How are your heirloom tomatoes?

I grew Brandywine heirloom toms this summer from seed and they look good but have no taste. The texture is mealy, too. Have you had better luck with them? What heirlooms are great -- so I can plan for next summer.

I like Cherokee Purple! The acid/sugar ratio is about the same as Brandywine, but have a more complex taste. Green Zebra is a tasty tomatoe, though a little sweet for my taste. I've tried Old German; tasty though more sugar than acid.

Hi Frogandtoad,

I grew Brandywine last year and was disappointed.

Heirlooms I like, and will grow again: Caspian Pink, Azoychka, Valena Pink. I am still waiting for Mariana's Peace and Mortgage Lifter and Giant Australian Oxheart to ripen. I also love the tiny Coyote. (that is the tomato is tiny, the plant is HUGE)

hmm.. I know there are some different varieties out there that say they are brandywines but perhaps aren't? I have never had a mealy one and found the flavor to be excellent. I have been told that the Sudduth Quisenberry strain is true and the best flavored and I know that is the variety that Johnny's seeds carries that variety. It's the only type of brandywine I have grown. A friend bought some at a garden center and they were potato leaf but red instead of pink, so I know those weren't right.
Cherokee purple is a favorite here also. The first year I grew it I noticed that the first ones of the vine were mealy and I was disappointed but the later ones were amazing.. very interesting smokey winey flavor. The squirt won't eat any other kind in the summer. I haven't noticed the mealy issue so perhaps it was a weather related thing?

I've never heard of any of the brandywine's being mealy. Is it possible you are leaving them on the vine too long? I'm having a horrible time this year with getting them off at just the right time. With all this heat and humidity 3 days running, then thunderstorms dropping 2-4 inches for the next 2 days, I've actually had tomatoes rotting on the vines! Never have i seen anything like it. I've actually started picking them before they are totally ripe to avoid the problem.

I guess there always has to be some "special" challenge.

To date, I would have to say that my favorite yellow is Azoychka, my favorite novelty tomato would be Purple Calabash, my favorite black is Black Cherry, Pink Ping Pong and MS-5 are excellent cherries, and Rose is my all time favorite - tied with Brandy Boy, which is not an Heirloom.

This year's favorites are: Three Sisters and Arbat.

I agree with the Cherokee Purple folks! Also Sequee - we love the Black Cherry - very productive and tasty. I keep reading about Rose on other forums and it's now on my list to try in '08. Hope it will like our heat and humidity.

Sequee - hope your rain slows down a bit. We had that kind of weather for 2 months - really strange for us. Now it's 100 w/ high humidity.

Another 3.8" on Friday, leading to major cracking on the vines. Their skins just cannot grow fast enough to keep up with the moisture...and the flavor's getting washed out, too boot. Oh, yeah...tougher skins, too. JOY!

But this fella made it just fine. It's the 2004 winner of the NJ Tomato Contest. Excellent color and flavor, with jus the right amount of juice. I grow it every year.

Hi Sequee,

And what kind of tomato is this fellow, pray tell?

It's exactly what I stated above. They will supply no more info!

This is a shot from last summer...

That is one gorgeous tomato!! But I'm confused about what kind... I read your above comment and you spoke of many. Maybe I misunderstood.

Also confused... is it just "2004 winner of the NJ Tomato Contest" but no name?

You got it. That's even how it's listed in the Seed Savers Exchange.

Here's today's pick.

The largest one is 1 lb. 14 oz., the smaller is 1 lb. 7 oz. These will be my largest this year. Sadly I didn't grow many varieties this year. I wanted to do some accurate tests between EB's, RB's, GPB's, Pots, Sq. Ft. Beds, and a traditional Raised Bed, and I didn't feel I could get an accurate read without using the same seeds, the same soil, etc. I confess to being more than a little disappointed with my crop - WAY too many mid-sized reds, and not enough color. (Boo-hiss! I guess the bottom line on the experiment is - WHO CARES??? I want my 45 varieties...period!)

Ok - I get it now. I'm new to starting my own plants from seed and haven't used SSE - just a couple of seed companies like Johnny's.
I'd love to hear the results of your experiment! I grew in EB's, pots and ground - but not with the same varieties, so I really don't know. Great looking harvest from today!

I will do a detailed "What worked, what didn't work" at the end of the season with all the results.

I found my first horn worm today, too. Fortunately Mother Nature was on the job and he was already halfway to insect heaven, having only remove half a stalk of leaves.

I will watch for your detailed account, Sequee. That will be great. Next year, I'm sure - back to all your fun varieties. I'll be interested to see what you decide.

I'm casting my vote for the CHEROKEE PURPLE, too! Although, Pruden's Purple proved to be my favorite. Then, Black Krim...

My one tiny little Azoychka seedling snapped in half when it was about 4" tall. I propped it up with a stick and it kept growing. I planted it out in the EB and it kept growing. After 8 weeks, it was a MONSTER BUSH that KEPT GROWING! Too bad, Azoychkas weren't my favorite. They have a mild flavor that's ok, but I don't like the tough skin. Also made an interesting observation abou the Leaffooted Stinkbugs -- they LOVE Azoychkas! Didn't hardly mess with any other mater in the EBs, but held many, many conventions on top of the Azoychka tomatoes! When I determined they could have 'em, the rest of my maters remained absolutely BUG FREE!

Who wants my Azoychka seeds? I have a BUNCH of seeds that I fermented and that I bought from Johnny's. Let me know.

