which heirloom tomato? - Page 3

tomatoguy · June 4, 2009

Big Red.

mater

SteveS · June 4, 2009

Don't completely forget the whites!!!

Try White Oxheart. Bet you'll eat your words!

Steve

Fert1 · June 4, 2009

I expected a lot of people to list Cherokee Purple, but I'm surprised how many listed Eva Purple Ball, even though it's one of my own favorites. It's not as meaty as some, more juicy, but great flavor.

You can't go wrong with either of those. CP always had a good flavor for me, but wasn't overly productive until I starting container growing. I guess the container gets it just far enough ahead of the heat wave that it sets fruit better. Last year's plant went nuts with the fruit, and this year's is doing likewise.

I also like Rutgers. I'm growing one this year in my wilt-contaminated yard as an experiment to see if it can survive, since it is supposedly resistant. We shall see. So far SunGold has been the only thing to shrug off the disease completely. I think SunGold laughs at disease.

duajones · June 4, 2009

Not sure if it fits the bill but Chapman has done real well for me this year. Will probably end up with 30 plus tomatoes and it has nice taste as well. Good tomato none the less

**carolyn137** · June 5, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by duajones

Not sure if it fits the bill but Chapman has done real well for me this year. Will probably end up with 30 plus tomatoes and it has nice taste as well. Good tomato none the less

Sure Chapman fits the bill as I see it and if we'd been listing lots and lots of varieties for reds I would have included Chapman and Red Penna, but for me Neves Azorean Red is the best.

cypert2 · June 5, 2009

J D's Special and KBX

Fert1 · June 7, 2009

Here is a photo of this year's Cherokee Purple. As you can tell, almost every bloom is setting fruit. The bottom cluster has 7 set, (one in back that you can't see from this angle), and the cluster above it has 5 I think.

Only in a container do I get this though. In the ground I always got 10-12 tomatoes from CP the whole season. This plant already has more than that set and continues to go strong.

tomatoguy · June 8, 2009

This is certainly a prime example of "your mileage may vary". My experience has been completely negative with both Red Brandywine and Cherokee Purple. I'm waiting for someone to recommend Church and Matina, last year's spitters for me.

mater

sic transit gloria · June 8, 2009

Large Red: Wes, no contest
Med. Red: A medium sized Wes..just kidding...Linnie's Oxheart
Salad Red: Aurora
Small Red: Not generally a fan, but Sara's Galapagos is ok.
Large Orange: KBX
Medium Orange: Orange-1
Small Orange: Sungold (f1)
Large Black: Brad's Black Heart (trying Huge Black and Frankenstein Black this year)
Medium Black: Cherokee Purple
Small Black: Black Cherry
Large Pink: Brandywine Sudduth
Medium Pink: Goose Creek
Green: Green Giant
Bicolor: Big Rainbow (trying Virginia Sweets this year, along with Berkeley Tie Dye, Beauty King)
Large Yellow: Lillian's Heirloom (trying Limmony this year)
Medium Yellow: Azoychka

Fert1 · June 8, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomatoguy

This is certainly a prime example of "your mileage may vary". My experience has been completely negative with both Red Brandywine and Cherokee Purple. I'm waiting for someone to recommend Church and Matina, last year's spitters for me.

mater

Interesting you would say that. I haven't grown Church, but I grew Matina one year. The plant produced ridiculous amounts of absolutely flavorless tomatoes. We're talking grocery store flavor. In fact, I've gotten better from grocery stores. It was a rainy year though. Someday I might be willing to try it again, but no time soon.

barkeater · June 9, 2009

My favorite productive heirlooms with no green core include:

Moskvich
Brandywine
Old Brooks
Bloody Butcher
Box Car Willy
Black Giant

WVTomatoMan · June 9, 2009

Sure I agree with the Eva Purple Ball, Box Car Willie, and Red Brandywine recommendations. But, I'm from West Virginia and I have to recommend Aker's West Virginia*.

Randy

*Note: Wasn't production listed as the first criteria, along with taste?

tonymalone · June 9, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by WVTomatoMan

Sure I agree with the Eva Purple Ball, Box Car Willie, and Red Brandywine recommendations. But, I'm from West Virginia and I have to recommend Aker's West Virginia*.

Randy

*Note: Wasn't production listed as the first criteria, along with taste?

