Subject: Re: [NAFEX] Off Topic - But tomatoes are fruit
Date: Fri, 20 Dec 2002 10:34:28 -0500
Ginda
I have tried many, many tomatoes over the many years. The best to me have
been Delicious, which is very meaty, great tasting. But I think for the size
you are looking for I would go to the "Amish Paste" good tomato size for
eating out of hand or sandwich. Sort of heart shaped. Very meaty few seeds,
and very good tasting. They are the 2 I try to grow most now.
Gordon
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----Original Message Follows----
From: Ginda Kaplan Fisher <list@ginda.us>
Reply-To: nafex@lists.ibiblio.org
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.