What is your VOTE the BEST FLAVOR tomato?

[Gary350]

For the past 18 years I have bought plants from the local sellers, Lowe's, Home Depot, Farmers Co-op, etc. I have to buy what is available, they all sell the same variety and it is limited. I want to try new things and I am looking for suggestions.

I know flavour has a lot to do with the soil, weather, geographical location, etc. I put 4 large 3.8 cu. ft. bales of peat moss in my 20'x40' very year. I haul in rabbit manure, cow manure, horse manure and I have a compost pile too. I always spread all the compost over the entire garden and till it in, then I plant. In the past I worked a full time job so I had a limited amount of time I could spend working on the garden so I did it fast and easy. I know this method is wasteful putting compost and organic material in places where there are no plants growing, it also feeds the weeds.

Now I am retired, next year my plan is to dig holes and mix compost and other organic material into the soil in each hole then plant directly in each compost hole. I will probably try to do something like 50/50 compost/soil + lime in each hole for tomatoes, squash, egg plant, peppers and other plants.

I will probably order seeds from a seed catalog and start my own plants next year too. It has been 20 years since I have sprouted my own seeds I have plenty of plant trays in the garage.

Next year my goal is GOOD FLAVOR. I know flavor has a lot to do with what each person likes. I think it would be good to get a vote from every one which tomatoes they like best and why.

I can a lot of tomatoes for the winter it makes good chili, soup, stew, vegatable soup.

ROMA seems to be the best canning tomatoe it is thick and rich in good flavor.

BEEFSTEAK or BEEFMASTER or BIG BEEF are very good slicing tomatoes for hambergers, flavor is very good and they are good eating tomatoes too, good in salads.

I think tomatoes are like fine wine. The correct combination of acid + flavor and not too sweet makes the best tomatoe.

Which variety tomato do you Vote for and why?

[Duh_Vinci]

While people's tastes could vary, I'll be happy to share my thoughts of few varieties.

I've planted 19 different varieties in different parts of the lot. Many of them are not going back next year, some will, but mostly due to either color or production (while combined with a "good" taste)

As purely for the "favorites" that will go back in the garden next year, when it comes to taste...

First the mid/large fruited:

Black Tula - somewhat compact indeterminate Russian black tomato that simply incredible to me. It is so rich, with strong presence and perfect balance of sugar and acid, deep rich flavor that needs absolutely nothing else! It has some fruit notes, hint of smokiness, just a wonderful balance of everything I would want in a tomato, be is sliced, or just eaten as you would an apple, straight from the vine. It is meaty, juicy, gorgeous vibrant color when sliced. Started as ok producer, but turning into the mini factory of beautiful purple delicious tomatoes.

Cherokee Purple - a wow tomato for me. Soft, buttery flesh that is sweet and somewhat smoky flavored. Very little acidity. Somewhat fruity aftertaste just lingers in your mouth. Most of my fruits are large sized, so perfect for slicing. Absolutely delicious flavor imo. Good producer too, but did much much better in setting fruit when the weather was in the 80's

Small fruited:

I have 8 different varieties in the garden, purely to try what grows well in my area and what tastes the best. From those 8 - only 2 are going back:

Golden Gem - while it is a hybrid, it is the best tasting small fruited variety I've ever had a pleasure to try. Had to go to the kitchen to eat a few to try to best describe this guys! It is an eye candy and a candy in your mouth. Sweetest tomato I've ever had! Tomatogrowers company (where I got these seeds from) states 10% sugar content. Sweet, delicious, with the perfect balance of meatiness and juice. Translucent skin makes this standard size cherry look like an orange pearl when ripe. As an added bonus - its productivity is beyond my wildest expectations! It is absolutely loaded with fruit on the long clusters, to as many as 20+ on each cluster. Heat in the early to mid 90's, humidity beyond bearable and somehow both of these plants blooming, growing and setting new fruit.

Black Cherry - if you love cherry tomatoes, I think this is definitely a must (at least one plant). It has a sharp, almost 50/50 balance of sweetness and tartness, with deeper, almost smoky flavor found in larger black tomatoes, but in the bite size. Indeed more robust flavor when compared to most red cherries varieties. Sets fruit well in heat and humidity almost as well as the Golden Gem - growing side by side. These were somewhat slow and uneven to germinate, but when they did - grew fast and met the other 4 varieties by the time of the transplant

Hope this helps...

I too would love to hear from others on their "taste" choices!

Regards,
D

P.S. Sometime early/mid next week I would have a chance to finally taste a long awaited Russian heirloom Bull's Heart. If these taste anything like I remember from years ago in Russia - it too would make it to the list. Will see...

