Been there done that.

I just left you a post on the exchange page.

My biggest problem is not having enough room to grow 50 different varieties during the winter so I can decide which ones I like best.
My next problem is that there's something to like about just about every one.
There are worse problems. I'm not really complaining.

In the fall let's have a tomato seedling trade. I always end up with extras.

i bought a purple cherokee plant that died, and so when purple cherokees were carried by publix all of a sudden this last week, i snagged one. then as we were eating it and the seeds were seeping out onto the plate, i got the idea of saving it [though they might be sterile-- who knows?] to try them in fall. so i set them out on a piece of wax paper to dry & then fold up into an 'envelope.' my husband loves coming home and finding all my mad scientist seed-saving type experiments!

--shelbey

Yes, I am addicted to not having to pay the grocery store for inferior-quality tomatoes. I have some Better Boy plants that have been producing strong since January. So many tomatoes, I've taken to making my own salsa, etc. Yes, I could get used to that :) :)

I collected and planted the grape tomatoes Pulix sells and they produced wonderfully. The taste was out of sight too. I have started to try seeds of all kinds of veggies just to see if they'll grow.

Yes I'm addicted. Is there a self help group because I'm not joining. I had the best tomatoes I've ever eaten-especially the black ones. I usually share with my neighbors but I couldn't- I ate them all myself and shared a few with my husband. I think I got the seeds from Naplesgardener at CIndee's Swap and also from someone on the tomato forum. I've saved the seeds of the ones I like the best but unfortunately as usual, the names have been lost somewhere.
My daughter who manages a restaurant asked me if I heard about the tomato problem because she knows I like my fruits and veggies. I told her it was not a problem for me.

NO ! I kicked the nasty habit.

GUILTY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have gotten so silly about tomatoes. I feed the birds with the ones I don't eat, hand them off to neighbors. And like an ass am trying to get them to grow through this heat.....STOOPID!! Tomato seed/seedling exchange sounds good. I love my Husky Cherry Reds and the Yellow pears (STILL PRODUCING, Denise) from Naples(now englewood)gardner! I had some rare cahnces at random standards this year. Only a few fruits matured without disease or probs but it was enough for me to have some yummy maters. What are your favs, tom? With this Tomato scare right now, I don't where I will get them this summer! Everything in the store tastes like crap! Still, we get growers from Immokalee ocasionally setting up carts on 82. Collier County has been cleared of the disease, so that's good.

Add me to the STOOPID list. I've got some Solarfire and Solarset going right now that look good but probably only because they are only getting six hours of direct sunlight per day, tucked up under the eve of a live oak. My favorite so far has been the Beefmaster for it's flavor, disease resistance and yield in my particular area BUT remember that my microclimate gets NO frost...note that my neighbor down the lake is productively growing coconuts, not something you should be able to do this far north. I'm also a newbie at growing the maters from seed so I've got a lot to experience before I find the four or five that work best for me in this environment.

I've still got about 30lbs of tomatoes left but I think I'm already starting to go through tomato withdrawal! I really hate the thought of buying those tasteless things they sell at the store!

P.S.

Denise, I really like the idea of a fall tomato seedling trade. I keep waivering on starting the seeds 7/15 or 8/1. I'm leaning toward 8/1 with a seedling set 9/1 so the plants will be 6-8" by 10/1 for trade. Anyone else interested?

Sounds good to me.

Any other tomatomaniacs on the SW coast? Cindee??? barbcoleus??? I know there must be others...

I'm thinking of trying to grow BIG tomatoes this winter so my seed list so far is:
Earls' Faux, Zogola, Russian Bogatyr, Cuostralee, Neves Red Azorean and Omar's Lebanese. I've never grown any of these before but have gotten seeds from GW'ers. Big Zac is also on my radar.
Others past-favorites I'll grow are Black Pear and Brandywine.

OH YEAH!! Count me in on the tomato swapping for sure. I am dying for maters. All my plants are dying, still, Denise, your Pears are scraggly but producing fruit!! I will have plenty plants and seeds to share in the fall.

Me too, me to!!! I have seeds but no names just descriptions. My plants are pretty much gone. I have them in pots and I cut them down to the soil level. They're now growing back, I'm going to let them continue to see if they start producing.

Naplesgardener,

Grow Earl's Faux. You'll love it. Big, delicious and productive. Not a lot of problem to grow.
And try Brandyboy. Brandywines have given me great tomatoes, but not many, for the size and finikynes (sp) of the plants. Not worth the space or effort here.
Black Cherries are amazingly delicious, far better than Black Pear or Black Plum, although Black Plum are very productive.
Sungolds are always grown here, they just don't quit!
Seems a lot of folks are trying Goose Creek this year too. Maybe for good reason?
And I'm with Tony, I've kicked the habit. I hope. Only a couple of plants this year. I hope.
I know I'll plant more. No! I won't.
But yes I will. No! I hope.
It's a horrible addiction.
Good luck to you all.

Froggy, you can't quit!! I need you for seeds!!

treefrog
did you know that Earl's Faux is a child of Brandywine?

Black Pear is my top favorite so I must grow it. I've seen photos and descriptions of Japanese Black Trifele and think they are the same thing. My BP seeds came from a GWer in Hawaii.

I still have some of your Goose Creek seeds so will def. grow it. I've heard the raves.

And in cooler months add Noir de Crimee because I have good luck with East European tomatoes in Florida winter.

Count me in...I have pears, betters, black krim, grape, and lots of delicious.

Kim

Yes, Naples,
Earl's Faux is a child of Brandywine. But for me it has been much more productive and easier to grow, similar to Brandyboy, but tastier. Definitely worth growing IMO.
The old fashioned Brandywines have grown huge, but have only given me one or two tomatoes per plant, maybe my fault. Fertilizing, placement in the garden, who knows.
Everyones results will be different, I know.
That's why we keep doing it, right?
There are too many variables that affect taste and growth, so they might be wonderful one year and horrible the next.
For example my neighbor and I both grew Japanese Black Trifele last winter. We both agreed it was the mealiest, tasteless tomato we'd ever grown. Was it the soil, season, or what? It's had rave reviews. Will it be better next year? Will I grow it again? Maybe not.
Certain ones have proven themselves for me and I'll grow them again. But I'm probably missing so many others. What to do.
I'm always listening to everyones suggestions.
But I can only grow a few each year.
Isn't it fun?

Cindeea, do you want a couple thousand heirloom tomato seeds?
Or anyone else?

Treefrog

TF, do you have any seeds for goose creek or Earl's available?