Most Prolific Black Tomato

[bower]

I love blacks. This year I have two new to me, both of them are reported to be great producers: Ukrainie Purple (aka Purple Russian) and the paste Snickers (thank you Marina!) which Red Baron has also said is a great producer for him and makes fine sauce. We have such a short season, we are bound to freeze or sauce some of our tomatoes for winter so it's well worth it to try for a productive paste.

I'm glad to see Farmer Shawn is growing Purple Russian in Vermont. As Stacy pointed out, it's all about the zone when you get further north, great southern varieties may not fly.

One of my friends is trialing Gary'O Sena for us this year... new to the zone.

I'm growing Indian Stripe again, and I have seven F2 seedlings of a cross between Black Early and Indian Stripe, looking for that great taste in an earlier fruit. I will try to backcross the earliest Beist F2 with the parent Indian Stripe, in case the taste genetics need some reinforcement. IS is early enough for us at least in a good season, but it's worthwhile for us to try to build something that can deliver when we have a bad season (like that never happens! )
My other blacks this year arel 'hoped for' from motley crosses involving Black Cherry, Indian Stripe and/or Black Early. Mostly cherries or little ones.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by Al@NC

You guys will have to follow up at the end of the season on how Black Prince performed for you.

I have grown Black Prince, and while it wasn't a 10, it was a 6.5-7 in taste, very productive, and it was the earliest fruit I got that year.

Noir De Crime is a production fiend, very early, and an 8 for taste. Not at all like Black Krim, not in shape or production. It is very similar to BP, only tastier and more of them, shape and size is very similar. May not be relevant to you all, because I am so far south that I have to grow in winter to get fluffy enough pollen to be able to set fruit.

[NarnianGarden]

Eagerly waiting for Noir de Crimee & Paul Robeson...
These conflicting reviews from different locations and conditions make me really curious ...

Black Seaman is one I am trying to grow as well. Have read various opinions on it, too...

[efisakov]

My earliest black was Amazon Chocolate (PL). It is about two weeks earlier than other black tomatoes. The problem that I had with my was diseases. It would get sick as soon as it starts ripening. I may have had bad seeds. Got new seeds now, but it just germinated while other seeds have almost a month head start. Was AC early for anyone?

[bower]

Originally Posted by efisakov

My earliest black was Amazon Chocolate (PL). It is about two weeks earlier than other black tomatoes. The problem that I had with my was diseases. It would get sick as soon as it starts ripening. I may have had bad seeds. Got new seeds now, but it just germinated while other seeds have almost a month head start. Was AC early for anyone?

The Amazon Chocolate PL that I grew last year was quite early and not bothered by spring cold, setting up nicely early on. The fruit were on the small size, and the plant was not very vigorous - it seemed to shut down after setting a moderate amount of fruit. The taste quality was great at its best but variable, just average taste for most fruit. It was not especially resistant to fungus disease and was outlasted by others.

I know AC has been circulating in an unstable state, which means there are quite a few variants around. Most people say the fruit are large and delicious, some say the plant is disease resistant too. I have two more packets not tried yet from swaps, for another PL source and an RL variant as well. I will give those a try for sure, maybe next year.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Al@NC

You guys will have to follow up at the end of the season on how Black Prince performed for you.

Amen !
It is best to review with actual experience and results.

I suggest that you open a thread sometime in August asking for report card on blacks.

Gardeneer

[EBHarvey]

If allowed to get big and bushy, black pear can be an awesome producer. Among smaller, more compact plants my best yields and least issues with cracking have come from rosella purple and berkeley tie-dye pink.

[Al@NC]

Thanks everyone for their opinions, I've come to realize that there's so many variables that go into varieties doing well such as climate and fertilizer and zones, humidity and frequency of rain.

I've been visiting plant nursery's and big box stores for the last month looking at tomato plants for sale, never buying any but just looking to see which varieties are for sale. I'm thinking that most of the varieties offered do pretty well here.

Almost all of these places offer Cherokee Purple and strangely enough alot of them offer Black Krim even though the PNW is notorious for rain so they should crack like crazy here...

I noticed several places offering the OSU developed varieties such as Stupice, Siletz and Williamette. Walmart here even offers Indigo Rose! I've seen Black Prince at a couple of locations.

One nursery I visited today actually offers Black Sea Man and I might go back and pick one up.

@Bower, I wouldn't mind growing a seed or two of one of your crosses next year if your interested...

@Gardeneer, did you get planted out this weekend? We've had such beautiful weather that it's hard to resist!

Al

[bower]

Originally Posted by Al@NC

@Bower, I wouldn't mind growing a seed or two of one of your crosses next year if your interested...

Al

You'd be welcome - I'll let you know how they do here this summer.

I'm not sure I'll get to try Purple Russian this time after all. The seedlings aren't healthy looking - the leaves are curling downward. Some others that were in the same tray or close to them are having the same symptoms. I've isolated the sickly ones for now in a warmer room, and hoping they straighten out. All my other varieties are looking great.

[efisakov]

Al what is your area suggested plant day for tomatoes?

[Al@NC]

The Almanac calls the whole month of April ok:

http://www.almanac.com/gardening/pla...tes/WA/Seattle

Victory seeds calls it today, as there being only a 10% chance of frost after today:

http://www.victoryseeds.com/frost/wa.html

A lot of people here seem to wait until mother's day has come and gone but that's too late for me!

I have 3 plants that I planted out 2 weeks ago with a backup plan if they go under, the rest are still in pots and getting sun daily from my porch.

Al

[Al@NC]

Ok, so I'm all planted out, I had started several other varieties but lost plenty of seedlings along the way. Here's what I have at this point. I broke down and bought a Black Krim even though everyone says it cracks! It seems like it's still a very popular variety at the nurserys...

In garden from seed:
3 Cherokee Purple
2 Carbons
1 Black and Brown Boar
2 Big Rainbows
1 George Deitsikas
1 Porterhouse Hybrid
1 Blue Ambrosia

Store bought in Garden:
1 Sungold
1 Bloody Butcher
1 Black Krim

In planters from seed:
2 Rosella purple dwarf
1 Boronia dwarf
1 Perth Pride dwarf
1 Taos Trail
1 Siberian
1 Siletz
2 Fireball
2 Sweet Scarlet dwarf

[Al@NC]

I had horrible luck with Copper River, Indian Stripe and Bear Creek seedlings/seeds.

[noinwi]

I broke down and bought a Black Krim even though everyone says it cracks!

I grew plenty of Black Krim in Wisconsin. The cracking is usually concentric cracking around the shoulders and doesn't really affect the rest of the fruit unless it's left on the plant for too long and bugs get to it. Most of the tom will be usable and the cracking is worth the taste. I grew some here in the PNW last season(only been back here a couple of years) and although the stink bugs damaged most of my toms I didn't get very much cracking on the BK. Good luck with yours.

[Al@NC]

Thanks noinwi, I'm going to give Krim a try and we'll see how bad it cracks this year..