idea what OP, Indeterminate or PL mean't |
September 7, 2007 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Long Island NY
Posts: 152
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oh boy- have you opened up a can of worms
You will usually get the same standard line that tastes vary and you will have to judge sweetnes for yourself. I love sweet tomatoes and have been growing several varieties in search of a sweet tomato. As of right now-nothing beats a sungold picked at full ripeness. super sweet. some tomatoes listed as sweet end up tatsing bland. They are not so much sweet as lacking an acidity. That is why it gets tough to describe sweetness in other types. For instance momotaro is often described as sweet but for me it just tasted bland. other varieties are like that too. Brandywine sudduth has a nice complex flavor that is not too sweet not too acid. good luck WWA
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September 7, 2007 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 610
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Opening a can of worms is not my intent
I know of the subjectiveness of taste, soil variables and the weather variables from year to year. I'm just looking for suggestions from personal experience. And, thanks for your suggestion where_with_all |
September 7, 2007 | #4 |
Moderator Emeritus
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a
Posts: 21,169
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I’ve searched the forum and came up with about 12 that were sweet (I gave up after reading about 100 threads). I have Carolyn’s book and I believe she has about 25 listed as sweet. Unfortunately, I found no description of skin thickness. I do know that taste is subjective and that growing conditions are a variable.
***** I'm answering b'c you've mentioned my name. Not only is taste subjective but so is the individual perception of skin thickness in my opinion, so no, I made absolutely no mention of skin thickness in my book for any of the varieties. My own experience is that only ONE of all the varieties I've ever grown, of the OP type, had thick tough skin, and that was Roi Umberto, a pre-1800 variety. Other than that a few of the hybrids Iv'e grown have had somewhat thick skins, but then they're bred for that for shelf life and shippability. I exclude the Harris varieties Moreton Hybrid, Supersonic and Jet Star, especially, since I've never had thick skins with them/ But thru all the years of posting online about tomatoes, since about 1989, it's also become clear to me that weather can toughen skins for some folks. That's tomato skins, not human skin. No, I don't know what specific weather does that any more than I know what kind of weather can also lead to mealiness, exherted stigmas and yellow shoulders. I'd be glad to pick out some sweet ones and list them here, but again, as well you know by now, what's sweet to me many not be same to you.
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Carolyn |
September 7, 2007 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 610
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Carolyn, of course I would like to see some of your suggestions I love your book, I received it as B-day gift
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September 7, 2007 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: S.E. MI
Posts: 794
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have you tried Momotaro?
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September 7, 2007 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Zone7 Delaware
Posts: 399
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Yeah, I can recommend Momtaro as well. It's a sweet tomato that really appeals to my taste buds.
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Farmer at Heart |
September 7, 2007 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 610
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Thanks Bully and Bigdaddy. I have not tried it yet, but it is on my list for next year.
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September 7, 2007 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Warm Springs, GA
Posts: 1,421
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Rose de berne.
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September 7, 2007 | #10 |
Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Co-Founder
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: The Niagara Frontier
Posts: 942
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I'm growing many varieties from Bill Malin this year. Here's Olive Hill--maybe somebody else can comment on it, but it meets all your criteria: thin skin, PL, large, midseason, very productive, very good taste, indeterminate, etc. It is a little bigger than you wanted though--10-12oz. Production is pretty high for me--some clusters have 3 to 5 fruits.
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September 8, 2007 | #11 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 610
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Thanks Rena, I did a Google and the description sounds perfect.
Quote:
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September 8, 2007 | #12 |
Buffalo-Niagara Tomato TasteFest™ Co-Founder
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: The Niagara Frontier
Posts: 942
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Hahaha! You're only a 3 hour drive from the Tastefest and Olive Hill seeds! That's much closer than many others coming...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...=UTF8&z=9&om=1 If you can't make it, I should have more seeds available next month. Bill said "An old variety not grown much anymore and is somewhat rare." No commercial sources I'm aware of. |
September 8, 2007 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 610
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Unfortunately I can't make the trip today But I'll try to make the second annual next year.
Hope you all have a great time and I hope you all travel safely |
September 8, 2007 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 1,278
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Faux is thin skinned [easy to peel] with balanced taste, not sweet per se, and a number of people consider it their favorite of the types.
Granny Cantrell's is a large sweet pink with thin skin that's easy to peel. Very large plant too.
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September 8, 2007 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: TN z6
Posts: 103
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Lucky Cross and the related Little Lucky meet all your criteria. I grew both this year ... they were both excellent; but, I think I liked Little Lucky more. I also grew Momotaro ... quite sweet but not OP and not PL.
- Bitwise |
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