Heart Tomatoes

[crmauch]

In Dr. Carolyn's book, it's noted several times that heart tomatoes aren't particularly productive.

1) What makes a heart tomato a 'heart' tomato? (I know shape is a big part of it, but I have the impression it also has something to do with the structure of the tomato).

2) Does anyone know why they aren't particularly productive?

3) Which ones do you find to be the most productive?

4) Which are the best tasting?

Thanks ,

Chris

[recruiterg]

OK. Allow me to take a crack at this one.

Originally Posted by crmauch

In Dr. Carolyn's book, it's noted several times that heart tomatoes aren't particularly productive.

1) What makes a heart tomato a 'heart' tomato? (I know shape is a big part of it, but I have the impression it also has something to do with the structure of the tomato).

Most if not all can be characterized by the following: Droopy, wispy foliage. Flowers typically have long Sepals (in comparison to other heirlooms).

2) Does anyone know why they aren't particularly productive?

Perhaps because many are large fruited varieties. Perhaps because the elongated shape of the flower makes them more difficult to pollinate???

3) Which ones do you find to be the most productive?

Kosovo is one of the most productive, if not the most productive, large fruited varieties I have ever grown in my garden.

4) Which are the best tasting?

Search on Tatiana's Tomatobase. I'd recommend Kosovo, Anna Russian, Wes...I am sure Carolyn will chime in here because she loves hearts and will have many to recommend.

Good luck. Variety is the spice of life.

Thanks ,

Chris

[FILMNET]

Franchi Red pear, great old taste from northern Italy
Also Brads Black Heart is so wonderful

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by FILMNET

Franchi Red pear, great old taste from northern Italy
Also Brads Black Heart is so wonderful

Now I always think of 'hearts' or 'oxhearts' as having a pointed end (or at least some of the fruit does). It doesn't look like Franchi Red Pear meets that definition? Am I wrong about my concept of pears?

[FILMNET]

You might be wrong, I think Oxhearts are just large pears, i love them. mine grew so healthy that's why they look like a pear, here is Brads Black Heart and a true heart cherry called Tomatoberry, a hybrid terrible taste. Came with some Sungold seeds, the Japanese company which owns Sungold f1 now seels this hyrid.

[MrBig46]

Originally Posted by FILMNET

Franchi Red pear, great old taste from northern Italy
Also Brads Black Heart is so wonderful

I think, that these tomatoes are italian Cuor di Bue (heart of bull). I cultivate them.
Vladimír

[carolyn137]

I din't recall saying in my book that heart varieties are not productive, for many of them are.Just flipping through some of the varieties in he book I noted for Anna Russian that yield was usually high, that German Red Strawberry had high yield, that Herman's Yellow yield was moderate, that Nicky Crain was moderate, that Orange Strawberry was moderate, that Reif Redhert was moderate, that Russian #117 was moderatge to high, that one UK Heart was moderate and the TNMUJ one was high.

Those are the heart varieties in my book and since 1998 I've probably grown maybe twoo hundred more or so . And if you look at the pictures of those I just mentioned I'm sure you can see the difference in heart shapes.

There is no one definition of a heart shape since there are blunt hearts such as Russian #117 and Wes, some that taper more and some that do have a pointed tip.

So no one definition but almost all heart varieties have dense flesh with few seeds and I find the taste of most of them to be superb, which is why I'm a dedicated heart lover.

Not all hearts have wispy droopy foliage either, although most do.

Hope that helps,

Carolyn

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by crmauch

In Dr. Carolyn's book, it's noted several times that heart tomatoes aren't particularly productive.

1) What makes a heart tomato a 'heart' tomato? (I know shape is a big part of it, but I have the impression it also has something to do with the structure of the tomato).

2) Does anyone know why they aren't particularly productive?

3) Which ones do you find to be the most productive?

4) Which are the best tasting?

Thanks ,

Chris

1) For me, structure should be like the interior of a beefsteak. I've seen a few varieties having two to four locules, with the flesh being like spokes, that some call hearts. From the outside they look like hearts, but I call them pointed plums.

2) Don't know.

3) Hands down, Kosovo.

4) Most of them that do not have a "generic" name. If it's listed as something like "Pink Heart" or "Yellow Oxheart" it usually has a taste about as fitting as the name.

I do not consider piriform tomatoes to be hearts. The shape is just about the opposite as could be.

Dr. Lve Apple

[tlintx]

I'm growing German Red Strawberry and Gildo Pietroboni this year. Pretty excited.

[FILMNET]

Originally Posted by MrBig46

I think, that these tomatoes are italian Cuor di Bue (heart of bull). I cultivate them.
Vladimír

Here is the package from Franchi Red Pear

[kath]

3. Kosovo, Fish Lake Oxheart, Hays' Tomato, Work Release Paste (large paste/heart type) have all been reasonably productive for me
4. the last three varieties have been my favorites for taste so far out of the 50 or more that I've tried

[KarenO]

To me hearts and pears are not the same as to me pears are wider at the blossom end, sort of a teardrop shape and hearts taper to be at least a little pointed or narrower at the blossom end so to me pears and hearts are opposite really.
I like hearts in general Anna Russian is one that has done well for me. I am growing several this year that are new to me: orange Minsk heart, Brad's black heart, Ludmilla pink heart and Kosovo, petushok, mayo's delight and oxheart pink. I am growing a couple of pear-shaped ones as well: Cuneo giant pear, Japanese triefle yellow and red cluster pear.
pointed or teardrop, I like them all
KarenO

[MrBig46]

Originally Posted by FILMNET

Here is the package from Franchi Red Pear

You are right. Red pear is the choice of fy Franchi from italian Cuor di Bue.
Vladimír

[crmauch]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

I din't recall saying in my book that heart varieties are not productive

Dr. Carolyn, I apologize if I misspoke(? mis-typed?). I was working from memory, as I don't have your book with me at the moment. I *thought* (and I could be wrong), that you several times stated something similar to "productive for a heart tomato", which gave me the impression that overall hearts were not productive. Again, I apologize.

Chris Mauchline

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by crmauch

Dr. Carolyn, I apologize if I misspoke(? mis-typed?). I was working from memory, as I don't have your book with me at the moment. I *thought* (and I could be wrong), that you several times stated something similar to "productive for a heart tomato", which gave me the impression that overall hearts were not productive. Again, I apologize.

Chris Mauchline

Apology accepted.

And fo rONE variety I did say that it was productive for a heart variety and early as well and I think that was Anna Russian.

I agree that piriform (pear) shaped fruits are not heart varieties, far from it as I see it as has been noted above as well.

Carolyn