Ok then, top five tomatoes?

Evelyn_inthegarden makes a good point. How about discussing some favorites. So in a new thread I propose, what are your favorite tomatoes for FLAVOR? And I know mine seem to change every year because I'm continually trying new varieties, and different tomatoes have different purposes of course. However, if I had to dash out of the country (Heaven forbid) with five varieties crowded onto the back of a postage stamp (as Chuck Wyatt said about the lore of one Polish tomato)this year I would take with me:

1. Brandywine (Joyce's Strain)
2. Elbe
3. Hungarian
4. Russian Black
5. Old Brooks

(This photo is of heirlooms I grew, but not the above varieties. Just had to have an image to sum up the topic.)

You don't ask for much, Pala. But, as of this year, I would have to say:

1. Lumpy Red.
2. Cherokee Purple.
3. Southern Nights.
4. DePinto.
5. Riesentraube.

1. Ultimate Giant
2. Red Oxheart
3. Joyce's Brandywine
4. Hillbilly
5. 25 yr. red cherry

1.Cherokee Purple
2.Wes
3.Lucky Cross
4.Arkansas Traveler
5.Jaune Flammee'

These are in no particular order,as they all have their unique qualities and they are listed for this year only.Next year may get a whole new list,as conditions and varieties change.

Nice lists!!! (Hopefully your opinions are also making their way into the PDB ;-)

Hear that Brook???

Gimme a break, wouldja! :-)

Brook.....Have you ever tried any decent tomatoes? LMAO

Owen

Whatayatalkin'? I never met anyone from westbyGodvirginia who knew from decent. ;-)

Talking about indecent, I did grow what was supposedly Isis Candy this year. Boy, did it suck. Wish I could remember who sent me the seed......

This message was edited Wednesday, Sep 18th 1:17 PM

LOL Bet it was one of them thar Kintucky people:)

Reckon not, Owen. As I recollect, he's a wee bit further east.

hmmmmmm which way is east? LOL

My favorite Burpee Supersteak hybrids. A few "leftovers".

I've got a mental block that won't let me put anything but Sheyenne in the #1 position. I've raised that tomato for years, but in recent years the seed/plants is getting real hard to get. These tomatoes do so well in our climate that another tomato is really going to have to impress me to take over the #1 position.

I only have 2 that are in my top favorite list right now.

1) Sheyenne
2) Juane Flammee

I'm going to keep working on that list though.

Hey, Owen,

To find east, point yerself north, then make a hard right.
Finding north is easy. Moss always grows on the north side of a boy scout.

Alternatively, follow the setting sun. That way lies Kentucky. It's 180 degrees the wrong way if you're trying to find east. So do a sharp, military about-face, and lo! Thar east be.

Now then, returning to the original source of my Isis Candy seed, from my point of view, east takes me to westbygodvirginia, which is where the unnamed fellow who sent me the seed lives. I won't tell anybody his name, but his initials are OL. But that'll be our little secret.

LM*O.......Oh yeah, I know the feller. Oscar Lacksense is a pretty popular lad in these here parts:)

Hey, I will be glad to send you some of my Isis Candy seeds.....might be better than Oscar's:)

kikisdad.....I agree....I raised only a single vine of hybrid tomato this year, and it was Supersteak. It grew like a huge weed and still nice green foliage with large green 'maters hanging on it! And the taste is great for a hybrid.

Brook really should try Supersteak some time.....maybe I can send him a couple seeds and just label them Isis Candy:)
LOL

Owen

Here is a pic I just went outside and took....as you can see, my Supersteak vine went to the top of that 7 ft. stake and then drooped over and continued to grow downward and to the left. Look closely and you can see a couple of the half dozen big green 'maters that are still on the vine. Have picked probably 20 big ripe ones offen it so far:)

Owen

Ohmigod, Owen. You used the dreaded H word.

You know I won't put a hybrid in the ground! No way, no how, not never!

LOL.....Actually, Brook, I just wanted to show you my wife's version of a bird bath. Notice the hanging round tray in the upper left hand corner of the picture? It has three large rocks and a couple quarts of water in it.....and my cat can't reach it:) The birds love it:)

I even slipped up on a male house finch the other day, chatted with him awhile and then picked him up! Must be all them thar supersteak 'maters giving me uncanny abilities:)

Would you like for me to send you any more heirloom seeds BTW? I have some from a nice big red 'mater you are welcome to try:) LOL

Oscar

Nice Mater Owen. Of course if you send Brook seeds from this Highbred who knows what might grow? Course with Isis Candy thats the case anywhow. >LOL

Like most 'heirloom growers' , I keep trying new varieties each year. So far, my 3 Best Tasting varieties:
(1) SunGold , (2) Brandywine, (3) Lucky Cross. Jury is still out on the newest finds...

i am trying heirlooms for the first time. i have rose and prudens purple. i also have one called black krim but don't know if its a heirloom.

Yes Herbie,

Black Krim is an heirloom. One of the many so called black varieties that originate primarily from the Crimean area of Russia. That's where the Palm trees grow although most folks think of the blacks as being cold tolerant types.

They aren't.

Carolyn

carolyn - as always, thank you.

These are five of the tomatoes I am growing this year. Early Goliath, Big Zac, Mortgage Lifter, Pineapple ( my favorite last year) and Yellow Giant Belgium. All are reacy to go out to the garden, but I am waiting for the weather. Donna, Oh yes got all the seeds from Totally Tomatoes.

Has anyone ever tried Sasha's Altai? I'm trying it for the first time this year. Supposedly very early harvest. But what about the taste?
I grew the Jaunne Flamme last year. I wasn't impressed with the flavor. But that's just me I guess.

Has anyone ever tried Sasha's Altai? I'm trying it for the first time this year. Supposedly very early harvest. But what about the taste?

So so for me.

I would much prefer Gregori's Altai if I were to be growing one of the early varieties, but I don't grow them anymore.

I don't know if you know it but it was Bill McDorman of Seeds Trust/High Altitude Gradens who was one of the first to enter Russia after the ban was lifted and he brought back many early varieties, including the two above, as well as many others.

My friend Craig and I bought all that he offered and then split the pack.

Honest, but one of the best is/was Grandpa's Cock's Plume. LOL

Carolyn. who remembers that Olga's Round Chicken wasn't bad either.

Dr.C, was that GCP a tomato, or something else...hmmmm, it looks and sounds funny. Danny PS -Where can I find a place to buy some of the unique heirloom seeds I read about on this site?

Dr. Carolyn,
thanx so much for the info. You are AMAZING! Keep the info flowing!

Has anyone tried big zac ? I have some seedlings this year and want to know if they are worth planting. thankyou Carol

I planted them once and they did not grow well for me but that was in buckets in a green house. I gave some away to a friend and they did well for him outside. They produced large toms for him and suited his taste.

One sure way to find out is to plant them.

Have you checked the plant data base it may be listed. Ernie

I know lots of folks who have grown Big Zac and most of them do b/c they're in some kind of tomato contest or just like grwoing large ones.

This hybrid variety was developed by Minnie Zaccaria (sp?) and she has won many contests with it. And gave exclusive commercial rights for seed production to Totally Tomates, now Jung's.

Opinions are strongly divided on taste from what I read.

Minnie has come close to the world record of 7# 12 oz held by Gordon Graham with a 7# 12 oz fruit from the variety Delicious.

Most folks who grow Big Zac without doing anything special get in the range of 2-3 # fruits. There are several other varieties that can give you the same size range if grown well.

But to grow such large ones as Graham and Zaccaria you really have to fool arounbd disbudding, etc.

Carolyn