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nafex - [NAFEX] Off Topic - But tomatoes are fruit

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  • From: Ginda Kaplan Fisher <list@ginda.us>
  • To: NAFEX <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] Off Topic - But tomatoes are fruit
  • Date: Thu, 19 Dec 2002 23:47:19 -0500

Well, it's that time of year, and I'm debating which tomato seeds to buy. I know this isn't what this list is for, but I know most of you grow tomatoes, and I beg your forgiveness. Please reply off-list.

I really like a meaty tomato, but I'm the only tomato-eater in the family, and the giant beefsteak tomatoes are just too big. I grew Jetstar for a couple of years, and I liked the tomatoes, but despite what the catalogs say, it isn't really indeterminate - all the fruit ripens at about the same time. I seem to get better yields with hybrids that claim resistance to everything than with heirlooms. Some combination of soil viruses and less than a full day of sun (6-8 hours) is probably the culprit. I have inoculated these with various beneficial fungi, although I suspect my soil already has ample fungal colonies. Most of my seed has come from Fedco, but I'm willing to buy a packet fo tomato seeds from almost anyone. Here's my experience to date:

Big Beef - years ago, in a giant pot in very full sun. These were great if I remembered to water them every single day. The damn things needed more than a gallon of water on every sunny day or they wilted. I liked the tomatoes, but they are bigger than what I hope to grow this year.

Jetstar - tasty and a good size, but the season is short and there's too much at its peak. (Too much is not a serious problem, as I can give them away.)

Brandywine - One large delicious fruit and one tiny one.

Early Girl - lots of dry flavorless (but pretty) fruit.

Rutgers - Perfect fruit, but only two of them.

Cosmonaut Volkov - Not a single ripe fruit.

I usually grow one cherry tomato plant, too, and I've had good luck with both Sweet 100s and Peacevine Cherry. I have a lot of Peavevine Cherry seeds left from last year, so I'll probably grow that again. I'm not looking for cooking tomatoes, as I find some of the canned ones are very good, and my sunny space is very limited.

Thanks,
Ginda Fisher
eastern MA, zone 6





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