Searching for "gems" in SSE Yearbook

Douglas14 · April 16, 2012

This year I looked through the SSE yearbook, looking for tomato varieties that sounded promising. Some listed members offer many varieties, while some list just one or a few. Some members are more generous with their favorable descriptions of the varieties they offer, than others. I took these facts into consideration. I also took into account the number of members giving favorable comments for a variety. I was most interested in varieties I've seen little to no mention of on Tomatoville...or otherwise not so well known varieties. I tend to favor pink and red tomatoes, so I picked varieties of these colors. There were many tempting varieties, but I didn't want to overdo it. Here's the one's I picked and am growing this year:

Abruzze...."heart to bell shaped" red, Italian origin
Weisnicht's Ukrainian....pink beefsteak
Snag's Pride....pink beefsteak
Nudi Family Heirloom...."very large plum", red, Italian origin
Scarlet Gem....red cherry
Fruit Punch....pink cherry
Calf's Heart....pink heart

If anybody has experience with any of these varieties, I'd like to hear their thoughts on them. I'd also like to hear of any potential "gems" other growers are growing this year.

lurley · April 16, 2012

I don't have any experience previously but have started seeds of snag's pride and nudi's family heirloom also.

fortyonenorth · April 16, 2012

Snag's Pride was a winner for me last year - among the top pinks. I was planning to grow it again this year but, alas, too many varieties, too little space.

kygreg · April 16, 2012

Of course all the varieties I am growing are potential gems

. but the following varieties are "new to me" and the ones I am especially looking forward to finding out about what they are like and how they do.

Barnes Mountain Striped
Black Hole Sun
Bogeywine
Brandeva
Brandywine From Croatia
Bulgarian Old Sort No Name
Bulgarisher Rosa Riese
Butch's Best
Chila Della Garfagnana
Dikaya Roza
Everett's Rusty Oxheart
Frankstein Black
German Stripes (different from German Stripes)
Giroc
Hays Tomato
Hippie Zebra
Holy Land Yellow Strain
Hoy
Hue Chi Hanyo
Jewel Tone
Kentucky Cabin
Irish Pink
Istra
Lugwig
Lurley's Paste
Oxacan Jewel
Peter Glazebrook Special
Red Siberian
Red Wolf
Russian Roma
Sachaknaja Sliwa Krasnaja
Seek No Further Love Apple
Smith's Southern Giant
South American Banana
Summer Cider
Sweet Beverly
Valentine Pink
Vidoje's Suprise
Walter's Candy Stripe
Worley Red
Yoder's German Pink
Zeke Dishman

janezee · April 16, 2012

A few unknowns or little-knowns came my way this year, too.

Green Ghost
Bosu
Mr. Fumo
Stardust
Rainy's Maltese
Mazarini
Rozovyi Myod
Cowberian
Rebel Yell
Babywine
Anna Aasa
Alpatieva 905A
Yamal

I'm hoping they're all gems. The above are already started, but the ones below have to wait for next year.

Rhodes Heirloom
Pacquebot Roma
Heart of Compassion
Aurega

I never would have guessed that I would be planting so many tomatoes, never mind ones that aren't in circulation and/or are not tried and true.

j

Tracydr · April 17, 2012

Hippie Zebra? Tell me about it! That sounds very pretty, or interesting, or, something!

Wi-sunflower · April 17, 2012

I can tell you about Cowberian.

It is seed formerly misnamed Siberian that I got many years ago from a big commercial company, but didn't know it wasn't right for the name til I found Tomatoville and TomatoBase. About that same time I had sold "Siberian" to a customer in the PNW, a member here but I forget who right now. He's the one that told me it wasn't right for the name. But he liked it anyway so he named it in honor of my state, Wisconsin and changed the name from Siberian to COWberian.

There is an old thread here at TV about Siberia and Siberian and the fact that back about 10+ years ago quite a few seed companies were selling mixed up and misnamed seed. Seems both seeds I got were not right for the name.I've been wanting to get the proper seeds from Sandhill for a couple of years but just get too busy with too many other varieties.

It's a small early variety and must grow well in the PNW as that seems to be where it's being distributed lately.

