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
[NAFEX] Off Topic - But tomatoes are fruit,
Ginda Kaplan Fisher, 12/19/2002