2013 Grow List - Help Please!

Longlake · January 24, 2013

Hello – Anyone interested in helping me fine-tune my grow list for 2013? I know there’s a world of collective experience on this site, and I’d sure appreciate any insight

So, of the assortment below (sorry if some may be mis-spelled / mis-categorized), which ones should definitely make the final list? Which ones shouldn't make the cut? And which are so similar in size/taste/production that I could drop them and never miss a beat???

There’s a few must-grows for seed (***) , but the rest is an open slate.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts, and happy gardening!

Reds/Pinks (16-20) I REALLY need help here!
***Eva Purple Ball
***BW – Sudduth’s
Fish Lake Oxheart
Stump of the World
Rebel Yell
Liz Birt
Terhune
Dester
Marizol Bratka
Milka’s Red Bulgarian
Rozovyi Myod
Gregori’s Altai
Purple Dog Creek
Marianna’s Peace
Barlow Jap
Lithuanian
Sandul Moldovan
Grace Lahman
BW – Cowlick’s
Mazarini
Large Pink Bulgarian
Olive Hill
Slavic Masterpiece
Top Sirloin
Caspian Pink
Herman’s Special
Palmira’s Northern Italian
Red Penna
Wolford Wonder

Yellow/Orange/Bi (4-6)
KBX
Pork Chop
Lucky Cross
Orange Minsk
Little Lucky
Beauty Queen
Orange Strawberry

Blacks (6-8)
***Pink Berkeley Tie Dye
***Black from Tula
***Vorlon
Indian Stripe
Big Cheef
Dana’s Dusky Rose
Carbon
Gary’O Sena
Midnight in Moscow
Large Barred Boar
Black Krim

SWCs (8)
***Silvery Fir Tree
Sophie’s Choice
Jaune Flamme
Azoychka
Black and Brown Boar
Italian Stripes
2-more from above, but not sure which would do best?

dpurdy · January 24, 2013

Longlake,
I've grown the Gary'O Sena and did very well with them. The plants grew quite large compared to some others that I was growing that year. I believe that it's a cross between Cherokee Purple X Brandywine. It's a potato leaf that set fruit very early (around 70 days). The plant had good production but can, as I said before, become very big in size. The flavor of the tomatoes was excellent. I had almost forgotten about this variety until I looked at your list. I checked my past records and found that I did grow these a couple of years back. But my favorite black has got to be Black Krim. I find that every year that more and more people like the Black Krim once they have tried them. I have many request this year to grow Black Krim for the market. I'm adding more Black Krim this year to meet the demand, but may grow some of the Gary'O Sena and introduce them to my customers. Black Krim and Gary'O Sena are two of my favorite black tomatoes. You can't loose by adding them to your grow list. Good luck with your garden this year and hope that your choices satisfy your needs.
DP

Longlake · January 24, 2013

Thanks for the input, dpurdy! Black Krim was the first heirloom I ever grew, and it's a favorite here. Good production and great taste. The only reason I'm thinking about leaving it out of the rotation this year is because it's ALWAYS the first to get gray/black mold. Maybe that's just unique to my garden, but it definitely has a track record in that department. Gary'O will get another look, thanks to your comments.

nancyruhl · January 24, 2013

For what it's worth, I probably will never have a garden without FLO, Stump of the World, Terhune, Purple Dog Creek, Marianna's Peace ( one of the first heirlooms I grew) and Lithuanian. Last summer I grew out some older seeds I had of Gregori's Altai and I thought it bland compared to the above tomatoes. I am excited to grow Rebel Yell and Desters this summer. I also thought Lucky Cross was so-so, not enough zing and very short shelf life. Jaune Flamme is a must. The Boars-not so much.

Fusion_power · January 24, 2013

Eva Purple Ball
BW – Sudduth’s
Fish Lake Oxheart
Stump of the World
Terhune
Dester
Marianna’s Peace
Sandul Moldovan

The above are the varieties I would be most likely to grow. I happen to really like the flavor of Crnkovic Yugoslavian which is not on your list.

