What are your favorites so far this year?

[habitat_gardener]

I tend to like sweeter tomatoes. So far, the standouts have been Pruden's Purple (first choice for tomato sandwiches), Mandarin Cross, Black from Tula, Amana Orange (looks like a pink tomato), and Nepal.

Evergreen, Dester, Ananas Noire, and Sunsugar are pretty good, but a few notches below the ones above.

The ones that get donated (blander flavor, plus they look round and red, and they are outproducing everything else) are Dona and Carmello. Not impressed with Portuguese Monster, Japanese Plum, Red Butterheart, Red Grape, and Sugary.

Still waiting for some huge Black Krims I picked last week to get ripe. And I still have a bunch of varieties I planted late.

[antichevarieta]

Gary'O Sena and Green Doctors Frosted.

[antichevarieta]

Originally Posted by jerryinfla

I planted only hybrids this spring and will continue to do so until I get root knot nematodes (RKNs) under control. My favorites were Amelia and Abe Lincoln Improved. Our early season ended a couple weeks ago and I have started seedlings for a fall crop including Amelia and 5 other determinant hybrids.

i have a lot of tomato plants that simply "shut down"..which are normally very productive..they literally have no flowers ...what are some of the above the ground symptoms of RKN

[ScottinAtlanta]

Dwarf Wild Fred for me - true dwarf at 3 feet, unlike DBB, and just keeps pumping them out.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

I tend to like sweeter tomatoes. So far, the standouts have been Pruden's Purple (first choice for tomato sandwiches), Mandarin Cross, Black from Tula, Amana Orange (looks like a pink tomato), and Nepal.

Evergreen, Dester, Ananas Noire, and Sunsugar are pretty good, but a few notches below the ones above.

The ones that get donated (blander flavor, plus they look round and red, and they are outproducing everything else) are Dona and Carmello. Not impressed with Portuguese Monster, Japanese Plum, Red Butterheart, Red Grape, and Sugary.

Still waiting for some huge Black Krims I picked last week to get ripe. And I still have a bunch of varieties I planted late.

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...b=General_Info

You say your Amana Orange fruits were pink and just letting you know that there is an Amana Pink, link above.

What was the shape of your Amana Orange fruits?

I used to grow Amana Orange, which for me was more gold at maturity, but when Aunt Gertie's Gold came along and after the first season I grew it I switched ASAP to AGG.

Carolyn

[COMPOSTER]

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

I am a small-time newbie grower who is learning. I have only three in 15 gal pots that are healthy and producing nicely. The Cherokee Purple is great tasting and producing (a keeper). The Brandywine is good (a bit mushy?) and good producer of good sized maters. The Early Girl (which I planted late) is producing well with some 8-10 ouncers. Haven't tasted yet. From my readings here...I am thinking next year of including Black Krim, Carbon, Sudduth Brandywine, and Big Beef. Am I thinking right???

I think you are thinking correct. But (and I hope somebody will chime in here with a knowlegable comment) don't fool yourself into thinking Black Krim will be a black/purple tomato because mine are just starting to get some color and need to be picked mostly green because they are very soft. I cant imagine waiting until they turn black/purple to pick or eat them. With that said they are very tasty in the mostly green stage.

Glenn

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/w...b=General_Info

You say your Amana Orange fruits were pink and just letting you know that there is an Amana Pink, link above.

What was the shape of your Amana Orange fruits?

I used to grow Amana Orange, which for me was more gold at maturity, but when Aunt Gertie's Gold came along and after the first season I grew it I switched ASAP to AGG.

My fruits are the shape of Amana Orange -- beefsteaks, not hearts, but not as much ribbing as the photo on the tomatobase.

My source was someone who offered free seedlings...so it could be anything.

[Ed of Somis]

Comp...thankyou for the answer. I know exactly what you are saying. My Cherokee Purple and Black Prince must be picked with green shoulders. They get soft quickly.

[simmran1]

Pruden’s Purple for me also, (as posted earlier by Habitat Gardener). Is a top of the line heirloom beefsteak. The yield by weight is my best so far, plant health is fine, drought tolerance is above average, and taste is 9+ on a 10 scale.

I’m also really fond of a new to me open-pollinated, ‘Hearts Delite’. Not really heart shaped- so I checked at Tatiana’s database to be sure, and it’s supposed to be round.

I like the plant habit for a round cage environment, plant health is very good, and holding-quality on the vine and on the counter is very good; as in more than a week at least for both categories.

Another plus is Fruit Punch cherry, which is sweet, but has a depth of flavor that is missing in all of the cherries I’ve grown to date. And though it’s not a small or compact plant it is all green and continuing with blossoms.

Other than the three above, the 20+ other varieties I’m growing are nothing to rave about.

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by COMPOSTER

...don't fool yourself into thinking Black Krim will be a black/purple tomato because mine are just starting to get some color and need to be picked mostly green because they are very soft. I cant imagine waiting until they turn black/purple to pick or eat them. With that said they are very tasty in the mostly green stage.

Glenn, thanks! I tried Black Krim as a mostly green tomato -- with my eyes closed, it felt like a perfectly ripe tomato -- and it was wonderful! I started a new thread about that.

[Tormato]

h g,

I just had an "over-the-top sweet" pink beefsteak, yesterday. It'll be in the Sweet category in the tomato swap. I can't tell you the variety yet, since it's a Mostly MYSTERY 'Mater Mailing.

As for Prudens Purple, in the past 10 years, once it was the sweetest in my garden for that year, and once a Prudens Purple (with heart shaped fruit) was the sweetest for the year. The "over-the-top" tomato was sweeter than either of the Prudens Purples.

Gary

[COMPOSTER]

Originally Posted by habitat_gardener

Glenn, thanks! I tried Black Krim as a mostly green tomato -- with my eyes closed, it felt like a perfectly ripe tomato -- and it was wonderful! I started a new thread about that.

Glad I could be of some help. I'm finding the plants very productive also, so it would be a shame not to be able to enjoy them.


Glenn

[ilex]

In no particular order: bom boi, carnoso extremeño, mokoluce, morado de Fitero, rama mallorquin, rosa de Barbastro, rosado de Ayerbe, verdal, Xodos de enramar and joya.

[Karla]

Uncle Mark Bagby,was my favorite tomato grown this year. Great flavor and very productive. Growing again next year.

[Irv Wiseguy]

My favorite for taste this year is KBX, but it isn't very productive and I've had some BER issues with it.

The most productive non-cherry for me is Black Prince, and it tastes good too. I've gotten lots of compliments and requests for more from co-workers who received some.

I like the taste of Sungold, but have had cracking problems and the plant is too unwieldy. I don't pinch suckers.

Irv