Cobra Tomatoes

gourmetgardener · February 8, 2011

Has anybody here had experience with Cobra tomatoes? How did they turn out for you?

JackE · February 9, 2011

I believe that you might get some info on those specialized greenhouse cultivars at www.producecommunity.com. That's a forum for REAL farmers - like guys that grow 85,000 tomato plants - so I try not to interfere with their discussions (mostly about financial, legal and market matters). I don't really belong there, but they will help small growers with technical info sometimes (especially us because we're a non-profit). There are also commercial greenhouse discussion forums that they can link you to.

The greenhouse industry is taking-over the tomato business - fewer acres of field production overy year. We'd love to get into it, but the six-figure capital investment is beyond our reach - just a little! LOL. I guess up in Canada that's the only way y'all can grow them. I heard that they grow vegetables in caves up there - with gro-lights.

Jack

PS - no nicknames at Produce Community - everyone uses their real name, name of firm and title, etc. Very professional place.

Sherry_AK · February 9, 2011

I grew Cobra in my Alaska greenhouse a couple years ago. Results were just so-so. I don't remember weather conditions the year I grew it (going from memory here). As I recall, I had just one plant. I'm going to try it again this year, as it's highly recommended for greenhouse culture.

Sherry

Ozark Organic · February 23, 2011

I grew Cobras in my greenhouse in Idaho. I was not all that impressed. They just didn't have any flavor and my customers noticed. Big Beef did much better for me, as did Early Girl. Big Beef was my biggest seller by far. I don't grow it anymore since Monsanto bought Seminis, but I still miss it!

gourmetgardener · February 26, 2011

Had mixed results. The 100 plants I grew outdoors on a trellis were awesome, showed hardly no cracking - while I lost 2/3" of my Big Beef crop due to cracking - a wet rainy year. Flavour of those grown in a poly tunnel did not even touch that of the outdoor grown plants.

gourmetgardener · November 22, 2011

This year I can honestly say Cobra was not so hot - lots of green shoulder. Arbason and Geronimo far outperformed it. The cobra plants seemed to set 4 trusses, then run out of gas, while Arbason and Geronimo did not have this problem, and both carry the uniform ripening gene.

sirtanon · November 28, 2011

Wait.. are you saying Big Beef is no longer available.. or..?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozark Organic

I grew Cobras in my greenhouse in Idaho. I was not all that impressed. They just didn't have any flavor and my customers noticed. Big Beef did much better for me, as did Early Girl. Big Beef was my biggest seller by far. I don't grow it anymore since Monsanto bought Seminis, but I still miss it!

clkeiper · November 28, 2011

I was going to comment pretty much the same as everyone else. Not much in the way of flavor there. They are grown to be shipped. Very good commercial tomato to sit (aka-transportation) for a long period of time before getting to the consumer. I don't grow it, but my neighbor who has a farm market does, just to have tomatoes on the counter.

gourmetgardener · November 28, 2011

Green shoulder was another issue for me here - not good.

February 8, 2011	#1
gourmetgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Canada (Zone 6b) Posts: 119	Cobra Tomatoes Has anybody here had experience with Cobra tomatoes? How did they turn out for you?

February 9, 2011	#2
JackE Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Woodville, Texas Posts: 520	I believe that you might get some info on those specialized greenhouse cultivars at www.producecommunity.com. That's a forum for REAL farmers - like guys that grow 85,000 tomato plants - so I try not to interfere with their discussions (mostly about financial, legal and market matters). I don't really belong there, but they will help small growers with technical info sometimes (especially us because we're a non-profit). There are also commercial greenhouse discussion forums that they can link you to. The greenhouse industry is taking-over the tomato business - fewer acres of field production overy year. We'd love to get into it, but the six-figure capital investment is beyond our reach - just a little! LOL. I guess up in Canada that's the only way y'all can grow them. I heard that they grow vegetables in caves up there - with gro-lights. Jack PS - no nicknames at Produce Community - everyone uses their real name, name of firm and title, etc. Very professional place. Last edited by JackE; February 9, 2011 at 04:49 AM.

November 28, 2011	#8
clkeiper Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: ohio Posts: 4,350	I was going to comment pretty much the same as everyone else. Not much in the way of flavor there. They are grown to be shipped. Very good commercial tomato to sit (aka-transportation) for a long period of time before getting to the consumer. I don't grow it, but my neighbor who has a farm market does, just to have tomatoes on the counter. __________________ carolyn k

February 9, 2011	#3
Sherry_AK Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Alaska Zone 3/4 Posts: 1,857	I grew Cobra in my Alaska greenhouse a couple years ago. Results were just so-so. I don't remember weather conditions the year I grew it (going from memory here). As I recall, I had just one plant. I'm going to try it again this year, as it's highly recommended for greenhouse culture. Sherry

February 23, 2011	#4
Ozark Organic Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alton, MO Posts: 5	I grew Cobras in my greenhouse in Idaho. I was not all that impressed. They just didn't have any flavor and my customers noticed. Big Beef did much better for me, as did Early Girl. Big Beef was my biggest seller by far. I don't grow it anymore since Monsanto bought Seminis, but I still miss it!

February 26, 2011	#5
gourmetgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Canada (Zone 6b) Posts: 119	Had mixed results. The 100 plants I grew outdoors on a trellis were awesome, showed hardly no cracking - while I lost 2/3" of my Big Beef crop due to cracking - a wet rainy year. Flavour of those grown in a poly tunnel did not even touch that of the outdoor grown plants.

November 22, 2011	#6
gourmetgardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Canada (Zone 6b) Posts: 119	This year I can honestly say Cobra was not so hot - lots of green shoulder. Arbason and Geronimo far outperformed it. The cobra plants seemed to set 4 trusses, then run out of gas, while Arbason and Geronimo did not have this problem, and both carry the uniform ripening gene.