DarJones

barbamWY · January 24, 2013

I have grown Stump of the World for years and it is sweet and juicy and produces quite a number of fruits. My favorite Black is Black Early which I buy from Baker Creek. Sophie's Choice was prone to disease in my garden. Gregori's Altai is fairly early here and although there are better flavored tomatoes, I grow it most years for it earliness. Juane Flamme is very good and although I have only grown it a few years, I will again. I grew Caspian Pink years ago and I think I dropped it because it was not very tasty. I am trying Dester this year. My favorite orange/yellow is still Kellogg's Breakfast. You may get a lot of different opinions as what does well for one person, may not do so well for others.

Longlake · January 25, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by nancyruhl

For what it's worth, I probably will never have a garden without FLO, Stump of the World, Terhune, Purple Dog Creek, Marianna's Peace ( one of the first heirlooms I grew) and Lithuanian. Last summer I grew out some older seeds I had of Gregori's Altai and I thought it bland compared to the above tomatoes. I am excited to grow Rebel Yell and Desters this summer. I also thought Lucky Cross was so-so, not enough zing and very short shelf life. Jaune Flamme is a must. The Boars-not so much.

Thanks nancyruhl, that's exactly the kind of info I need! Of the ones you mention, Lithuanian and Gregori's Altai were fence-riders at this point. Lithuanian will get nudged up, and maybe I'll move GA to the SWC list and see if it stays or drops from there. And FLO? I CAN'T WAIT to try that one, so thanks again for your contribution there.

Longlake · January 25, 2013

Thanks DarJones - I'm a big fan of EPB, and the BW-S that I grew last year was amazing. I finally 'got' the hoopla about that one, but it was a long time coming (and likely due to the extra-long and warm season we had).

The others you pointed out are likely shoe-ins, with the exception of Sandul Moldovan. If garden space runs short, would that one be happy in a self-watering container?

As for Crynkovic Yugoslavian, I actually grew that one last year. For some reason, the one plant that I kept struggled with disease from the get-go and I only ended up with a couple of so-so fruit. The give-away sister plant got rave reviews though, so maybe it'll come back on the list for a re-try next year?

Thanks Again!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

Eva Purple Ball
BW – Sudduth’s
Fish Lake Oxheart
Stump of the World
Terhune
Dester
Marianna’s Peace
Sandul Moldovan

The above are the varieties I would be most likely to grow. I happen to really like the flavor of Crnkovic Yugoslavian which is not on your list.

DarJones

Longlake · January 25, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by barbamWY

I have grown Stump of the World for years and it is sweet and juicy and produces quite a number of fruits. My favorite Black is Black Early which I buy from Baker Creek. Sophie's Choice was prone to disease in my garden. Gregori's Altai is fairly early here and although there are better flavored tomatoes, I grow it most years for it earliness. Juane Flamme is very good and although I have only grown it a few years, I will again. I grew Caspian Pink years ago and I think I dropped it because it was not very tasty. I am trying Dester this year. My favorite orange/yellow is still Kellogg's Breakfast. You may get a lot of different opinions as what does well for one person, may not do so well for others.

Good info, barbamWY, and especially relevant coming from another source in a cold climate. If Stump lives up to all the chatter I'll be thrilled, so my fingers are crossed for that one and it will remain at/near the top of my list. And Caspian Pink will likely move down (or off) the list at this point. I'm not sure of the taste on either Sophie's Choice or Gregori's Altai , but they join SFT, Azoychka and Jaune Flamme on the short-list because they're early. Hopefully Sophie's Choice won't struggle so much with disease in a SWC???

Thanks for the input!

BigBrownDogHouse · January 25, 2013

Gregori’s Altai - Produced early and produced like crazy! This plant wouldn't slow down. Good taste, insane production for us.

Herman's Special- Family's Taste Test results- it was an average tomato taste

Olive Hill - will be growing it again this year. Really wanted to try it. Grew about 10 feet tall and never produced a tomato.

