Decision Time

[Kenyadenola]

I hate to post this, but I really do need help, and my husband is of little use when it comes to this. I don't usually do a fall crop, but I was somewhat dissapointed with my summer ccrop this year, so I decided to give it a shot, the only problem is, I have never grown any of these toms and I since I had 35 this summer I would really like to be nice to my husband and plant only a few for fall. So far my choices are:

Enormous Plum - Non-negotiable, I have to have some sort of paste in there, and I already have Opalka and Polish Linguisa growing for the fall, and I decided i had to try this one just once, and rather than give it a summer spot I would rather try it an the fall, summer is for the "Stars".

Caramello
Anna Russian
Sunset's Red Horizon or Rostova - I know the whole backstory on the name of this one, but the description of the fruit is what got me.
Persimmon
Dagma's Perfection
Mariannas Peace

I am in California, zone 9 or Sunset 14-15, and my first killing frost doesn't usually arrive till around Christmas, so all of thses should have time to make it.

I'm looking for quantity and taste, what ever doesn't get eaten raw will be turned into sauce. The yellows are because I have this interest in making a yellow sauce, but they are also easy to take of the list if they don't pass muster.

If you have time, please give me your opinions, I'm looking to go with a maximum of four plants or if there are any of those varities that have a great taste and are good bearers I will stop at two, maybe three. I just don't want to waste my time growing so-so tomatoes since they took up so much of my summer. I know opinions will vary so I will go with a concensus.

If you are willing to take the challenge, I thank you greatly, I can make decisions about other things, but when it comes to tomatoes, it's so hard. It was easy this summer, I grew everything that caughht my eye, if only fall would allow me the same luxury!!

Thank you so much!!
Kenya

[Patrina_Pepperina]

I don't have any experience with those except for Anna Russian, which is wonderful. However, I just wanted to mention that whichever new ones you decide to grow, don't necessarily decide on whether you'll give them a miss in future seasons based on their flavour in autumn/fall.

I've found that an excellent tasting variety ripening in summer often will taste weirdly tart in autumn, probably because the sun and temps haven't developed its usual sweetness and other flavours properly (I think).

Patrina

[barkeater]

Kenya, I hope you have plants ready to plant now. Christmas is only 4 months away and the lower light levels and cool temps from November on will really slow ripening. I know it can be VERY warm in October there, but it changed quickly in November when I was there.

I'm not sure a late tomato like Mariannas Peace will make it in time unless transplanted in the next week or so.

[rsg2001]

Caramello
Anna Russian
Sunset's Red Horizon or Rostova - I know the whole backstory on the name of this one, but the description of the fruit is what got me.
Persimmon
Dagma's Perfection
Mariannas Peace

Of these, I loved Anna Russian, but the plants succumbed to fusarium wilt. Just a fabulous tomato. I also loved Marianna's Peace, which was very prolific for a late-season tomato. My only heads up for you on Marianna's Peace is that it is not a short-season variety. The tomatoes come quite late - although very much worth it.

[Kenyadenola]

I will be planting 8 week transplants, I had other choices but these were the only ones that really appealled to me. Yes, it is true that sometimes it can get cold in november, but where I am it rarely gets into the 40's at night during November, and we generally only get about two really good frosts, and some years we don't get any, especially during an El Nino, when are only danger is that of flooding.

The other reason to keep the plants to a minimum is that since I grow them on flat panels of CRM it is easy to insulate them if it does get cold. I am contemplating putting one of them in a container and growing it in the greenhouse, but I'm not really a fan of growing tomatoes ina container because then it means I really have to remember it, I'm surprised that I'm remembering the basil I planted in containers, but that's probably only because I put the planter next to the tomato plot and everytime I sit with my laptop in garden (which is everyday) I can't help but look at it.

Mariannas Peace was a longshot, and I knew that, but I figured I would put it on the list knowing that I had a built in cull. So right now it seems it may just be Anna Russian and Enormous Plum, which doesn't seem so bad considering I have my other two already started and that brings the total to four, but I think I'm going to throw in Carmello, just because the person I'm getting them from is having success with them this summer and I've never grown a french tomato before. I almost planted it this summer, but I had to many others I wanted, but seeing as I took out three plants today, I wish I had gone with my first impression.

We'll see what happens this fall and winter, I may have success or I may not, but either way, this is just a bonus, I'll be happy with whatever happens, unlike during summer when I expect results and get disappointed easily.

Thanks for your help, I really appreciate all of the help I have received on this board.

Kenya

[Denise_in_MI]

Kenya, I had a long reply...but my AOL/exploder is having problems. Many problems...that I am now having trouble with 'Explorer'...aka exploder...

Anyway...don't use anything for sauces that have a green seed coat unless you remove them prior to boiling down. Causes a grayish looking sauce. The 'blacks' are notorious for this....as are any tomato with a greenish seed coat.

[Kenyadenola]

I use the Kitchen Aid vegtable strainer attachment to process the tomatoes when I make sauce. It takes care of the skin and the seeds. That is good to know though, I will be making sauce out of the many black pllums I have. This plant has far out produced every other plant I have and it has fallen down twice! I wasn't going to use it for sauce, I was going to use it for salsa, but there are so many of them I have no choice, and then while reading a seed catolg it said it makes good sauce so I figured why not give it a shot.

I'm sorry I missed the long post, I like readin everything everyone has to say.

[MawkHawk]

What the heck is a "fall crop"???

[feldon30]

Mawk,

It's what we have to do because the tomato plants we put out in February burst into flames in July.

[cecilsgarden1958]

I am trying Rostova this year. Gave it the bad spot in the garden. Most shade! It's doing better then any I have had there to date. Nice sized fruit and lots of blossoms.

CECIL

[Kenyadenola]

That's the funny thing about putting plants in akward places. I stuck some tomatoes in a frontof my house (my house sits far back from the road down a long driveway, so no chance of mater thieves unless you count the dog who routinely eats tomatoes at night as he roams around). This spot was only slightly amended as a last minute effort to find a home for some plants that I hadn't expected. The spot only became available because the mater eating dog was previously a lemon tree eating puppy, and all of the plants there are out-performing the plants that had their special spot lovingly prepared, including a volunteer that had had no attention and has been strangled more than once by cucumbers.

I'm thinking next year of just throwing everything in the ground and walking away and coming back in a few months and collect all the tomatoes. The worst part though is that the area that those plants are in is slated to become a brick patio once they are gone.

My husband has told me in a very loving way that he thinks mt tomato obsession got a little out of hand this year, never mind the fact that I have planted close to 300 bean plants for him, but he will never complain about the hours I spend bent over picking beans. I won't complain about him to much though because he built me a nice trellis soo that I can stand up and pick beans now!! How about that, I hijacked my own thread.

[giardiniere]

Originally Posted by feldon27

Mawk,

It's what we have to do because the tomato plants we put out in February burst into flames in July.

Sorry about hijacking this thread, but when did you move to New Jersey, Feldon? Am I just imagining that you were in Texas?

[kimpossible]

How about that, I hijacked my own thread

Now THAT's funny!

[feldon30]

Originally Posted by giardiniere

Sorry about hijacking this thread, but when did you move to New Jersey, Feldon? Am I just imagining that you were in Texas?

Oops, I haven't updated my info.

I was in NJ for 6 days visiting friends and family.