Can put in 30 plants - what mix of heirlooms, hybrids, cherry??

15 years ago

I have room in my garden for 30 tomato plants. I didn't raise any from seed, but my local gardening stores, one in particular, have a great variety available. One store has 140 different heirloom seedlings for sale. So I have a great variety to choose from.

In previous years, I have put in a nearly random mix of heirlooms and hybrids, but this year, I want to do the best mix. I find that I end up with about 50% of the crop for me and the birds and critters eat the rest!

I like to have a mix of sweet and juicy tomatoes and firm ones for slicing, and salad tomatoes and Roma tomatoes for sauce.

Should I go with all heirlooms? I have yet to find a hybrid that I like. I have trouble keeping good notes from year to year to know which plants produce the best and which taste the best. And then, last year, every single one of my signs were removed by a wayward husband who got a little too excited with the rototiller. So I truly had no idea what was what last year!

I do remember liking Mortgage Lifter, Hillbilly and the Sungold tomatoes that I planted. I love orange tomatoes, but I once bought seeds from Burpee for a tomato they called the Tangerine tomato, and I haven't ever been able to find that again in a seedling. Burpee still sells the seed, but I haven't been organized enough to buy them and do the seedling thing.

So, my long-winded question is, if you could put in 30 tomato plants, which ones would you choose to have a good mix and selection for eating raw, making sauces and having enough for sandwiches and salads? I'm sure I won't be able to find everything people recommend, but I would like to get a good list to take with me to the nurseries tomorrow.

Over the years, I've grown about 30 varieties of heirloom tomatoes. And the ones I listed above were my only real standouts. German something or other didn't produce a single tomato for me, so that one is out. Hayley's Purple Comet was disappointing, Yellow Brandywine isn't as flavorful as the Pink Brandywine, Big Rainbow is pretty, but not as flavorful as other varieties...and so on.

I did do a search on this topic and pulled together a partial list from what I could find. Here is my wish list so far, with me taking out those that I grew and definitely don't like or wasn't impressed with. Some of these I have grown before, others are new to me. I've starred the ones I already have grown and like:

Brandywine Sudduth*

Aunt Gertie's Gold

Marianna's Peace

Caspian Pink

Kellogg's Breakfast

Aunt Ginny's Purple

Earl's Faux

Sungold*

Cherokee Purple*

Lucky Cross

Mortgage Lifter*

Hillbilly*

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Comments (16)

digdirt2
15 years ago
That's a good list that you have sorted out from all the previous discussions here on 'favorites' and if you can actually get transplants for all of those you are very, very lucky.

If you like cherries then I'd add Black Cherry. Arkansas Traveler just because it is widely favored locally. Opalka and San Marzano are great pastes for sauce but you can make sauce out of any variety so you don't HAVE to grow roma-types just for that.

Giant Belgium is one of our personal favorites but it is too sweet for some folks. And there are always the tried and true hybrids too like Supersonic, Jet Star, Beefsteak and Big Boy. We are trying Super Boy for the first time this year grown from seed. Good looking plants but can't attest to the fruit yet.

It is all going to depend on what transplants you can find locally. You can't really go too far wrong with any of them. ;)

Dave
tomatogreenthumb
15 years ago
My wife's birthday is 12-2 and my neighbor's wife's is 12-4, and neither of them know a cutworm from an earthworm. So I doubt if anyone born in early December can raise a decent tomato. just kidding

I am growing my own plants from seed in a small cold frame. I have a few favorites and a couple of "new for me" this year. For what it is worth:

Azorean Red
Red Mortgage Lifter
Supersteak
Omar's Lebanese
Pineapple
Russian 117
Carbon
Big Beef
Gigantesque
Giant Black Ukranian
Pink Big Zac
Pink Girl
Ultimate Giant
Early Girl