Red Penna - Big beefsteaks, fair production, really good taste

Blk_Vegan · January 25, 2013

Of the varieties on your list i've grown and really liked the following:

Brandywine, Cowlicks
Purple Dog Creek
Terhune
Sandul Moldovan

Two that are not on your list but I would recommend are JD's Special C-Tex and Amazon Chocolate. Both are very fine tomatoes.

Longlake · January 25, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigBrownDogHouse

Gregori’s Altai - Produced early and produced like crazy! This plant wouldn't slow down. Good taste, insane production for us.

Herman's Special- Family's Taste Test results- it was an average tomato taste

Olive Hill - will be growing it again this year. Really wanted to try it. Grew about 10 feet tall and never produced a tomato.

Red Penna - Big beefsteaks, fair production, really good taste

Another vote for Gregori's Altai...Thanks BigBrownDogHouse. Do you think it'd be happy in a SWC? And, did you find Red Penna to be really late? Or just kinda-sorta late?

Longlake · January 25, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blk_Vegan

Of the varieties on your list i've grown and really liked the following:

Brandywine, Cowlicks
Purple Dog Creek
Terhune
Sandul Moldovan

Two that are not on your list but I would recommend are JD's Special C-Tex and Amazon Chocolate. Both are very fine tomatoes.

Good info - Thanks Blk_Vegan! Do you think BW - Cowlick's would be significantly more productive than Sudduth's? I'm hoping so, but don't know. Terhune and PDC are likely locked-in for choice spots...hope they live up to the hype.

BTW, I did try JD's this past summer, and it was good. Unfortunately, it was also much later than my other blacks and I didn't get many tomatoes, so it didn't make the initial cut this year. I'll have to look into Amazon Chocolate for next year, too!

ddsack · January 25, 2013

Red Penna was among the later ones the year I grew it, but a very nice tomato. If this summer is anything like last year, you shouldn't have trouble getting them ripe.

Longlake · January 25, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by ddsack

Red Penna was among the later ones the year I grew it, but a very nice tomato. If this summer is anything like last year, you shouldn't have trouble getting them ripe.

That's a BIG 'if', isn't it??? Last summer was highly unusual, but in the end it worked well for the tomatoes. Thanks ddsack!

January 24, 2013	#1
Longlake Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: MN Posts: 142	2013 Grow List - Help Please! Hello – Anyone interested in helping me fine-tune my grow list for 2013? I know there’s a world of collective experience on this site, and I’d sure appreciate any insight So, of the assortment below (sorry if some may be mis-spelled / mis-categorized), which ones should definitely make the final list? Which ones shouldn't make the cut? And which are so similar in size/taste/production that I could drop them and never miss a beat??? There’s a few must-grows for seed (*) , but the rest is an open slate. Thanks in advance for your thoughts, and happy gardening! Reds/Pinks (16-20) I REALLY need help here! Eva Purple Ball BW – Sudduth’s Fish Lake Oxheart Stump of the World Rebel Yell Liz Birt Terhune Dester Marizol Bratka Milka’s Red Bulgarian Rozovyi Myod Gregori’s Altai Purple Dog Creek Marianna’s Peace Barlow Jap Lithuanian Sandul Moldovan Grace Lahman BW – Cowlick’s Mazarini Large Pink Bulgarian Olive Hill Slavic Masterpiece Top Sirloin Caspian Pink Herman’s Special Palmira’s Northern Italian Red Penna Wolford Wonder Yellow/Orange/Bi (4-6) KBX Pork Chop Lucky Cross Orange Minsk Little Lucky Beauty Queen Orange Strawberry Blacks (6-8) Pink Berkeley Tie Dye Black from Tula Vorlon Indian Stripe Big Cheef Dana’s Dusky Rose Carbon Gary’O Sena Midnight in Moscow Large Barred Boar Black Krim SWCs (8)* **Silvery Fir Tree Sophie’s Choice Jaune Flamme Azoychka Black and Brown Boar Italian Stripes 2-more from above, but not sure which would do best? __________________ My garden is like a teenager - One minute I'm basking in it's glow and the next I'm cursing it's attitude and headstrong independence.*

January 24, 2013	#3
Longlake Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: MN Posts: 142	Thanks for the input, dpurdy! Black Krim was the first heirloom I ever grew, and it's a favorite here. Good production and great taste. The only reason I'm thinking about leaving it out of the rotation this year is because it's ALWAYS the first to get gray/black mold. Maybe that's just unique to my garden, but it definitely has a track record in that department. Gary'O will get another look, thanks to your comments. __________________ My garden is like a teenager - One minute I'm basking in it's glow and the next I'm cursing it's attitude and headstrong independence.

