Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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December 13, 2010 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Crystal Lake IL
Posts: 2,484
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Zima tomatoes
Interesting, I just found these at Sams Club - called Zima. Kinda large-ish yellow/orange grape shaped. Not bad actually. Anyone ever heard of these?
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December 13, 2010 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: WI, USA Zone4
Posts: 1,887
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December 14, 2010 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Crystal Lake IL
Posts: 2,484
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So it appears they are new.
I wouldn't call them supersweet, but of course I'm comparing them to Sungold. They are pretty sweet, and really are surprisingly good though, I'd buy them again. I presume these are hybrids, and no point in saving seed. |
December 14, 2010 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,591
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Give it a shot.
Last year I got 2 different orange grape tomatoes from 2 stores and saved the seeds. I expected they were F-1 varieties and were something exclusive to some of these big corporate farm/greenhouse growers. At the time I couldn't find any ORANGE grape varieties in any catalogs. There are some now but many aren't as ORANGE as these 2 are. More yellow-gold. Both have grown out quite well and I didn't see the horid variation as when growing out Sun Sugar. Both also tasted better when I grew them than what I got in the store, DUH !! Not quite as good / sweet fruity as Sun Gold / Sun Sugar but closer than most of the grow-out of those others. I'll add a pack of one to your order. I have the Indian Stripe in a germination test right now so should be able to get the order out early next week. Carol |
December 14, 2010 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Crystal Lake IL
Posts: 2,484
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Oh, thanks Carol. I just need a mini really - can I just send you the cost via paypal somehow? Or should I just go place an order?
I have such limited growing space. Would you like to try some of these Zimas? I'll be happy to try to ferment some and send them to you, if you'd like them. Can't guarantee results lol, as I'm a newbie, but I'd be delighted to try. |
December 14, 2010 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Crystal Lake IL
Posts: 2,484
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Actually Carol, I see a couple others I can order. I can just wait until Indian Stripe is up, and go ahead and order. It's no problem
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December 14, 2010 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 682
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There is several threads on Capari tomatoes also being able to be grown out from the same company so who knows on the Zima's I says give it a try and see. Since they sell and trade mark the brand name and packaging etc... and they sell the tomatoes and not the seeds it might just be economics non hybrid seed would be cheaper for them than hybrid. Especially if they use cracked or less than perfect tomatoes to supply the seeds. It could be a hybrid though but if the parents are similar there may be very little variation at all.
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December 14, 2010 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,591
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Yah, save a few of those Zimas. They look like they are a bit different than those I have here.
When you do an order, don't order either of the orange grapes. (Aldi orange grape or Sunbelle grape) That will be an extra from me. Hubby found a deal on Campari tomatoes locally. He had 1 last nite and they seem rather seedy to me. Lots of seeds came out when he cut the tomato, so I save some of them. I guess I'll be trying them this year too. Carol |
December 14, 2010 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Crystal Lake IL
Posts: 2,484
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Great Carol, I'll give fermenting them a try and send you some. Hope it works!
If anyone else really wants to give them a try, and can't find the tomatoes locally, let me know. I don't have a lot left right now (because I ate them!) but I'm going to try to pick some more up tomorrow if they're available. |
January 3, 2011 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
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Stuff gave me a hangover I had no idea you could grow it from seed.
worth |
January 3, 2011 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Seattle
Posts: 581
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Kind of like 7-Up with a kick. Try it on the rocks with a lime wedge.
Do they still make it? |
January 4, 2011 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 2,591
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Nope, they stopped making Zima over a year ago.
Carol |
February 6, 2011 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Canada (Zone 6b)
Posts: 119
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Just like Kumato, Zima is not a variety, but a brand. All tomatoes bearing the Kumato brand are produced from the Olmeca F1 variety - which is owned by Syngenta and licensed.
I grow tomatoes commercially - one of the seed reps I deal with told me since then they've wisened up after they made the mistake of registering the Campari trademark and getting caught up in a legal battle with their seed supplier and other growers - they develop their own marketing trademark for something that's out there on the market. That way they get the marketing buzz, and at the same time they throw a curveball at their competitors - it's all in the brand. http://www.floridafarmers.org/news/a...paritomato.htm |
February 8, 2011 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Crystal Lake IL
Posts: 2,484
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Interesting. Well whatever they are (Zima), they really are pretty tasty.
I must be practically the only person who doesn't like Campari tomatoes. I did really like the Kumato though. I wonder what varieties these are then? |
February 24, 2011 | #15 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Canada (Zone 6b)
Posts: 119
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Quote:
A few phone calls to the various reps gave me a few some tantalizing hints - none of the afformentioned seed companies sell directly to the grower, even large growers like Mastronardi can't buy from Syngenta, Enza Zaden, or Hazera except for the Kumato Controlled growing program - but they were all extremely willing to give me the names of the seed companies that represent them. Being a commercial grower I already knew a lot of the seed companies. Finally, I had it narrowed down to three tomato varieties: Golden Sweet F1 by Syngenta, Loranne by Hazera Genetics, and Solid Gold F1 by Sakata, and I called a seed company in Florida that had been provided me by the rep from Hazera Genetics - I asked him a bit about it, and who has it, he told me that he has one particular large customer that buys it from Canada, but he could not disclose who it is. I asked him if it is exclusive to them, and the answer was a characteristic no. Pricing was $209.50 for a minimum of 250 seeds. Also, I was explained that varieties bred for greenhouse use lack nematode resistance (The N in VFNT - verticillium fusarium nematode tolerant acronym), and in many cases the flowers abort with low night time temperatures translating into low yields - significant flower abortion is seen at temperatures below 60 degrees farenheit with Loranne which is particulary sensitive. I grew 250 plants of Golden Sweet F1 last year, and I found it to be every bit as good as "Zima" and very difficult to distinguish between the two. Solid Gold was a bit more yellow than orange. Last edited by gourmetgardener; February 24, 2011 at 01:46 AM. |
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