2011 Grow List!

[tedln]

applestar,

I think the yellow pear is a great tomato. If it was small, yellow, and shaped like a pear; I can't think of anything else it could be.

When I was a kid, the yellow pear tomato grew in my neighborhood like weeds. They were most prevalent in vacant lots. I always thought they were weeds with something on them that tasted good. I guess someone in my neighborhood had grown them in a garden and they escaped and created a self sustaining population. I didn't know what they were until I grew up and saw them on a list of varieties with photos.

Ted

[LindsayArthurRTR]

I can see how that could happen they were prolific to say the least. And they are small enough to travel. I would like to find some of the currant sized tomatoes. The itty bitty ones.

[tedln]

I can see how that could happen they were prolific to say the least. And they are small enough to travel. I would like to find some of the currant sized tomatoes. The itty bitty ones.

I seem to remember a variety of current tomato that is native to some island. Possibly the Galapagos. Someone had acquired seed and was growing them.

"I found them. Here is the link for seed. http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/lycopers ... smanii.htm"

Here is another interesting one from the same source.

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/cannibal_tomato.htm

Ted

[LindsayArthurRTR]

Thanks Ted!

I did a little looking and territorial and victory both have the seeds! Actually theirs are call red and yellow currant tomatoes. The size of peas! How cute. They are said to be fruity sweet. Local harvest has them listed on their site as well. I would love to get them as locally as possible

[gixxerific]

Ted I would maybe plant at least one Juliet, just in case. I sure don't want you mad at me if something goes wrong with the B Cherries.

I will be planting at least one maybe 2 Isis Candy Cherry next year. Though probably only one and the rest black cherry. That is another great super productive one (the I C Cherry) I had one plant go probably 12 foot tall it was falling over so I took it out. I could get you some seed of that too.

I do plan on some trading this winter I just want to see what I really want for next year first.

Like Apple said my list keeps grwoing but my garden is not.

[TZ -OH6]

Sara's Galapagos

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Sara%27s_Galapagos


Not a true currant, but similar in size

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Matt%27s_Wild_Cherry

[tedln]

TZ,

I seem to remember a discussion concerning the fact that the Galapagos actually had two distinct species of native tomatoes. One was a true currant tomato. The other was a small cherry tomato. At some point in time, they crossed resulting in the Galapagos cherry of today. The true currant tomato can still be found on the islands beaches in normally small, but sometimes large, low patches. If I remember correctly, the currant species is endangered because it is one of the favorite foods of the Galapagos tortoise which eats the entire plant.

Does that ring any bells with you?

Also, did you happen to look at the "Cannibals Tomato" I posted a link to? I found it interesting that the leaves of the plant are used as salad greens. I thought the foliage of all tomato varieties is toxic.

Ted

[TZ -OH6]

I was lucky enough to spend about a month on the islands and it sounds like marketing B.S. to me. The tortoises are very rare and tomatoes reproduce very quickly. The coastal areas generally have nasty desert conditions so any smart tomato would have higher populations in the interiors at higher elevations.

If they would have said goats (which are being removed from the islands) I might have considered the statement. Usually the story goes like this (Plant X is endangered because passage through the digestive tract of _____ [insert name of very rare animal] is needed for seed to germinate.)

The islands are protected and literally crawling with scientists so I wouldn't worry about anything going extinct.


Currant tomatoes, Solanum pimpinelifolium, occur on the Galapagos, but they are native to the mainland and are considered an alien invasive species on the islands. There may be another endemic tomato species in addition to S. cheesmani, but it is probably not even as edible as S. cheesmani (which doesn't have good flavor), so like most of the tomato species isn't of much concern to us.

It looks like Sarah's Galapagos may be across between a currant and a cherry tomato (not S. cheesmani). There are several towns scattered through the islands and anything growing in gardens almost certainly came over from the mainland (Ecuador) before they cracked down on import of plants and animals, so you might be able to find other garden "Heirlooms" coming out of there.


I have not heard of the cannibal's tomato before. I don't think it is closely related to true tomatoes (or potatoes). Solanum is a large world-wide genus so it doesn't surprise me if the leaves of some species are edible.

[LindsayArthurRTR]

Gah!!!I just went through tatianna's... And tradewinds...and now I'm up to 17 cultivars in the shopping cart. Gonna have to do some serious culling in the garden and some serious rethinking if Im gonna have that many. Need to see if I can get most of the ones I want from a more local catalog, too.

