2012 Toamto Losers

These were the unimpressive 2012 tomatoes:

Winsall--produced 1 huge tomato and then 4 or 5 medium that ripened just before frost. I don' believe it could take the heat.

Yellow Brandywine (Platfoot Strain)--This is the 2nd year that this has only produced 2 or 3 tomatoes per plant.

Brandywine OTV--Below average production; taste not that good.

German Giant--this was tried in 2012 and 2011--average production; taste unremarkable.

Giant Belgium--good production, but fruit ripened unevenly--1/4 or 1/2 ripe with the rest green. Since I let them sprawl, the ripe part would rot before the green turned red. The same thing happened in 2011.

This message was edited Mar 21, 2013 11:46 AM

For almost every variety that someone loves, there are those who would never grow it again. Just too many variables related to where a variety is grown,how the plants are grown , grown,what amendments were used, and if so, how much and when, what the soil is like and then there's always the weather in any one season.

I've grown all that you list above, and any of them but prefer some over the others,

And so it goes.LOL

Carolyn

In my garden, with my conditions and tastebuds, the following will not be back:
Cherries-Medovaya Kapla, Vince P1 or Violet Jasper. This is probably blasphemy, no more Sungold, because it isn't any better than Prize of the Trials. It preformed poorly in last summers heat and the seeds are expensive.

Several of the Gates tomatoes won't be invited back either. Beauty King, Black and Brown Boar, Large Barred Boar, Micheal Pollan, Pink Boar, Red Boar, and Trentons Tiger. You have to more than just a pretty face in my garden.

Pink BS not coming back are Ferris Wheel and Meme Beauce

Red BS that got the ax are Fireball and Tamu Joy.

Persimmon got the boot, too. Just too late and there are better flavored oranges out there.

Mine was Pruden's Purple. I know, I know......the taste is fabulous. But in my garden I can't get it to produce more than on our two tomatoes per plant. Spring planting or fall planting. I always plant three of each variety I'm growing. So it has to go....I've given it three years to get it right....I'm sure I'm doing something wrong with it (its not you its me LOL!)....But no more Pruden's Purple for me.

Indigo Rose ... it was just a very peculiar tomato (despite all the accolades) ... took forever to ripen, and then, instead of the marvelous "dark purple" tomato it was supposed to be, it was a muddy reddish something or other ... must admit, it had a fairly decent flavor ... I won't bother with it again ...

Yes, I agree. Indigo Rose was such a disappointment. The plants never grew and the tomatoes never ripened.

I also agree with the indigo rose. very disappointing.

Yellow pear tomato- it was a cherry-type tomato, and the skin was just too tough. Not much taste, either.

Happytail, I'll ditto that assessment! I gave up those darned Yellow Pears twenty years ago. Tough and tasteless!

The pear tomatoes were so cute, and there were bunches of them. Too bad I didn't like them...

Of course, they were adorable, Happytail ... but what's the use of that if they're worthless otherwise .... (hmm, there's a saying there somewhere ... handsome is as handsome does? ... gee, something like that ...)

I agree with the assessments of yellow pears, Brandywine and German Giant. I give anything at least 2 tries to make sure it's not something I did or related to the conditions of a particular growing year, but those won't be back. Regarding Sun Gold, I liked those just fine, but found last year, almost by accident, that Sun Sugars were so much better and have thinner skins too.

For some reason I thought the yellow pears were for hanging baskets and really just for ornamental purposes. I've never tries them and I guess that is why. I don't know where I got that idea from. Maybe somewhere here on Dave's?????? =~/

They really SHOULD be just for ornamental purposes, lol. Don't waste your time if you want an "eatin'" tomato!

Yellow pear plants are for sale at all the nurseries and the tomatoes are sold in the grocery store along with the red pear. They taste ok but there are better ones out there. I know people that swear by them tho.

Last year the one tomato that really underperformed all of my other dark /black variates, was the Black Krim. I had four of these plants going and they all did super poorly. I'm assuming maybe it had to be the seed, who knows.

Yellow pear is an heirloom that was traditionally used for canning tomato jams and relishes because of the unique color; not eating fresh. It works well for that purpose. Additionally, I have found these tomatoes excellent for slow roasting with fresh garlic and herbs and then using over pasta or freeze in small batches and serving as a relish condiment. The flavor is rich and intense this way. Unfortunately they are mealy and not flavorful when eaten fresh because they have qualities of a pasting tomato. Good flavor comes out when cooked. I did not grow them for years until an "old timer" explained their purpose. Now include one or two in each year's garden.

MaypopLaurel, you make a good point ... I would not have thought of that! Thanks! However, won't be including any yellow pears this year ... too late (I grow all my tomatoes from seed)!

River Nymph, I have always found the Black Krim to be an excellent tomato ... good producer and good flavor. Maybe it has something to do with location?

Black Krim is my favorite Black. I like the taste of sone others better but BK is so dependable with great yields. From now on I'm going to think of Yellow Pear as grapes. That does make a lot of sense.

RN-I'm wondering why you would think that poor performance was due to the seeds? I'm just curious. If the seeds were bad you would have noticed a problem way before.

MaypopLaurel, yes, some tomatoes are bred specifically for one purpose. There are a couple of the Japanese varieties that are just for stir fries. They don't taste right fresh off the vine. It would be good if the seed companies marketed them that way so that we would all know what to do with our little dears once they are ripe.

Maybe we should reconsider Yellow Pear if we want to try cooking with it as you suggested. That pasta dish sounds good! I don't know why I always thinks anything with garlic and tomatoes sounds good for breakfast???? Cold pizza w/hot sauce for breakfast, yum!

I do think, after moving from Florida to Chicago and then to Texas, that some tomatoes are regional or do better in one type of soil over another. I guess that is why we are here chatting about tomatoes. To figure out what would be good for our little neck of the woods...

Gotta love a "smiley face" yellow pear. It appears the blossom dried on the bottom of the tomato. :) Here are before and after roasting photos of various cherry types. We held tastings.

Teehee! Those look yummy!