Azorean Red was my favorite from last year.
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You know, I would say lots depends on your zone. I find tomatoes in my garden depend so much on the season and there are some hot summers that varieties that I'm about to give up on really shine- and in a cold summer there are others that really shine. I put together 6 packs for friends (I try to do 8 packs, what's a few more tomatoes?) here in my colder zone and this is what I usually do: 1. Sungold- cherry/ orange. it's a hybrid, but so amazing. 2. Bloody Butcher: early/ small/ red. It's my favorite early. In my garden, it hates hot weather, so I've been tandem planting it with a late variety (usually Kellogg's breakfast) and pulling it. 3. Cherokee purple: 8- 16 oz. 80 days, purple. My favorite tomato, yummy, colorful, easy 4. Mortgage Lifter: 12- 16 oz. 80 days, pink. A great tomato all around, but fantastic for those people who need that red color- it's pink, but in the right color family 5. Japanese Black Triefle: smaller, black, prolific- just a great, yummy tomato. I like to toss one "weird" one in to keep people on their toes and open minded. This has an unusual shape and is a great tomato. 6. Kellogg's Breakfast: 1- 2 lb. orange: This is a late, yummy tomato. I love it because it keeps the garden fresh. When other plants start to wind down or you aren't as excited about another Cherokee purple, here comes KB. I've heard that KBX is a better strain, you can get it from Tatiana's (who is on this forum a lot). I'm trying it this year. Your other post about which tomatoes are best for which thing is hard for me. I just grow tomatoes that I love and do almost everything you listed with them. You can make sauce from any tomato, including cherrys (which make a very sweet sauce). I've also made sandwiches with cherrys, salads with huge tomatoes and so on. My theory is if it tastes good and you have a lot of it, you can do just about anything with it. The only thing I really can't speak for is I haven't dried tomatoes yet. I'm sure I will at some point, so then will have an opinion. Good luck!
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Oh the minute I saw "Monsanto" I knew where this was going. I have been a Monsanto boycotter since I read about Aspertame, the poison they have spread for 2 decades now.Then I read about their Roundup resistant raspseed (Canola) and the farmer they sued...What scoundrels. They are in the same society downgraders like Wal Mart. Yes, I have my tin foil hat on. Ok now for real world.I am not heirloom snob. I do grow some Hybrids only for insurance...in case my Heirs fail. But to only get 2 tomatoes on a plant. PUHLEASE! Did they measure the nitrogen in each plant's soil? Just a thought and I did not go to college and have no "scientific" degree. Pathetic pandering for Monsanto.
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kygirl99
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for the input! I was amazed last year at the wide selection at some of my area nurseries. I kept seeing all these names of tomatoes that rang faint bells from reading them here, but I wasn't sure if what I'd read was good or bad. I doubt I can get everything on my list, but I will find a good variety. I did last year. They just started selling this weekend, so they should still have a good selection left tomorrow.

And ha on the b-day thing!

Thanks for the lists!
jll0306
15 years ago
140 varities? I'm jealous. Would you ask them if they grew them from seed or bought them somewhere.

I know many great TRUE heirloom tomaotoes come from old Kentucky families. Rose, for example, is named for the Rose Hill family that first grew it, although is actually a yellow tomato. There is a blogger in Sonora KY who specializes in KY heirlooms.

Have fun picking and choosing!

Jan

Here is a link that might be useful: Blue Ribbon Tomatoes blog
geeboss
15 years ago
I'd plant 3 each of the following:

Reds
Neves Azorean Red
Red Brandywine
Wes
Hybrids Red
Momotaro
Big Beef

Orange
KBX

Yellow
Tom's Yellow Wonder

Cherry/Grape tomatoes
Sun Gold
Black Cherry
Tommy Toe
vgary
15 years ago
kygirl99, I volunteer at Thieneman's Nursery and we had 150 varieties of all heirloom tomatoes, forty of which are Kentucky heirloom varieties. I did the germination of quite a few of those tomatoes. Plants went on Sale Saturday but there still plenty to choose from. I am attaching a link below for you to see the varieties we listed; some were limited in number because of the rare seed variety. I am in and out there because they allow me to germinate my personal seed and provide space for me in the greenhouse. Perhaps we will have the opportunity of meeting at some time.
Gary

Thieneman's Nursery 2009 Heirloom Tomato listing (we have a few F1 seed Sungold Cherry and a few which had been requested).
http://www.thienemans.com/CCorner/
vgary
15 years ago
Your Wish List --

Brandywine Sudduth* Sold out
Aunt Gertie's Gold
Marianna's Peace Seedlings available
Caspian Pink Seedlings available
Kellogg's Breakfast Seedlings available
Aunt Ginny's Purple
Earl's Faux
Sungold* Seedlings available
Cherokee Purple* Regular and Potato leaf Seedlings available as of noon on Monday
Lucky Cross
Mortgage Lifter*
Hillbilly* Seedlings available

Map Directions to Thieneman's
http://www.thienemans.com/map.html
vgary
15 years ago
2009 HEIRLOOM TOMATO LIST