I should have fresh seeds for it this fall. I don't currently list it because my seeds are getting old.

Carol

janezee · April 17, 2012

Thanks, Carol! I did get my seeds from pdxwindjammer, who got them from dice, who got them from you. I'm really excited to grow them. They've been in the pot since Wednesday, so I expect to see them any day now.

I'm running late due to illness, but I have to say it's killing me to see tomatoes on vines these days from folks in warmer climes. <sigh>

j

habitat_gardener · April 17, 2012

I grew Babywine last year and it was a good-tasting small tomato, easily one of the top 5 out of 20+ varieties. It wasn't as productive as I expected for a small tomato, though. I'd grow it again if I had a place to grow more than a half dozen plants.

janezee · April 17, 2012

Thanks for that information! I was hoping for great things with a name like that. Are you in a hotter or cooler part of the state?

Douglas14 · April 19, 2012

fortyonenorth,
Thanks for your input on Snag's Pride. I'm looking forward to comparing it with other beefsteaks this year. How would you describe the taste(sweet, balanced, assertive, etc.?). How did the fruit look for you(light pink, dark pink, catfacing, any cracking, large, not so large for a beefsteak, etc.?). I'm just wondering, because what you say may have an impact on how many extra plants of it I grow to give away to friends.

Lurley,
Maybe we can compare notes on Snag's Pride and Nudi Family Heirloom later in the season. Good luck!

Thanks for all the other replies. Hopefully there will be a lot of pleasant surprises out there this year.

kygreg · April 19, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tracydr

Hippie Zebra? Tell me about it! That sounds very pretty, or interesting, or, something!

The info I have is that is a large bicolor beefsteak. I got the seeds from Patty Brown. She has a great photo of it listed on Tatiana's site.

**carolyn137** · April 20, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by kygreg

Of course all the varieties I am growing are potential gems

. but the following varieties are "new to me" and the ones I am especially looking forward to finding out about what they are like and how they do.

Barnes Mountain Striped
Black Hole Sun
Bogeywine
Brandeva
Brandywine From Croatia
Bulgarian Old Sort No Name
Bulgarisher Rosa Riese
Butch's Best
Chila Della Garfagnana
Dikaya Roza
Everett's Rusty Oxheart
Frankstein Black
German Stripes (different from German Stripes)
Giroc
Hays Tomato
Hippie Zebra
Holy Land Yellow Strain
Hoy
Hue Chi Hanyo
Jewel Tone
Kentucky Cabin
Irish Pink
Istra
Lugwig
Lurley's Paste
Oxacan Jewel
Peter Glazebrook Special
Red Siberian
Red Wolf
Russian Roma
Sachaknaja Sliwa Krasnaja
Seek No Further Love Apple
Smith's Southern Giant
South American Banana
Summer Cider
Sweet Beverly
Valentine Pink
Vidoje's Suprise
Walter's Candy Stripe
Worley Red
Yoder's German Pink
Zeke Dishman

I can share with you what I know about some of them.

Brandeva was bred by Jeff McCormack from parents of Brandywine and Eva Purple Ball. I've long had the seeds but have never grown them out.

Bulgarian Old Sort is an amusing one. Phreddy in Bulgaria sent seeds to both Tania and myself but used two different names for the same variety. I deleted my own SSE listing several years ago, but probably still have some seeds somewhere.

Giroc I'm growing this year. Seeds from Geza who originally called it Giroc large pink but in talking with Tania about some of his names as well as Pming Moushe ( Sp?) who posts here and lives in Romania where the small village of Giroc is, I'm sticking with just Giroc, and M was able to give me some great background info on ones grown in the Giroc area, but none of them named Giroc, just large tasty pink beefsteaks.

Hays' I've grown, from Bulgaria as introduced at Jeff casey's website, and I've been offering it in my seed offer here for a couple of years. I like it.

Hoy. Well if you haven't grown it until now, I'm glad you are, and lots of feedback here about it.

Irish Pink, SSE listed by Randy Sine, who posts here as WV , now I forgot the rest. I've grown and also offered in my last several seed offers here.

