Your one favorite semi-determinate or compact indeterminate?

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

open pollinated or hybrid?

big beef is a good semi indeterminate large slicer hybrid

does it need to be red?
grandpa gary's green was great when I grew it for the dwarf selection
look at the dwarf yellow ones too, yellow does not equate to bland and flavorless.

Hi. I've only seen Big Beef described as a "tall" or "vigorous" indeterminate? I've grown Blazing Beauty, Mr. Snow, Sweet Sue, and Sean's Yellow,and Summer Sweet Gold. I liked them all, but wasn't impressed by their production in my greenhouse. I like GWRs, and have grown Jade Beauty, so I'll consider another green with good production.

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by Tormato

I thought and thought about this thread, and finally come up with...


...I'd take that full-sized favorite indeterminate and lop off the top, if I didn't want to experiment with training the plant to grow where I wanted it to grow.

That's what I've been doing a lot, but they somehow take over. I guess I'm not persistent or relentless enough.



Steve

[wxcrawler]

Big Beef has always been fairly vigorous and tall for me. The best compact indeterminate I grow every year is Break O'Day. I am trying several varieties from the Dwarf Project this year.

Lee

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by wxcrawler

Big Beef has always been fairly vigorous and tall for me. The best compact indeterminate I grow every year is Break O'Day. I am trying several varieties from the Dwarf Project this year.

Lee

I grew Break O'Day in 2018. My notes: "Break O’day dtm: 65 days, good yield, good taste, but couldn’t compete with EM-Champion. NR" (NR = not returning)

I'm going to grow 2 plants of EM-Champion in the greenhouse this year.


Steve

[b54red]

Since you want heat tolerance you might want to try Indian Stripe. It is a fairly small vine indeterminate variety. A green when ripe variety that is indeterminate but with quite a small vine is Grubs Mystery Green. Pruden's Purple has a medium to small vine and is large fruited very good tomato that is very heat tolerant. Bella Rosa is a determinate that makes large fairly good red tomatoes that is also heat tolerant. While I agree Big Beef is smaller than some indeterminate varieties it is not a small plant but it is heat tolerant.

Bill

[clkeiper]

Originally Posted by sjamesNorway

Hi. I've only seen Big Beef described as a "tall" or "vigorous" indeterminate? I've grown Blazing Beauty, Mr. Snow, Sweet Sue, and Sean's Yellow,and Summer Sweet Gold. I liked them all, but wasn't impressed by their production in my greenhouse. I like GWRs, and have grown Jade Beauty, so I'll consider another green with good production.

Mine don't seem to get that tall. maybe tops-6 ft.
maybe thats taller than you are looking for. it is a nice tomato but you can control the height somewhat by controlling the water too.

[MissS]

Paul Robeson stays around 3 feet for me. It is a black and has great flavor.

[Nan_PA_6b]

How tall is your short side?

[MrBig46]

Sjames, I got ME Champion seeds from you for my friend from Slovakia. I kept four seeds, saying I would like to grow this variety this year. But somehow I did not notice that it is referred to as semideterminate. I grow all tomatoes (indeterminant) on a single shoot suspended on spirals. I just don't know how much I can remove suckers of EM Champion. I want to grow this tomato on a spiral too.
Vladimír

[Canehdian]

I'd give a shout out to O-33., as well as EM Champion.

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by b54red

Since you want heat tolerance you might want to try Indian Stripe. It is a fairly small vine indeterminate variety. A green when ripe variety that is indeterminate but with quite a small vine is Grubs Mystery Green. Pruden's Purple has a medium to small vine and is large fruited very good tomato that is very heat tolerant. Bella Rosa is a determinate that makes large fairly good red tomatoes that is also heat tolerant. While I agree Big Beef is smaller than some indeterminate varieties it is not a small plant but it is heat tolerant.

Bill

Hi Bill. I grow Indian Stripe PL every year. I will occupy 2 of the 8 "short" spots in the greenhouse this year. I actually think it may have been your recommendation that started me with ISPL. I have seeds for GMG, and it may be the one I choose for the last spot. I know many have it as their favorite GWR. I grow Aunt Ginny's Purple as a tall plant, so don't feel the need for a short "purple".

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by clkeiper

Mine don't seem to get that tall. maybe tops-6 ft.
maybe thats taller than you are looking for. it is a nice tomato but you can control the height somewhat by controlling the water too.

I think I'll stick to OPs.

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by MissS

Paul Robeson stays around 3 feet for me. It is a black and has great flavor.

Hi Patti. I grew Paul Robeson a few years ago outside. I agree it's a delicious tomato. I didn't get many because of the short season. I've heard that it struggles with heat.


Steve

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by Nan_PA_6b

How tall is your short side?

It's 5 feet.

[sjamesNorway]

Originally Posted by MrBig46

Sjames, I got ME Champion seeds from you for my friend from Slovakia. I kept four seeds, saying I would like to grow this variety this year. But somehow I did not notice that it is referred to as semideterminate. I grow all tomatoes (indeterminant) on a single shoot suspended on spirals. I just don't know how much I can remove suckers of EM Champion. I want to grow this tomato on a spiral too.
Vladimír

I haven't pruned EM-C, and I think you would greatly reduce yield. On the other hand, the plant doesn't get very wide or dense, so you might be able to contain it on a spiral.


Steve