Abe Hall OH/KY
Ace 55
Amish Oxheart
Amish Paste
Amulet
Arkansas Travler
Aunt RubyÂs German Green
Australian Heart, ÂJoe ThienemanÂ KY
Barnes Mountain Pink KY
Barnes Mountain Yellow KY
Bear Claw
Beefsteak
Black Cherry
Black From Tula
Black Krim
Black Master
Black Mountain Pink KY
Black Pear
Black Plum
Black Prince
Black Truffle
Black Yum Yum
Brandy Sudduths Pink
Buckeye Yellow KY
Bulgarian Triumph Red
Butler Skinner KY
CalfÂs Heart KY
Caspian Pink
Champagne Cherry
Cherokee Purple
Chris Ukranian
Clustermato
Cows Tit
Creole
Depinto
Depp's PinkFire Fly KY
Dr. Walter
Dr. WycheÂs Yellow
Dwarf Champion
Early Girl
FrankÂs Large Red KY
Fresh Salsa
George OÂBrian
German Johnson
Giant Belgium
Giant Italian Paste
Giant Sicillian Paste
Gift from Woodland
Grandfather Ashlock KY
Grandma VineyÂs KY
Granny CantrellÂs German PL KY
Green Grape
Green Zebra
HaleyÂs Purple Comet
Hasting Mildglobe
Hazelfield Farm Red KY
Hege German Pink
Hog Heart KY
Indiana Red
J.D.ÂS Texas Special
KellogÂs Breakfast
Kentucky Striped KY
Khaborosky
King Umberto
Kosovo
KY Heirloom KY
Ky. Beefsteak
Ky. Light Yellow KY
Ky. Pink Stamper KY
Ky. Plate KY
Ky. Wonder KY
Large Red Cherry
Lenny & GracieÂs Red KY
Lenny & GracieÂs Yellow KY
Lichi Cherry
Lime Green Salad
Lincoln Adams KY
LinnieÂs Oxheart KY
Livingdon Globe
Lumpy Red KY
Mama Leona
Marglobe
MariannaÂs Peace
Matina
MaxÂs Large Green KY
Mikado Ecarlote
Monk KY
Moraviqua Del mercato
New Jersey Championship
New Yorker
Old Kentucky KY
Opalaka Paste
OpalÂs Homestead KY
Orange Strawberry
Ozark Pink
Pale Perfect Purple
Palestinian
Pan American
Pasture Cherry
Peacevine Red Cherry
Persimmon
Pike County KY
PikÂs Yugo
Pink Climber
Pink Ice Cherry
Pink Ruffle
Plum Lemon
Polish C Pink
Potato Leaf Cherokee Purple
Pritchards Scarlet Red Topper
Purple Dog Creek KY
Red Calabash
Red Grape
Red Kimberly
Red Lightening
Red Robin
Red Russian
Riesentraube (Red)
Riesentraube (Yellow)
Romeo Roma
Rose Beauty KY
Royal Hillbilly
Rutgers
San Marzano
Santorini Salad
Sicilian Saucer
St. Pierre
Striped Roman
Sungold Cherry
Sweet Baby Girl
Sweet Meat
T.C. Jones Yellow KY
TappyÂs Finest Pink
Thessalonia
Tigerella
Tondina Maremmano
TonyÂs Italian Paste
Uncle Mark Bagby KY
Kentucky Heirloom Viva KY
Walzer KY
Wes
Williams Striped KY
Winsall
Winter Grape
Yellow Pear Cherry
Yoders German Yellow KY/TN
rj_hythloday
15 years ago
VGary, that's quite a list. I noticed Red Lightening and it's not an heirloom, it's a new breed from burpee. ALl of the toms I've grown from seed this year are heirlooms, but I noticed it(rl) in my new catalog and would give it a try.

How many of these are you going to plant out for your self?

I'm going to my nursery today, I had a huge die off last week after fertilizing. All of my jalapenos are gone. I lost all but 3 bell peppers also. I still have about 20 toms, all the bigger ones fared ok, I don't have as many varieties as before and I planned on giving some away.

If I can find any of these: NAR/sungoldF1/Opalka/KBX I will supplement part of my 15 that I'm going to plant out w/ a few nursery grown.
vgary
15 years ago
ri hythloday, I should have kept those separate but was not the one who printed the list. We always grow the Sungold Cherry about twelve flats of 18 each. The few others were grown for individuals who requested them. Most of the F1 can be found at the Box Stores and Walmart.
Happy gardening!
Gary
tazebell
15 years ago
My tomato garden looks like it will be the following selections:

lemon drop grape
yellow pear
yellow cherry
sunny goliath
fireball * =(seed)
rutgers *
brandywine *
red cherry *
black krim *
cherokee purple *
purple russian *
roma
mortgage lifter

I really hope that I have seedlings big enough to sell in my front yard in the next few weeks. I actually started entire seed packets in the beginning, so I might end up with a LOT of tomato plants that I have to do something with.

Now, I am a huge tomato fan, and appreciate every one I have. However, I had issues with my stove/electrical wiring in the kitchen and fear that I won't be able to do any canning. But I am thinking very positively!! I plan on having a huge harvest and will find some way to handle them!
sugarmags
15 years ago
I just got my plants in the ground this past weekend. I grew 54 from seed (first timer from seed!) and in the end only had room for 25. I'm still a little nervous about sudden temp drops in this zone. Here are the 25 that are in and doing fantastic (so far):

8 Brandywine (Suddath's)
2 Banjan Roomii
2 Bloody Butcher
1 Goji Faranji
1 Aunt Ruby's German Green
1 Druzba
1 German Red Strawberry
1 Omar's Lebanese
1 Box Car Willie
1 Earl of Edgecombe
1 Brad's Black Heart
1 Legend
1 Bonny Best
1 Brown Berry
1 Pink Ping Pong
1 Ssubakus Aliana
kygirl99
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks, Gary! I actually was at Thieneman's on Monday around 10 a.m. doing my tomato plant shopping. It was your nursery I was referring to. I was quite impressed at the selection! I ended up supplementing with some others I bought later that day at Wilson's Nursery in Frankfort.