P.S. I also grew the orange-yellow Persimmons, another yellow mater. It had a bolder flavor than the Azoychka, and I liked it a bit more...

I wans't that impressed with teh Azoychka either.. might be worth growing to deter the stinkbugs though!! lol

It was really popular around here, and very flavorful. I wonder if the heat/weather makes a difference in the taste. My tomatoes really aren't up to par right now, and I'm blaming it on the rains.

I didn't repeat it this year, so I'm not sure if it would have been less popular. (And I'm getting complaints to the fan club, too!)

I don't think that growing a tomato just one year is a really fair test usually but I decided to pare down the number of varieties so stayed with my tried and true. Those Black Cherry tomatoes are very good.. My sister's favorite..I didn't grow them this year but had a volunteer come up and fortunately turned out to be a BC. Last year I grew 5 types of cherry tomato..Green Grape, Sungold, Dr Carolyn, Black Cherry, Sweet Millions. I thought they would make and interesting relish tray or tomato salad. It was fun but 5 cherry tomato plants were a little too prolific for me!

Jazz - I only had Black Cherry this year in spring and it really produced and was delicious! My sweet million is a later planting and hates the heat we are having (100-102) and isn't setting fruit but growing. Hoping the sweet million will catch a breath when it cools to the 90's. I keep reading about Sungold, but have limited space. Is it huge?

Your relish tray must have been beautiful!

I hear ya on the quantity. My boss wanted Juliet Grape this year and someone gave me seeds, so I stuck 8 in their little starter pots and they all came up. I have him 3, gave 2 others away and still ended up with 3. One thing a person does NOT need is 3 Juliet Grapes. YIKES! I keep giving and giving and giving, and each day it looks like I haven't picked any in a week. (And I'm not even that crazy about them. LOL! Fortunately my boss and his father love them - and theirs were planted out later, so I've been able to hand off bag's full of them. Now his are producing, so everyone at work gets baggies of the once or twice a week, and there's a few in each of the bags I give to neighbors - and there are still a couple dozen in the kitchen. No, no, no - never again will I grow that many cherry/grape-types. I am very happy with 2 black cherries, though! Just the right amount to keep ME happy!

hmm.. THe sungold was about the size of the black cherry.. as I recall.. I didn't take pictures last year.. lol..

So I won't try Juliet Grape! I had a bad experience with one called Ghost Cherry - it took over the EB and kept my Cherokee Purple from producing well and they had almost no taste. I'll never grow that one again. Thanks for the plant size info, Jazz.

Bookworm28,
Unfortunately, my Black Cherry cutting didn't make it after I got it home. I'd truly like to get another one (or two?) from you, if that's possible. I could swing by your place on the way home from work. Let me know. I'll share whatever comes up, so you won't miss any! Thanks.

Linda

HI Linda - I got your dmail. Unfortunately I only had 3 cuttings and those 2 are gone. I think this week's heat may have done mine in as well - I'll let you know.

I have to agree about the 5 cherry tomato plants being too many. Even keeping them picked is a problem. That is exactly how many I have this year. 2 sweet 100's, 2 Sungold's, 1 black cherry. I planted 5 in case they didn't all make it. Maybe I will do fewer next year. Sungold is my favorite. I love the others as well, including Dr. Carolyn, as well as Gallina, the small tomato Dr. Carolyn is a sport of. It's just a question of how many cherry tomatoes one can eat and give away!

As for heirlooms, they vary in flavor according to the climate and soil. What may be terrific in one place, may not be so great in another. I don't grow brandywines because they are so slow. I do grow Cherokee Purple, Caspian Pink, Pruden's Purple and Stupice over and over again each year. For my location, they are tried and true. You will have to find out what works in yours.

I'm not sure but I think Persimmon is a heirloom tomato, if I am wrong let meknow. Here is a picture of one I picked yesterday. Had a larger one 2 1/4 lb. but forgot to take a picture. Took it to my Senior Center and gave it to a person whose name was drawn from those attending that day last week. This one is just under 2 lb. I really like the Persimmons, they are good flavor and very meaty. so tonight I will use one slice for a good mater sandwich.

Donna

Hi Donna,

You forgot to post the picture :)

Donna,
Your tomato apparently is an heirloom. I looked it up on the internet and several sites listed it as a Russian heirloom. What a great discovery.
Betty

Cuostralee has been a stand-out this year. But I wonder if what I have is really Cuostralee. It is described as ribbed but I haven't seen photos of a Cuostralee this ribbed:

Those are beautiful, David Paul, and such a nice photo! I've never grown Cuostralee so I don't know the answer to your question. I have grown Costoluto Genevose, however, and they are a very ribbed tomato (much like the ones in your photo) so I suppose it is possible somebody at the supplier's warehouse got a little mixed up with the alphabetical seed listing...? But probably not. You must just grow them well and you've got the "true Cuostralee" :)

BDale....LOL...I like that way of looking at things!

At first I thought I made a mistake, that my records are wrong, but the only other large tomatoes I'm growing are Earl Faux, Marianna's Peace and Kelloggs Breakfast. This isn't any of those. It does look like a Costoluto Genevose, a cultivar I wanted to grow for its looks so I have the best of worlds I suppose. It is very prolific, has shown no BER or other problems and everyone who takes one wants another.

Seeds came from Sandhill Preservation

They look like Cuostralee to me. The CG is much smaller, though I am amongst the few that like them alot. Everyone I know who's grown the Cuostralee says it's great!

Wonderful shot, too!

Sorry I forgot the photo, will try again
Donna