Istra, am growing this year and from this one and the Peter Glazebrook Special it tells me you trade seeds with Michael in the UK. Iva sent seeds of this one to both of us, and another one which I think she sent only to me, lucky me, really, and I think the name is on the grow list I posted here at Tville.

Just looked in my data book and the other one she sent is Primorski Pacug, a large red beef like the Istra one. I think she was short on seeds for this last one, the Primorski one, and last I looked Craig had germination with both varieties, for plants for me, but Neil L is also doing the seed production and no germination report back from him yet.

So it looks like you have an interesting summer season coming up.

kygreg · April 20, 2012

Carolyn,

As my friend Michael might say, you are spot-on or bang-on. Either you have a crystal ball or you are a great tomato detective.

The latter sounds like an idea for a pilot for a TV program. Now you have revealed all my "trade" secrets. Yes, I know a pun is the lowest from of humor; that is why I like them so much.

It defintiely should be a fun year, particularly when I get rid of about 400 tomato seedlings that I started for other people and general give away.

I am doing an heirloom/op program tomorrow for Earth Day ceremonies here tomorrow and also at a garden club next Thursday. Hope to give away quite a few at these two events.

Hope you have a great and interesting season also.

The Future · April 21, 2012

This is an impressive list, if for no other reason than it is +40 items long and I don't own a single one. In fact the only one I had even heard of was bw from croatia. Keen to here how there do for you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kygreg

Of course all the varieties I am growing are potential gems

. but the following varieties are "new to me" and the ones I am especially looking forward to finding out about what they are like and how they do.

Barnes Mountain Striped
Black Hole Sun
Bogeywine
Brandeva
Brandywine From Croatia
Bulgarian Old Sort No Name
Bulgarisher Rosa Riese
Butch's Best
Chila Della Garfagnana
Dikaya Roza
Everett's Rusty Oxheart
Frankstein Black
German Stripes (different from German Stripes)
Giroc
Hays Tomato
Hippie Zebra
Holy Land Yellow Strain
Hoy
Hue Chi Hanyo
Jewel Tone
Kentucky Cabin
Irish Pink
Istra
Lugwig
Lurley's Paste
Oxacan Jewel
Peter Glazebrook Special
Red Siberian
Red Wolf
Russian Roma
Sachaknaja Sliwa Krasnaja
Seek No Further Love Apple
Smith's Southern Giant
South American Banana
Summer Cider
Sweet Beverly
Valentine Pink
Vidoje's Suprise
Walter's Candy Stripe
Worley Red
Yoder's German Pink
Zeke Dishman

April 16, 2012	#1
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	Searching for "gems" in SSE Yearbook This year I looked through the SSE yearbook, looking for tomato varieties that sounded promising. Some listed members offer many varieties, while some list just one or a few. Some members are more generous with their favorable descriptions of the varieties they offer, than others. I took these facts into consideration. I also took into account the number of members giving favorable comments for a variety. I was most interested in varieties I've seen little to no mention of on Tomatoville...or otherwise not so well known varieties. I tend to favor pink and red tomatoes, so I picked varieties of these colors. There were many tempting varieties, but I didn't want to overdo it. Here's the one's I picked and am growing this year: Abruzze...."heart to bell shaped" red, Italian origin Weisnicht's Ukrainian....pink beefsteak Snag's Pride....pink beefsteak Nudi Family Heirloom...."very large plum", red, Italian origin Scarlet Gem....red cherry Fruit Punch....pink cherry Calf's Heart....pink heart If anybody has experience with any of these varieties, I'd like to hear their thoughts on them. I'd also like to hear of any potential "gems" other growers are growing this year.