*Note: yes, pretty good production is important.

tomatoguy · June 9, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fert1

Interesting you would say that. I haven't grown Church, but I grew Matina one year. The plant produced ridiculous amounts of absolutely flavorless tomatoes. We're talking grocery store flavor. In fact, I've gotten better from grocery stores. It was a rainy year though. Someday I might be willing to try it again, but no time soon.

My results with Church were the same. Beautiful tomatoes and lots of them. Unfortunately they had very little taste at all. This was in a good tomato year when several varieties, Earl's Faux, Tennessee Heirloom, Mong and others had fantastic taste. The best year ever for taste was 2007 when we had 100 degree highs for just about the entire month of August.

mater

Fert1 · June 9, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by barkeater

My favorite productive heirlooms with no green core include:

Moskvich
Brandywine
Old Brooks
Bloody Butcher
Box Car Willy
Black Giant

I hope to get to try Moskovich very soon. I have one ripening up right now. It's pretty sizeable too. Since it made your list, I take it you find the flavor to be good?

June 4, 2009	#33
Fert1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Upstate SC, Zone 7 Posts: 543	I expected a lot of people to list Cherokee Purple, but I'm surprised how many listed Eva Purple Ball, even though it's one of my own favorites. It's not as meaty as some, more juicy, but great flavor. You can't go wrong with either of those. CP always had a good flavor for me, but wasn't overly productive until I starting container growing. I guess the container gets it just far enough ahead of the heat wave that it sets fruit better. Last year's plant went nuts with the fruit, and this year's is doing likewise. I also like Rutgers. I'm growing one this year in my wilt-contaminated yard as an experiment to see if it can survive, since it is supposedly resistant. We shall see. So far SunGold has been the only thing to shrug off the disease completely. I think SunGold laughs at disease. __________________ Holly

June 4, 2009	#34
duajones Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9 Posts: 1,996	Not sure if it fits the bill but Chapman has done real well for me this year. Will probably end up with 30 plus tomatoes and it has nice taste as well. Good tomato none the less __________________ Duane Jones

June 7, 2009	#37
Fert1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: Upstate SC, Zone 7 Posts: 543	Here is a photo of this year's Cherokee Purple. As you can tell, almost every bloom is setting fruit. The bottom cluster has 7 set, (one in back that you can't see from this angle), and the cluster above it has 5 I think. Only in a container do I get this though. In the ground I always got 10-12 tomatoes from CP the whole season. This plant already has more than that set and continues to go strong. __________________ Holly

June 4, 2009	#31
tomatoguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rockvale, TN Zone 7A Posts: 526	Big Red. mater

June 4, 2009	#32
SteveS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 123	Don't completely forget the whites!!! Try White Oxheart. Bet you'll eat your words! Steve

June 5, 2009	#36
cypert2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Arkansas Posts: 13	J D's Special and KBX

June 8, 2009	#38
tomatoguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Rockvale, TN Zone 7A Posts: 526	This is certainly a prime example of "your mileage may vary". My experience has been completely negative with both Red Brandywine and Cherokee Purple. I'm waiting for someone to recommend Church and Matina, last year's spitters for me. mater

June 8, 2009	#39
sic transit gloria Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: KS 5b/6a Posts: 249	Large Red: Wes, no contest Med. Red: A medium sized Wes..just kidding...Linnie's Oxheart Salad Red: Aurora Small Red: Not generally a fan, but Sara's Galapagos is ok. Large Orange: KBX Medium Orange: Orange-1 Small Orange: Sungold (f1) Large Black: Brad's Black Heart (trying Huge Black and Frankenstein Black this year) Medium Black: Cherokee Purple Small Black: Black Cherry Large Pink: Brandywine Sudduth Medium Pink: Goose Creek Green: Green Giant Bicolor: Big Rainbow (trying Virginia Sweets this year, along with Berkeley Tie Dye, Beauty King) Large Yellow: Lillian's Heirloom (trying Limmony this year) Medium Yellow: Azoychka

June 9, 2009	#41
barkeater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b Posts: 1,439	My favorite productive heirlooms with no green core include: Moskvich Brandywine Old Brooks Bloody Butcher Box Car Willy Black Giant

June 9, 2009	#42
WVTomatoMan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Virginia - Zone 6 Posts: 594	Sure I agree with the Eva Purple Ball, Box Car Willie, and Red Brandywine recommendations. But, I'm from West Virginia and I have to recommend Aker's West Virginia. Randy Note: Wasn't production listed as the first criteria, along with taste?