January 25, 2013	#10
BigBrownDogHouse Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Northern Illinois ZONE 5a...wait now 5b Posts: 906	Gregori’s Altai - Produced early and produced like crazy! This plant wouldn't slow down. Good taste, insane production for us. Herman's Special- Family's Taste Test results- it was an average tomato taste Olive Hill - will be growing it again this year. Really wanted to try it. Grew about 10 feet tall and never produced a tomato. Red Penna - Big beefsteaks, fair production, really good taste __________________ Brian

January 25, 2013	#11
Blk_Vegan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 131	Of the varieties on your list i've grown and really liked the following: Brandywine, Cowlicks Purple Dog Creek Terhune Sandul Moldovan Two that are not on your list but I would recommend are JD's Special C-Tex and Amazon Chocolate. Both are very fine tomatoes. __________________ Success in life is not guaranteed but a life with no purpose is guaranteed to fail.

January 25, 2013	#14
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,223	Red Penna was among the later ones the year I grew it, but a very nice tomato. If this summer is anything like last year, you shouldn't have trouble getting them ripe. __________________ Dee **************

January 24, 2013	#2
dpurdy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Norwich, New York Posts: 255	Longlake, I've grown the Gary'O Sena and did very well with them. The plants grew quite large compared to some others that I was growing that year. I believe that it's a cross between Cherokee Purple X Brandywine. It's a potato leaf that set fruit very early (around 70 days). The plant had good production but can, as I said before, become very big in size. The flavor of the tomatoes was excellent. I had almost forgotten about this variety until I looked at your list. I checked my past records and found that I did grow these a couple of years back. But my favorite black has got to be Black Krim. I find that every year that more and more people like the Black Krim once they have tried them. I have many request this year to grow Black Krim for the market. I'm adding more Black Krim this year to meet the demand, but may grow some of the Gary'O Sena and introduce them to my customers. Black Krim and Gary'O Sena are two of my favorite black tomatoes. You can't loose by adding them to your grow list. Good luck with your garden this year and hope that your choices satisfy your needs. DP

January 24, 2013	#4
nancyruhl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan Posts: 1,051	For what it's worth, I probably will never have a garden without FLO, Stump of the World, Terhune, Purple Dog Creek, Marianna's Peace ( one of the first heirlooms I grew) and Lithuanian. Last summer I grew out some older seeds I had of Gregori's Altai and I thought it bland compared to the above tomatoes. I am excited to grow Rebel Yell and Desters this summer. I also thought Lucky Cross was so-so, not enough zing and very short shelf life. Jaune Flamme is a must. The Boars-not so much.

January 24, 2013	#5
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	Eva Purple Ball BW – Sudduth’s Fish Lake Oxheart Stump of the World Terhune Dester Marianna’s Peace Sandul Moldovan The above are the varieties I would be most likely to grow. I happen to really like the flavor of Crnkovic Yugoslavian which is not on your list. DarJones

January 24, 2013	#6
barbamWY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: North West Wyoming Posts: 466	I have grown Stump of the World for years and it is sweet and juicy and produces quite a number of fruits. My favorite Black is Black Early which I buy from Baker Creek. Sophie's Choice was prone to disease in my garden. Gregori's Altai is fairly early here and although there are better flavored tomatoes, I grow it most years for it earliness. Juane Flamme is very good and although I have only grown it a few years, I will again. I grew Caspian Pink years ago and I think I dropped it because it was not very tasty. I am trying Dester this year. My favorite orange/yellow is still Kellogg's Breakfast. You may get a lot of different opinions as what does well for one person, may not do so well for others.