Old variety called Pic Red (or Pic Right)

Sundrops · April 2, 2016

I have an elderly gentleman friend who is looking for an old tomato he used to get. He says it was formerly called Pic (sp) Right but was later called Pic (sp) Red. His wife used to can it and she liked it because she said it had "good shoulders" and very little core.

Is anyone familiar with this variety/availability of seed? They were not exactly sure on the spelling so it could have been any variation of Pic.

Any help would be much appreciated.

TC_Manhattan · April 2, 2016

Here is what I found when I googled "Pik Red Tomato":

This first link from Gardenweb says it is a hybrid that was discontinued in 2008. It mentions that a similar type is Mountain Fresh.
http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussi...ed-pack-tomato

Then I found this link to a thread here on Tville:
http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=7360
Pretty much says the same thing.

Then lastly, I found a listing for the seeds on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Pik-Red-Tomato...ews/B0025G6CIG
There are reviews for this seed as recent as 2014.
Caveat here before you think of ordering, I would call Hirt's directly myself and question their source of the seed and age. Their phone number is 330-249-0506.
They are a 'local' garden center for me, and I have purchased seedlings from them over the years, BUT they get very mixed reviews for mail-order or online purchases.
I do know they carry a library of old seed packets that are rather informally stored, and I would seriously question the age/viability of their seed stock before ordering.

If your friend is looking for a red canner, I know Fusion (Darrel Jones here on Tville) recommended a similar-sounding red canner variety that is open-pollinated, called PICARDY. I plan on growing this one this year on his recommendation. Picardy is indeterminate though, rather than the determinate Pik Red. You can order plant starts from Darrel also, which is where I get many of mine.
He is an AWESOME source of information, bar none!

There are probably dozens of other similar varieties that folks will recommend, too.

Good luck!

**carolyn137** · April 2, 2016

In the thread from here at Tville Bark said that Harris had discontinued it and that was back in 2007, and I grew it and knew it well,as did the man who used our fields when my father could no longer farm.

I thought it was a great variety,but I 'd be very very suspicious of anyone offering seeds in 2016, very suspicious indeed.

Similar varieties that Harris bred would include Moreton Hybrid,Supersonic F1and Jet StarF1, my fave being the last one and all are still available, fresh,not old seed.

But for canning,as was noted in the first post,there are many other varieties,both OP and F1 that I could suggest that I think highly of as well.

Carolyn

Sundrops · April 4, 2016

Again, thank you for your helpful responses. I will check out the links and go from here. I told my friend that if there was anything to find out that the folks at Tville would have the info.

You guys are the greatest!

April 2, 2016	#1
Sundrops Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 36	Old variety called Pic Red (or Pic Right) I have an elderly gentleman friend who is looking for an old tomato he used to get. He says it was formerly called Pic (sp) Right but was later called Pic (sp) Red. His wife used to can it and she liked it because she said it had "good shoulders" and very little core. Is anyone familiar with this variety/availability of seed? They were not exactly sure on the spelling so it could have been any variation of Pic. Any help would be much appreciated.

April 2, 2016	#2
TC_Manhattan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Ohio Posts: 457	Pik Red hybrid discontinued Here is what I found when I googled "Pik Red Tomato": This first link from Gardenweb says it is a hybrid that was discontinued in 2008. It mentions that a similar type is Mountain Fresh. http://forums.gardenweb.com/discussi...ed-pack-tomato Then I found this link to a thread here on Tville: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=7360 Pretty much says the same thing. Then lastly, I found a listing for the seeds on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pik-Red-Tomato...ews/B0025G6CIG There are reviews for this seed as recent as 2014. Caveat here before you think of ordering, I would call Hirt's directly myself and question their source of the seed and age. Their phone number is 330-249-0506. They are a 'local' garden center for me, and I have purchased seedlings from them over the years, BUT they get very mixed reviews for mail-order or online purchases. I do know they carry a library of old seed packets that are rather informally stored, and I would seriously question the age/viability of their seed stock before ordering. If your friend is looking for a red canner, I know Fusion (Darrel Jones here on Tville) recommended a similar-sounding red canner variety that is open-pollinated, called PICARDY. I plan on growing this one this year on his recommendation. Picardy is indeterminate though, rather than the determinate Pik Red. You can order plant starts from Darrel also, which is where I get many of mine. He is an AWESOME source of information, bar none! There are probably dozens of other similar varieties that folks will recommend, too. Good luck!

April 2, 2016	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	In the thread from here at Tville Bark said that Harris had discontinued it and that was back in 2007, and I grew it and knew it well,as did the man who used our fields when my father could no longer farm. I thought it was a great variety,but I 'd be very very suspicious of anyone offering seeds in 2016, very suspicious indeed. Similar varieties that Harris bred would include Moreton Hybrid,Supersonic F1and Jet StarF1, my fave being the last one and all are still available, fresh,not old seed. But for canning,as was noted in the first post,there are many other varieties,both OP and F1 that I could suggest that I think highly of as well. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

April 4, 2016	#4
Sundrops Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Southern Indiana Posts: 36	Again, thank you for your helpful responses. I will check out the links and go from here. I told my friend that if there was anything to find out that the folks at Tville would have the info. You guys are the greatest!