Suggestions on best heirlooms

Hi Everyone,
I am going to order some heirloom tomato seeds tonight from one of my favorite companies.
Digital Raingardens.
I grew a few heirloom varieties a few years ago, but I can't remember the names of the one's I grew. I like meaty tomatoes that are low in acid. And, I like the pretty one's that are great for veggie tray's & for salads. I am gonna get several different varieties, and my DH and his family doesn't mind the acid. He likes the meaty tomatoes, that are huge. Could some of you give me some suggestions on what you think would be some good one's. I was reading about 1 called Arkansas Traveler heirloom that is pink, med. sized, w/creamy mild flavor. Does anyone know anything about that one? Then there was a German Pink Tomato, not an heirloom, but from what I read, supposedly really good. What are the Abraham Lincoln's like?
Has anyone heard of the Hillbilly heirloom?
Just give me your suggestions, and your favorites, it would be greatly appreciated. I want to start growing heirlooms, but I know nothing about them. So PLEASE HELP!!!!

Thanks,
Traci S

Traci,

It's so hard to make recommendations for someone else when they haven't suggested a color, a fruit shape,whether indet, determinate, and on and on. LOL

I hope you do know that there are about 10-15,000 known varieties and over 2,000 available commercially. Sigh.

And I should mention that with one exception there is no such thing as a low acid tomato. Tests have shown that all tomatoes have about the same pH but the myth about low acid continues. Many folks say that whites and yellows have low acid but that's because the normal pH is masked by slightly higher sugar content.

Taste is really not dependent on acid levels, for over 400 different organic compounds have been noted to be involved is what we call taste, which is a personal perception.

All that being said, I suggest you might consider in GA:

Cherokee Purple, med pink/black
Eva Purple Ball, med pink
Druzba, med red
Omar's Lebanese, lg pink
Earl of Edgecombe, deep orange
Aunt Ruby's German Green, a green when ripe type or Green Grape a green cherry to practive on to know when ripe
Aker's West Virginia, red beefsteak

oh my, I could go on and on. But the above are pretty much blemish free with good production and taste great.

You might want to go to Tanager Farm online b/c Cindy Jeffries who grows her heirloom tomatoes on the SC/GA border lists many that do well in your climate.

I don't know the seed source you mention but if you want to list some of what they offer I'd be glad to comment on them for you. I've grown over 1600 different heirloom varieteis so do know quite a few of them.

Arkansas Traveler is not an heirloom. It was bred by the U of Arkansas and released as Traveler in about 1972. That was followed by Traveler 76, in 1976.

There are many seed sources that are good and many that aren't, re Heirloom Tomatoes. And just looking at the pictures and reading the descriptions of the ones at the better places is an education in an of itself.

So, if you could suggest a color, a fruit shape, a use, etc, that would be great if the above don't turn you on.

Are you planning to sow seeds now? It is rather late to get plants and expect them to go thru your GA heat and humidity and still produce well.

Carolyn

Carolyn, This 1st one-German Pink-(not an heirloom)
But, I thought if it produces in 65 days, then it should be ok to start from seed. What do you think? The others are just some I was interested in from their selection. I have gotten seeds from them before and they were really good. Do you know where I might could get a few heirloom tomato plants. I use them alot for cooking sauces, and fresh for salads or sandwiches. I like anything unusual looking, and all colors.

VS610 TOMATO. GERMAN PINK




A garden favorite that produces large tasty pink fruits in 65 days. Disease resistant.
25 seeds $1.95




VS720 TOMATO. HILLBILLY.




An ancient heirloom from the hills of West Virginia. Fruits are large, mild with an unusual orange-yellow color streaked and mottled with red.
20 seeds $1.95

VS730 TOMATO. OLD GERMAN ( HEIRLOOM )




An old heirloom variety producing huge boat shaped fruits weighing 2 pounds or so. Color is golden yellow with pink to red stripes that varies from fruit to fruit. Excellent for slicing.
20 seeds $1.95
VS760 TOMATO. WHITE WONDER




One of the mildest tomatoes anywhere. Stays white inside and out when ripe. Nice for slicing, canning and juicing. Makes a stunning dish when sliced and served with pink, red and gold tomatoes.
20 seeds $1.95
VS770 TOMATO. AMISH PASTE




An old Amish heirloom dating back to the turn of the century. Used for canning and sauces for generations. Excellent for slicing also.
20 seeds $1.95
G190 EUROPEAN HEIRLOOM TOMATOES.




A very hardy, vigorous and early setting tomato supplied by our European Friends. It is hardy and bears large fruit with sweet firm flesh. A little different from standard varieties. You should give it a try. Very limited quantities.
20 seeds $2.50

VS750 TOMATO. ITALIAN TREE TOMATO ( TRIP-L-CROP )




Enormous yields on vigorous vines that can grow up to 15 ft.. Need to be trellised. Each plant can produce up to 2-3 bushels of tomatoes. Fruits are rich red, meaty and large. Perfect for canning.
20 seeds $1.95

Here in Louisiana, Home Depot had some heirloom vegetable seedlings, including Brandywine tomato transplants. I noticed them there after I had already ordered Brandywine transplants from seedsaversexchange.com, which might be another source for you.