These are my choices (these are in addition to the seeds I already have saved from this year) I made. Mostly based on what I've heard around here for taste, some for WOW factor and some because I just cant resist.

Zapotec pink ribbed
Voyage tomato
Transparent tomato
sungold cherry
Orange strawberry
Persimmon
red currant
red zebra
green zebra
San marzano II
Isis candy
Japanese Black Trifele
Aussie
Banani
Black cherry
Black pear
Bull's heart

And, that was me being conservative I will truely have to narrow it down to 10. I have a lot of cherry types on the list, so I need to narrow those down a good bit. I still want a lot of variety. On the plus side, shipping is free if your bill gets high enough

I have seen the Garden Peach tomato in several catalogs, and I'm interested, but I don't even like the feel of peach skins in my mouth so, I didn't add them. Any experience with growing them? I think they are quite interesting , and would at least open some eyes to diversity. I loved bringing some of the blacks, pinks, and yellows that I grew this year into the OR lounge. Some people just can't believe that tomatoes come in different colors and that they actually taste BETTER than the grocery store types. Peach fuzz on tomatoes would REALLY blow their minds!!!

[tedln]

Lindsay, I wanted to investigate colors and sizes. Thats why my list is heavy in Blacks and beefsteak types. What was the criteria you used for your selection?

Ted

[LindsayArthurRTR]

I grew black for the first time this year( black krim, and also black prince) and I was blown away with their flavors. They were so different. In fact, a lot of the tomatoes I grew this year ( I think it was about 12 differnt heirlooms) gave me a variety of tastes and colors. I also love to share, and folks are truely interested in the strange. Colored and striped tomatoes are in fact different from what most folks feel is normal. The voyage tomato I saw last year at the market, but was unable to find seeds. Now that one would make a great addition to Duh_Vinci's picture book. I love the new, I love the unexpected, but I love the tried and true, too. The peach like tomatoes... Well, they would be a conversation piece ( as if I needed an excuse to talk MORE)

I also go on what's worked for me in the past and what folks say around here. There are several toms on my list that folks have raved about. Flavor to me is more important than showiness. If I grow a tomato this year with the wild colors, and it tastes like crap, It will be culled from the group.

I also do a lot of canning with tomatoes, so I look for varieties that are prolific. One reason why I kept seeds from my yellow pear. For yellow sauce and this year drying! I also wanted to have some large toms this year, to add bulk to my canning toms, and again, conversation

ETA: I also added a few varieties that were developed in extremely hot and dry areas. As this year was WAY harsh on a lot of my plants.

[Skian]

Here is my rough list. I will need to narrow it down to 10-15. I am considering planting in containers if need be.
Small/Cherry:
Black Cherry
Glacier
Ghost Cherry
Gold Nugget
Green Grape
Kimberly
Prairie Fire
Yellow Pear
Medium:
Black Prince
Chocolate Stripe
Cream Sausage
Fireworks
Moonglow
Nebraska Wedding
Oregon Spring
Orange Strawberry
Red Rocket
Stupice
Large:
Big Raspberry
Black From Tula
Black Krim (repeat)
Great White
Hillbilly
Oaxacan Jewel

I'm looking for a variety of color, shape, size and fruit maturity.
Of course flavor is a big factor.
Mild flavor is not an option.
I am looking for excellent, outstanding, superb, fuity and sweet flavors.
Any input would be great to help narrow this list.

[gixxerific]

That's quite a list skian.

Not sure if you have a lot of pots or not. But I went to a few local nursery's this year and ended up with a ton of all different size pots. The ones they were the least worried about keeping were the big ones that trees or shrubs had come in. They are great for large veggies like tomatoes. Just an idea if you would want to explore that. I almost forgot to add that the gave them to me, free pots you just can't beat that.

[Skian]

Thanks for the tip. Late summer is a great time to go to the nursery.
They have great deals this time of year.
Most on my tomatoes will be planted in raised beds or garden.
But to satisfy 10-15 off that list I have to consider containers too.

[petalfuzz]

I've been working on my list since June, and I've finally narrowed it down to 6 newbies and 4 repeats. *newbies: orange fleshed purple smudge, japanese oxheart, purple calabash, aunt gerties gold, mexico, and malachite box (has a russian real name--I prefer the english). *repeats: green zebra (performed so bad I must give it another shot), red brandywine (ditto), green giant, to be determined (could be siletz, prudens purple, giant belgium, or red rose.)