April 16, 2012	#4
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	Of course all the varieties I am growing are potential gems . but the following varieties are "new to me" and the ones I am especially looking forward to finding out about what they are like and how they do. Barnes Mountain Striped Black Hole Sun Bogeywine Brandeva Brandywine From Croatia Bulgarian Old Sort No Name Bulgarisher Rosa Riese Butch's Best Chila Della Garfagnana Dikaya Roza Everett's Rusty Oxheart Frankstein Black German Stripes (different from German Stripes) Giroc Hays Tomato Hippie Zebra Holy Land Yellow Strain Hoy Hue Chi Hanyo Jewel Tone Kentucky Cabin Irish Pink Istra Lugwig Lurley's Paste Oxacan Jewel Peter Glazebrook Special Red Siberian Red Wolf Russian Roma Sachaknaja Sliwa Krasnaja Seek No Further Love Apple Smith's Southern Giant South American Banana Summer Cider Sweet Beverly Valentine Pink Vidoje's Suprise Walter's Candy Stripe Worley Red Yoder's German Pink Zeke Dishman Last edited by kygreg; April 16, 2012 at 09:12 PM. Reason: spelling error

April 16, 2012	#2
lurley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 741	I don't have any experience previously but have started seeds of snag's pride and nudi's family heirloom also.

April 16, 2012	#3
fortyonenorth Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 1,150	Snag's Pride was a winner for me last year - among the top pinks. I was planning to grow it again this year but, alas, too many varieties, too little space.

April 16, 2012	#5
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	A few unknowns or little-knowns came my way this year, too. Green Ghost Bosu Mr. Fumo Stardust Rainy's Maltese Mazarini Rozovyi Myod Cowberian Rebel Yell Babywine Anna Aasa Alpatieva 905A Yamal I'm hoping they're all gems. The above are already started, but the ones below have to wait for next year. Rhodes Heirloom Pacquebot Roma Heart of Compassion Aurega I never would have guessed that I would be planting so many tomatoes, never mind ones that aren't in circulation and/or are not tried and true. j

April 17, 2012	#6
Tracydr Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2011 Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7 Posts: 3,207	Hippie Zebra? Tell me about it! That sounds very pretty, or interesting, or, something!

April 17, 2012	#7
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	I can tell you about Cowberian. It is seed formerly misnamed Siberian that I got many years ago from a big commercial company, but didn't know it wasn't right for the name til I found Tomatoville and TomatoBase. About that same time I had sold "Siberian" to a customer in the PNW, a member here but I forget who right now. He's the one that told me it wasn't right for the name. But he liked it anyway so he named it in honor of my state, Wisconsin and changed the name from Siberian to COWberian. There is an old thread here at TV about Siberia and Siberian and the fact that back about 10+ years ago quite a few seed companies were selling mixed up and misnamed seed. Seems both seeds I got were not right for the name.I've been wanting to get the proper seeds from Sandhill for a couple of years but just get too busy with too many other varieties. It's a small early variety and must grow well in the PNW as that seems to be where it's being distributed lately. I should have fresh seeds for it this fall. I don't currently list it because my seeds are getting old. Carol

April 17, 2012	#9
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,540	I grew Babywine last year and it was a good-tasting small tomato, easily one of the top 5 out of 20+ varieties. It wasn't as productive as I expected for a small tomato, though. I'd grow it again if I had a place to grow more than a half dozen plants.

April 19, 2012	#11
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	fortyonenorth, Thanks for your input on Snag's Pride. I'm looking forward to comparing it with other beefsteaks this year. How would you describe the taste(sweet, balanced, assertive, etc.?). How did the fruit look for you(light pink, dark pink, catfacing, any cracking, large, not so large for a beefsteak, etc.?). I'm just wondering, because what you say may have an impact on how many extra plants of it I grow to give away to friends. Lurley, Maybe we can compare notes on Snag's Pride and Nudi Family Heirloom later in the season. Good luck! Thanks for all the other replies. Hopefully there will be a lot of pleasant surprises out there this year.

April 20, 2012	#14
kygreg Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: kentucky Posts: 1,019	Carolyn, As my friend Michael might say, you are spot-on or bang-on. Either you have a crystal ball or you are a great tomato detective. The latter sounds like an idea for a pilot for a TV program. Now you have revealed all my "trade" secrets. Yes, I know a pun is the lowest from of humor; that is why I like them so much. It defintiely should be a fun year, particularly when I get rid of about 400 tomato seedlings that I started for other people and general give away. I am doing an heirloom/op program tomorrow for Earth Day ceremonies here tomorrow and also at a garden club next Thursday. Hope to give away quite a few at these two events. Hope you have a great and interesting season also.