Thanks Sweet Pea, I'll definitely check!
Traci

Traci,

Sorry I couldn't answer last night but I couldn't get a connection to get online.

The info they give for varieties is a bit over the top, but mroe to the point, no one else says 65 days for German Pink. All who list it in the SSE Yearbook say 80-85 days.

I do think plants are the way to go at this late date and as someone has just shared with you, I'd check Home Depot, Loews, Wally world and similar for the reports I'm getting back online say that most of them are or have been carrying quite a nice selection o f heirloom varieties.

There may well be nurseries of farm stands in your area that also have plants.

In your part of the country it seems that Bonnie PLant Farms is the major wholesale distributor.

And if you live within driving distance of zip code 30577 near the SC border, but in GA, there's always a possibiity that Cindy Jeffries at Tanager Farm could help out in a pinch.

Again, that's Tanager Song Farm online/ I don't know if she ever does sell plants, all of her plants being used for seed production, but no harm in asking b/c most of the time there could well be extra plants.

Carolyn, who will also answer your e-mail, but separately

I'm starting to see a few heirlooms and old commercial varieties here and there offered as plants too.

I've seen Marglobe, Rutgers and Arkansas Traveler offered last year.

As far as heirlooms go, there's Brandywine,Old German,Black Krim,and Hillbilly. Probably more, but these stand out in my mind.

As Carolyn said, we have Bonnie Plant Farm stocking this area...(saw 3 different trucks yesterday) Our transplants are here and as yesterday was 'last frost' for me, I'm sure there will be tons more shortly. I haven't checked to see what they are offering this year though.

Transplants are best in your situation because of the weather. In theory, you can start seeds and get a harvest...I plan to start just a few this weekend just to have on hand. It just gets too hot and dry too fast and you'd have to coddle your little plants so much to get them up and producing it's easier to do transplants at this stage.

Traci,

All of a sudden this morning I remembered what German Pink was. I don't know why you're saying or they're saying it's not an heirloom but it's one of the three varieties that started SSE back in 1975 and German Pink is one of the three and comes from Bavaria originally and is an heirloom variety.

A large indeterminate potato leaved plant with 1-2 # pink fruit and about 80-85 days, as I said above.

I have no idea what they're selling as German Pink but at 65 days it's not German Pink. Sigh.

Carolyn

Isn't German Pink an heirloom variety?

Along with Brandywine, I ordered six German Pink transplants from SSE and their description said,

"One of the two original Bavarian varieties that started SSE. Potato-leaf plants produce large 1-2 pound meaty fruits with few seeds, very little cracking or blossom scars. Full sweet flavor. Excellent for canning. Indeterminate, 85 days from transplant."

This was my favorite last year, although I see that Southern growers had mixed results:
http://plantsdatabase.com/go/541/index.html

It was great in Salsa (which I have to make every summer - we don't can it, just eat it fresh) because it is so tangy and also because the green color really looks good mixed with red and yellow tomatoes when they are all chopped up together.

I live in New Orleans and I would like some advice on heirloom tomatoes for this area. I just recieved a catalog from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds and made an order yesterday. I only ordered 1 heirloom tomato, Thai Red Turtle Egg. It was stated in the catalog "great for hot climates and wet conditions". Look at the plants home! Can anybody suggest other varities that will do well in this area? I do realize it is proberly too late to start any thing now, I'm thinking fall and/or next year.



This message was edited Apr 27, 2004 3:30 PM

This message was edited Apr 27, 2004 8:47 PM

CAROLYN, SWEETPEA, AND EVERYONE,
I WOULD JUST LIKE TO THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL OF YOUR ADVICE. i DECIDED TO GO W/PLANTS INSTEAD OF SEED, AND THANKS SO MUCH FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP.
ALSO, I WANTED TO TELL YU GUYS ABOUT A GREAT PLACE TO GET DAYLILY'S. THE WEBSITE IS WWW.eFLOWERGARDEN.com. I ordered several, or let's say a pretty good bit from them and rexceived my order in 3-5 days. I went ahead and used a Credit Card, so that I didn't have to wait on a check to get there or money order, and they really have some pretty things. Just thought I'd let you all know about it if you didn't already. The man's name is Bert and his wife's name is Ingrid, and I also believe they are members of Dave's Garden.

Anyway, just thought I'd let everyone know about them, and also Thank you all for all of your help!!!!!

Thanks Again,
Traci S

You welcome Traci. I read about Bert's site just yesterday, on another thread. That site does have a nice selection and great prices!

Jean