skip to main content

Growing Tomatoes

Favorite Full Flavor Large Tomato

11 years ago

I grew for the first time this year a few large tomatoes that I was disappointed in their flavor. My favorite is Burpee Burger and TomatoFest Heirloom Julia Child. I would like to grow a few more varieties of large meaty full flavor tomatoes. What is your favorite?

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (3)

MaryMcP Zone 8b - Phx AZ
11 years ago
1. Marianna's Peace
2. Cherokee Purple

I'm trying some others, like Sophie's Choice, Anna Russian and Riesentraube - but it's too early for fruit.

The picture is Mariann'a Peace - flavor was incredible!!!
carolyn137
11 years ago
Mary, Sophie's Choice, which I introduced, isn't a large fruited variety, and nor is Riesentraube, which is cherry sized with a nipple at the blossom end. ( smile)

Kathy, if you do a search here at GW you'll find lots of threads asking the same question, but I'll just list a few large fruited ones that I think are dependable and great tasting.

REDS ( beefsteak)

Neves Azorean Red
Chapman
Red Penna
Milka's Red Bulgarian
Aker's West Virginia
OTV Brandywine
Cuostralee

REDS ( hearts)

Wes
German Red Strawberry
Linnie's Oxheart
Indiana Red
Fish Lake Oxheart
Reif Red heart

PINKS ( beefsteak)

Omar's Lebanese
Large Pink Bulgarian
Tidwell German
Soldacki
Terhune
Hays'

PINKS ( hearts)

Kosovo
Nicky Crain
Anna Maria's Heart
Ludmilla's Pink Heart

... and many more

it might be best to start out with the large reds and pinks for a few years and then go on to the large green when ripes, the so called blacks and gold/red bicolors and oranges.

I listed both beefsteak and heart varieties for each color b'c I find that some of the best tastes are to be found with the hearts, but maybe consider starting with the red and pink beefsteak ones first.

If you don't know the above varieties I think it would be best to go to Tania's Tomato Data base, I'll link to it below, and when on the Home page scroll down to where it says to use the alphabetical method of finding the page for a variety b'c you can do that knowing the variety names I posted above.

Each variety has traits, pictures, comments from others, histories when available and if you scroll down on any variety page you'll find the seed sites that list that variety. Tania herself sells seeds for over 600 varieties and many of the seed sites she specifies list hundreds of varieties.

Hope that helps.