[TZ -OH6]

Its a difficult question. Once you get away from red-pink tomatoes the question is like asking 'what is the best tasting ice cream' instead of 'what is the best tasting vanilla ice cream'

On a scale of one to ten, Brandywine (Sudduths), Green Giant, and Sungold would get 9-10 for flavor but they taste very different and not every one would like them all equally. To get a good idea of some of the top tomatoes out there I recommend

https://www.heirloomtomatoplants.com/Heirloom_tomatoes-ah.htm

Many of these would be top tomatoes on anyones list, a few wouldn't make most peoples list (Purple Calabash is pretty nasty, Rowdy Red is so-so), and several are pretty good but not great (Great White is good for a white tomato, but is still bland in comparison, Black plum was a dissapointment to me)

Note, if she says something is the talk of the tomato world it could be because noone likes it (Copea) or because of its name, not necessarily its flavor (Julia Childs [7.5 out of 10]).


Another good source for ideas is Marianna's Seeds. Although from her descriptions it seems that everything is great, she also notes in her descriptions which of the tomatoes were yearly favorites in her gardens.

[hendi_alex]

I don't know how Celebrity ranks in taste tests, though I like the tomatoes a lot. In terms of a balance between flavor, production, disease resistance, uniform large slicing size with small core, this variety is tops in my book. I planted three of the plants this year and will likely move that up to six plants next year.

Sweet Cluster for me, also ranks very high in flavor, production, and disease resistance. It is a medium to large sized salad tomato with the average fruit being 1.5-2 inches.

My experiment with heirlooms didn't go so well this year. But would have to recommend German Johnson as a very nice slicer. Would also have to recommend Green Zebra for its unusual tropical kind of flavor. It is a medium sized salage tomato mostly 1.5-2 inches for me.

[cottonpicker]

This year's (tie) award goes to Stump of the World AND Earl's Faux. Previous year, Kellogg's Breakfast was the winner.

[gixxerific]

Good thread, I too just get whatever is available. I feel stupid saying this but I don't even know what I have in my garden now. I forgot, probably better boy, big boy or beef master. I need to star writing this stuff down, which I have. But I would like to order some specialty stuff this winter, we shall see. Hopefully I don't get lazy. Keep the suggestions coming, sorry I don't have any.

I always spread all the compost over the entire garden and till it in, then I plant. In the past I worked a full time job so I had a limited amount of time I could spend working on the garden so I did it fast and easy. I know this method is wasteful putting compost and organic material in places where there are no plants growing,

About that, hold on brother. That is the way I have and will continue to do my garden till I die. I put everything I can in to the soil, Horse manure in bulk, peat moss, compost, mushroom compost, lime, blood meal, bone meal, fish emulsions, kelp, really whatever I have around. But horse manure for sure most of the others as well. Whatever it needs. I till that in very finely. Than when I plant something I make up another mix of ingredients to fill the hole. My goal is to make fertile soil everywhere not just a few spots where my plants are. Plus there is fertility everywhere so plants can leach off the surrounding soil if the need arises. You can't lose, well maybe a little time and maybe a few bucks, but your garden will thank you.

Dono

[applestar]

Chopped up earthworms only feed the garden once, and aerated/sun-fried fungi network will die a swift death.

I don't want to derail this thread, but food for thought for pro-till folks -- do read this thread which brought up no-till gardening/agriculture: https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=12259
and this thread on One Straw Revolution and Permaculture : https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=10059

@Cynthia_h -- Fukuoka-san has resurfaced again as the anniversary of his passing draws near. ... and full moon in a couple of days! (You have to read the 2nd thread to understand the reference)

[petalfuzz]

This year's (tie) award goes to Stump of the World AND Earl's Faux. Previous year, Kellogg's Breakfast was the winner.

I'm getting this tread back on track!

I just sliced into a Pruden's Purple and it was excellent! The best of the year so far!
[img]https://farm3.static.flickr.com/2513/3822530703_e4f557b559.jpg[/img]

[Diane]

It looks yummy. You won't find one like that at the supermarket.

[gixxerific]

Pfuzz first off nice 'mators. You mentioned Kellogs Breakfast for your fav last year. I have that down for next year, I have seen that around several times on several sites as being very good.

There has to be more fav's from the members here. Let's keep this going.

I really want to try some exotics whatever they may be, weird colors, shape whatever. I have more room for next year so I can play around a little more.

My meager expansion here. https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=18276

[Duh_Vinci]

Ok, another one from me, but strictly for the taste, not production...

Giant Belgian. While there is nothing giant about it (at least in my plant), maybe some strain variation - these seeds came from Tomatogrowers.com Some report fruits 10-16oz, some 4-8oz, well, my "giants" are in the second category, but... Gorgeous dark pink, ribbed body, meaty and firm just enough, yet plenty juicy. But mostly the taste! Sweet/tart, more on the sweet side, with very very nice, almost tropical fruit undertone. Very different from everything else I'm growing, very very delicious!

Drawback - very very few fruit set on this guy, and it is the only one in the garden. In the ground (where all of 8 plants are performing considerably less than their 16 counterparts in the raised beds).

Definitely will try it again next year, one from the same seeds that I have, but in raised bed, and one from another source, but in ground, with modified soil.

Regards,
D

P.S. Dono - garden is looking good!