GACAC of SSE lists what he says are the best 200 of 700 varieties for his area, around Augusta GA. I decided to order from him this year instead of TNJOM, who loves every one of her 500 vars. I have not been all that impressed with some of them, so I prefer a guy who knows how to pick and choose. When I look at my own seeds, each year as I decide what vars to plant, I note that I have saved seed from certain varieties nearly every single year. These are the ones that impressed me when they were newbies with one or two plants along the edge of the garden. Others have cracked or had no flavor or melted in the rain (the plants that is, from blight). Some, alas, had great flavor but no disease resistance. When you find the good ones for your area, be sure to save seeds. And talk them up and spread them around. Donna

My favorite topic in the veggie garden (along with peppers)! In my comments I will note my seed source TS (Territorial Seeds...also have plants for shipping), NGN (Nichols Garden Nursery), JS(John Schleppers), PT(Pine Tree). Matina (TS) is a BIG winner. I have been growing it for about 5 yeas. It ripens early, large salad size, and has the taste of the big guys! Green Zebra (JS) has also become a standard for me. Very different tast. A bit of a challenge to decide when to picked...I've decided that it is best when the top has a slight yellow/gold tint. I also find that within the same seed packet most will be medium size but there will be one plant out of three which produces later ripening beefstake size. I tried Opalka twice and found that it was pretty much a dud for me. Taxi does ripen but I have been disappointed by the flavor...I now use Gold Medal (TS) instead. Inside it is a swirl of red and yellow (beautiful on a plate with Green Zebra, and Black Prince)....it is HUGE but begins ripening fairly early. BlackPrince (NGN) is an early ripener for me, very tough, long season. For flavor and appearance you cannot beat Pink Accordian(TS)......it is deeply folded, large, luscious, a lovely color and also wonderful on that plate of heirlooms...but beware it is clear why it would never be a commerical tomato it has very thin skin and bruises so easily that I use a knife or clipper to pick them...even holding and twisting the tomato leaves bruises...some are midsized and some grow into multilobed monsters ....this one is my husband's favorite and always wins the taste test. Others to consider: Siletz (NGN) for a small early one with good cold tolerance and reasonable flavor; Principe Bourghese(TS) for drying; Roma NGN) for paste; a french favorite Carmello (JS) is an extremely tasty midsize. I like Gardners Delight(PT) for a small red early ripener with taste and Golden Nugget(NGN) for a small tasty l-o-n-g season yellow. Last year on the radio I heard this idea for early planting and found it excellent: wrap your tomato cages (mine are field fence/cheap) with plastic sheeting, place 3 dark wine bottles filled with water inside or plastic soda bottles darkened with food coloring inside each cage.....they absorb and hold heat....and so much cheaper than wall-o-water.....remove sheeting when warm weather comes and the plants want to spill out of their cages....just remember to bring the wine bottles in before they freeze or tip the wine bottles over because if they freeze full of water they break....messy, messy, messy. This makes me want to check my seed supplies and figure out what I need to order! jwww

UPDATE : I like Black Russian :) It's color is similar to Cherokee Purple but the plants are 7' tall now (semi-suckered/staked) as CPs are usually 5' tall max before fading away. The BR is still kicking out new tomatoes and it has thin deep green veins spaced where lobes might be (not a lobed tomato) running from top to bottom thru it's crimsom/purple color (you can see this in one from the top post above with pic, not all of them have this, maybe 30%). Green shoulders and several have belly buttons on the bottom. Not perfectly round but a slightly semi flattened shape. Taste is very good, juicy, and tomatoie. I still need to do some more precise comparisons between it and CP overall but BR is more productive for me and produces larger tomatoes. No sign of disease or blight so far. As for the Country Taste - It's color is the same as typical hybrids with an orangy-red hue. Very nice strong plants, very productive, good tomatoes as vine ripened. Sizes vary from Med to Large. I'll try to update BR as the season continues, am curious to see if it goes all the way to first frost unlike CPs which peter out by Sept for me.

Anyone know of a good "hot" cherry tomato I can grow in containers? I can't find a local source for Rienzi canned imported hot cherry tomatoes so I thought I'd try growing my own and jarring them.