Carolyn

Here is a link that might be useful: Tania's Tomato data base
Related Discussions
Diluted sea water improves tomato flavor?
Q
Comments (28)
I've used these sea minerals, which are dehydrated salt water, with plants. My general observation is that it really perks plants up for a while and makes them greener (faster and livelier than a nitrogen fertilizer), and it can make some watermelon varieties salty by the rinds (even with only one or two applications). It can also help to eliminate at least one or two kinds of foliar fungal disease (but I applied it to the soil, rather than the leaves). It also temporarily deters spider mites from causing damage. However, you have to be careful not to use it too much (since there is sodium in it). Plants need sodium (in small amounts), but too much may not be so great. I purposefully used a lot of sea minerals on an indoor pepper (in a 20oz foam cup); the pepper had a foliar fungus and spider mites. The fungus (which had defoliated the plant at least twice) went away. The spider mites subsided each time I used it, but they always came back after about a few days to a week or so, even if I used a lot. It turned out I could use quite a bit, for a fair while, but there comes a point of no return. The plant did die. The excess of sea minerals seemed to cause root rot (or make the plant vulnerable to it, if not). I also note that the sea minerals smell like they're conducive to certain microbes. I imagine they may increase certain kinds of microbial life in the soil. You can get something like sea minerals without the sodium, I've read. It has a specific name. I haven't tried it. I applied my sea minerals to the soil for the most part, but some people do a foliar spray.
...See More
New Flavor Enhanced Hybrid Tomatoes
Q
Comments (12)
"While the article praises Fabulous, I can't ever remember anyone here posting it in their "favorites" list. Maybe Carolyn has a sound-bite on it." Raybo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Since no one is responding in regard to the flavor of the Fabulous tomato, let me post the results of a 2007 taste test covering several heirloom, standard and hybrid tomatoes where one caption under a picture said, "Fabulous is probably the best tasting round red commercial variety that weÂve ever trialed. These are best packed in flat trays due to a somewhat tender skin." There are charts ranking the cherry and slicer tomatoes by yield and taste rankings. Very interesting results in all categories! Here's a link to an interesting article!
...See More
Rate heirlooms on 'true tomato' flavor
Q
Comments (20)
As someone that grows hundreds of heirloom tomatoes every year, I must admit I no longer grow any of those listed by Girlbug2. We all have our favorites and they will vary as much as those who answer. I would have to say that my favorites are Brandywines. I'm especially fond of Cowlick's Brandywine, Brandywine-Glicks, and Brandywine-Sudduth's. I also like the Brandywine/Cherokee Purple crosses like: Liz Birt, Dora, Bear Creek and Gary O'Sena. I find thee crosses to be both better tasting and much better producers than Cherokee Purple itself. Also much more consistant in taste and having a longer shelf life. I'm also quite fond of a few others that I find outstanding here in south central Pa. In pinks: Barlow Jap Sandul Moldovan Mrs Benson Lillian Maciejewski's Poland Pink Earl's Faux Ed's Millenium Rose Limbaugh's Legacy Potato Top Stump of the World and all the pink Brandywines. In Black/Purples: Amazon Chocolate Dana's Dusky Rose Blackmaster Swisher Sweet JD's Special C-Tex Indian Stripe Shannon's South African Mystery Black and the aforementioned Bear Creek and Gary O'Sena In Reds: Tarasenko6 Gigantesque Preacher Joe Box-car Willie In orange/yellow/gold: Kellogg's Breakfast/KBX Dr. Wyche's Yellow Lillian's Yellow Heirloom in GWR: Cherokee Green There are others, but these are the best of the best for me over the past few years and most of what I'm growing this year along with a few new to me varieties and a few that did well for me in the past and deserve another try, like Black Brandywine, Pink Sweet, Royal Hillbilly, and German Johnson-Benton strain. I hope whatever ones you try do well for you and you discover the wonderful world of Heirloom tomatoes. Enjoy! Camo
...See More
New Flavor Enhanced Hybrid Tomatoes
Q
Comments (11)
I grew Mountain Glory again this year (2009) and it performed better and tasted better than last year (2008) even though this year was wetter and cooler. Also grew Scarlet Red again this summer and it produced more and larger fruit than Mt. Glory but did not have quite as deep a flavor. Both of those tomatoes still are average with regard to flavor. Better than anything I've bought in a store, but not as tasty as several other hybrids I've grown (Better Boy and Big Boy for sure taste better) and not nearly as deep or rich a flavor as many open pollinated favorites. Personally, I think the breeders have gone so far with certain traits to build holding and shipping qualities, while ignoring flavor for so long, that even when genetically enhancing these newer hybrids, they still have quite a ways to go before recapturing whatever flavor traits they already have let fall out of commercial hybrids. Next year I'll try Mountain Magic, but there you're dealing with a saladette or large cherry tomato and there are many hybrid cherry and a few hybrid saladettes that have superior flavor. Oh, and I did pick up a few Fabulous tomatoes earlier this year like in April or May from Paul Mayse that he grew in his hoop houses and those were very tasty after I left them to fully ripen on the counter.
...See More
digdirt2
11 years ago
Favorite beefsteak discussions

Favorite medium size discussions

Best tomato discussions

Best beefsteak, black and oxheart tomatoes

Lots of suggestions for you.

Dave

Related Stories

EDIBLE GARDENS Why Grow Quince? For Beauty, Fragrance and Old-Time Flavor

By Marianne Lipanovich

Delightfully perfumed fruit and lovely spring blossoms make this apple and pear cousin worth a spot in the garden

EDIBLE GARDENS Grow Herbs for Fresh Flavor and Good Looks in the Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

With sun and a patch of ground, you can have all the fresh flavor you need for cooking right outside your door. Here's how to get started

RUSTIC STYLE Houzz Tour: Home’s Idaho Flavor Balances Rustic and Luxe

By Becky Harris

Local flora, fauna and textures come together in this relaxing vacation house on the state’s largest lake

BATHROOM WORKBOOK 7 Elements of Modern Mediterranean Bathrooms

By Toronto Interior Design Group

Learn how to bring this warm and richly detailed style into your bath with color, lighting and accessories

EDIBLE GARDENS Summer Crops: How to Grow Tomatoes

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant tomato seedlings in spring for one of the best tastes of summer, fresh from your backyard

FARM YOUR YARD If You Have Room for Only One Summer Crop ...

Get an edible that’s long on flavor even if you’re short on space, with a long-time gardener’s favorite picks

FARM YOUR YARD Cool-Season Vegetables: How to Grow Beets

By Marianne Lipanovich

Give canned versions of this fall and spring garden favorite the heave-ho and discover its true flavor and colors

EDIBLE GARDENS Herb Garden Essentials: Grow Your Own Tarragon

By Marianne Lipanovich

Cooks swear by the spicy anise flavor of this seasoning, which is a favorite in French cuisine

SHOP HOUZZ Houzz Products: Save a Taste of Summer

Can't bear to part with the flavors of summer peaches, berries and tomatoes? Then jam on it!

SUMMER FRUITS AND VEGETABLES How to Grow Eggplant at Home

By Marianne Lipanovich

Plant glossy purple eggplant as much for its beauty in the garden as its flavor on the plate

0

Sponsored

28 Reviews

Franklin County's Preferred Custom Cabinetry & Design Studio

More Discussions

Has anyone heard of a storage tomato? Looking at Giallorosso di Crispi

4

"Purple" tomatoes?

4