What is the difference between Cherokee Purple and Potato Leaf Cherokee Purple? I ask because I ended up buying one of each.

Here is what I ended up buying, including a few from Jigg's over in Highview. My husband kept asking me to please get him a regular, round, red tomato, so I finally relented and bought a few hybrids and more basic types just to keep him happy, since he's the one who digs all the holes for my tomato plants!

Here is what I have now planted in my garden. Not the full wish list but I think it's still a pretty good variety. I'm only bummed out about the Mr. Stripey. I'm not a Mr. Stripey fan and I don't know how that got into the mix. I think I must have grabbed it accidentally.

Anyway, here it is. I have one of everything, except two Sungold and two Red Brandywine.

Cherokee Purple
Potato Leaf Cherokee Purple
Jubilee
Sungold - 2
Mortgage Lifter
Beefsteak
OS Pink Tomato
Brandywine Red - 2
Pineapple
Jet Star
Ponderosa Pink
Red Grape
Giant Italian Paste
Kellogg's Breakfast
Hillbilly
Mr. Stripey
Sweet Baby Girl
Black Cherry
Marianna's Peace
Chocolate Cherry
Amish Paste
Black Pear
Black from Tula
Caspian Pink
Creole
Champagne Cherry
Monk (Ky.)
Ozark Pink
Nebraska Wedding
True Black Brandywine
vgary
15 years ago
kygirl99, I was at the Nursery around that time and am sorry I missed you. Cherokee Purple RL is the original variety. Bill, who posts at several of the gardening sites and lives in Evansville, shared the Cherokee Purple Potato Leaf to grow at the nursery. His experience is that it is more productive than the RL.

I recognize the varieties you selected from the nursery and marked them as such with the *. You have a wide variety in your selection; I hope they all do well for you.
Keep us posted!
Gary

Cherokee Purple *
Potato Leaf Cherokee Purple *
Jubilee
Sungold - 2 &
Mortgage Lifter
Beefsteak *
OS Pink Tomato
Brandywine Red - 2
Pineapple
Jet Star
Ponderosa Pink
Red Grape *
Giant Italian Paste *
Kellogg's Breakfast *
Hillbilly *
Mr. Stripey
Sweet Baby Girl *
Black Cherry *
Marianna's Peace *
Chocolate Cherry
Amish Paste *
Black Pear *
Black from Tula *
Caspian Pink *
Creole *
Champagne Cherry *
Monk (Ky.) *
Ozark Pink *
Nebraska Wedding
True Black Brandywine
rj_hythloday
15 years ago
tazebell you've got a while to get your stove fixed, but you might also find a friend who has a double camp stove or more. You could get your canning done this way. I've also read about freezing and will probably do some this way myself. I don't really plan on canning toms but putting up salsas and marinaras.

I got mine in the ground Tuesday afternoon. I bought a sungold at the nursery. I the rest from seed this year, first timer also. Have the lights and shelves and will be starting them earlier next year.

I had room for 15 and bought the sungold, I wanted two Willard Wynns. I had alot of varieties die off, so that made it much easier to pick. The only one I didn't plant out was a green pineaple. I had 18 to give away, now down to 12 and hope those will be gone tonight.

I planted:
SungoldF1 the rest are all OP
chocolate Cherokee
Willard Wynn x 2
Vinson Watts
Green zebra
Morado
roller coaster cherry
Roman candle cherry
Black from Tula
Russo Sicilian Togeta
Mortgage Lifter
Old German - Yay! finally got one to germinate
Mariana's peace
Early Ssubakus Aliana

Wow, remembered them off the top of my head.
vgary
15 years ago
rj_hythloday, Thank you for sharing your grow out list. I have grown your Vinson Watts variety. Searched for a year for the Russo Sicillian Togeta tomato and am growing it; I understand that it is very good for drying. Have you grown it before? I have seed for the Morado and understand that it gets to be a large tomato. I will be interested in knowing how it does for you.and hope to grow it next year. Someone told me that the Willard Wynn tomato is a Kentucky variety. What was your source for it? I have not heard of the Roller Coaster Cherry Â do you have any information on it?
Wishing you much success on your good gardening,
Gary

Can put in 30 plants - what mix of heirlooms, hybrids, cherry??

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