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Growing Tomatoes

My first taste of Heirloom

16 years ago

I've grown tomatoes off and on for about 25 years, but always varieties like Better Boy, Early Girl, Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes, just your basic hybrids that everybody has. But this year, with a new garden, and a major case of tomato envy after discovering this site, reading posts and drooling over pictures and descriptions, I decided this was the obsession for me!

I chose my heirlooms based on Carolyn's book (Thank you, Carolyn, for such a wonderful reference) and recommendations from posts on this site - Brandywine, Red Brandywine, Kellogg's Breakfast, Box Car Willie, Purple Cherokee, Aunt Ruby's German Green and some Hybrid cherries, Sun Gold and Black Cherry. I grew from seed, hardened off, planted in well composted soil, supported with concrete reinforcing wire cages, and did not worry about the half shaded yard (If gonefishing can grow with afternoon shade, so can I).

This evening we had our first taste of a Cherokee Purple-- Amazing! Indescribable. Just, literally, the best tomato we had ever tasted. That's all it took. I now understand the passion that you all bring to this endeavor. I am so looking forward to tasting each and every variety I've growing in my garden. And next year? Mortgage Lifter and Arkansas Traveler and Black Krim and Lemon Boy and.....

Anyway, thanks to all for your knowledge and experience!

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Comments (7)

Lisa Hayes
16 years ago
I've grown heirlooms for three years, this year I decided to go ahead and grow some hybrids too. My Early Girl was the first to ripen and when I sliced it, it was just lacking. Granted better then the anemic winter tomatoes, but no comparison to heirlooms. I have 16 plants this year and 6 are hybrids and the rest heirlooms. I'm waiting patiently for them to ripen.
duajones
16 years ago
Congrats on your first heirloom! I know first hand how it was to taste that first Cherokee Purple. It is my favorite tomato to date, but wouldnt mind another variety taking that distinction in the future :)
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ok everybody i am a really nice guy 92% of the time. but if you look at the title of this post you'll see a very bad joke in the making. **** Maybe it appears that way to you but I just saw it as someone praising the taste of the tomato variety Black Sea Man. No more, no less. There have been lots of plays on words for that variety ever since it was introduced by SSE back in the early 90's but the thread title here is not a play on words for it just straight out names the variety. ( smile) The same is also true for Grandpa's Cock's Plume, a variety that Bill McDorman brought back from Siberia, and I could name several more, but won't. LOL And actually Black Sea Man is not one that appeals to me and that's true of the other black PL det one called Southern Nights. There aren't that many blacks that I do like, and I've grown quite a few. The ones I do like are Cherokee Purple, Indian Stripe, Black from Tula, all pink/blacks, and Black Cherry, a red/black. These days I'm most interested in the green when ripes and any terrific heart shaped variety that comes my way. But there will never be total agreement on the taste and yield of any one variety, that's for sure. Carolyn
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gonefishin
16 years ago
And I congratulate you on your discovery of heirlooms and the great taste of them. I feel honored if something that I posted may have help lead you to your trial of some of the heirlooms.

Taste is very subjective and obviously not everyone likes the same thing, but you have already found one that you like very much. I am sure that there will be others, perhaps some that you like even better, and most likely some that you will not want to waste time and space on again. The trial and anticipation is a good part of the fun.

Now, having said all of that, you must not forget those that brung you to the dance, your favorite hybrids. There are some that will always be among my favorites in my garden, for taste as well as productivity and dependability.
Best regards Steph.
Bill P.
lee_71
16 years ago
Congrats...

And assuming from your handle you are from NC, you can come
try ~200 more at Tomatopalooza on the 28th of July.
See link below.

Lee

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomatopalooza - NC Tomato Tasting event
gobig_or_gohome_toms
16 years ago
I wish I was closer to this event as a third year grower I am just now realizing the heirloom varaities and have 2 mortgage lisfters growing theis year but will have many more next year since from my first year growing I have been starting with seeds.
yardenman
16 years ago
Wait til you get a taste of the Brandywine! I like Cherokee Purple (my 2nd fave), but I think Brandywine beats it... They are both great, just "different". :)

But I can already guess you'll never buy a grocery store tomato again.
jimm_sc
16 years ago
Great! Only 13,999 varieties to go. I grow a few favorites - hybrids and heirlooms each year as well as 12 to 15 new heirlooms. Lets see - at that rate I'll have tried them all in a just few more years. CP is one of my favorites as well.
Jim

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