Short season tomatoes

[LA47]

I have been looking for short season heirloom tomato seeds. I've decided on Siletz, Anna Russian, Manitoba, and Porter. If you've grown any of these please tell me what you thought of them or if you have suggestions I'd love to hear of them.

[zebraman]

I live in So.CA and have a really long growing season. I have grown all four of these, Siletz and Porter were both 60-65 days. OK flavor but not great. Manitoba was 70-80 dys. Good flavor with an acidic bite (which I like) Anna Russian is a heart and had really great taste but isn't really early. 85-90 days. This also has whispy growth that you find with hearts.

[dustyrivergardens]

I grew a russian heart tomato that was real early good production very nice sweet low acid tomato called Pink Honey about 50 days. pm me and I will send you some seed.

[drh146]

How many hours of light do these varieties need?

[dustyrivergardens]

Most of the tomatoes I grow I do grow out doors and they get a lot of light but I have had success with 6hrs of sun light. I do grow some indoor tomatoes and they get 10 to 12 hrs under the florecent lights but when they outgrow the lighting areas then they get window light of about 6hrs.

[rainbowgardener]

And do they actually set and ripen fruit with 6 hrs of window light?

[Smallgardener]

I have never grown those . But this year I tried some short season plants to try and out pace the heat in July.
My varieties were.
Bloody Butcher. Good yeild, average taste until the weather cooled off. Then they tasted excellent.
Fourth of July, bout the same but it is very popular around here.
Big favorite around here is the Early Girl hybrid.

[rainbowgardener]

I used to grow Early Girls but wasn't too impressed with them. Small, sort of half way between cherry tomatoes and regular ones, and not that flavorful. I switched to Ultimate Opener which ripens just as fast, but is bigger and better flavored.

[dustyrivergardens]

And do they actually set and ripen fruit with 6 hrs of window light-
Yes but they do much better in the spring with more light but if you want the occasional tomato during the winter I do have seed for a very tasty dwarf tomato called rosella purple this is a wonderful tomato that does well indoors in a container.

[zebraman]

Most early tomatoes don't taste great.
Bloody Butcher is early 55-60 days and tastes great
Moskvich 60 days has a great taste as well.
Manitoba which you have is also great.

[Moshu]

I think that Stupice is an early tomato that tastes great

[fishguysky]

I grew a porter last year in my window sill.
It fruited within 6 weeks! If I could get my hands on more I would!
I recommend!

[dustyrivergardens]

first tomato that has set for me this year...

[applestar]

Here is the first unpolished/uncut list for my Winter Indoor Tomato variety selection. I only acquired seeds for varieties that were described as REALLY "yum"

I will be going over these in detail in a new thread soon, but you are welcome to peruse the full list.. *Early <60 days, Early 60's, Early-Mid 65-75 days, Mid 70's
But DTM is dependent on location so it's not entirely reliable.

I have all of these seeds but most of them in trade/gift so I don't realy have enough to trade away at this time, though there are exceptions, especially ones I've already grown before. I'm going to select varieties that meet my other criteria for Winter Indoor project, narrow them down and try growing those this summer to make a selection for next winter. So I will have more seeds for the ones I grow out by the end of this season.

Ones with F# are unstable crosses and not generally available, but most others are commercialy available, especially on-line.

Of these ones I've grown to ripe fruit so far are: Sophie's Choice, Bellstar, Black Cherry, Black Krim, Matt's Wild Cherry, Moskvich, Sun Sugar F2, Spudakee, Yellow Bell, Zarnitsa, Black and Brown Boar, Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye, Pruden's Purple, Sugar Plum F3 ...I can recommend all of them except Zarnitsa so far. We are still evaluating Zarnitsa -- it's tangy and not what wr're used to -- completely fails when compare to Spudakee. Bold ones were particularly outstanding last summer and this winter. (they are listed multiple times because I list them for each year's seed supply -- number of repetitions indicative of number of years I've grown them) Moskvich has been my favorite earliest variety but I didn't grow it last year to make room for others. It's standing will be tested this summer against these new varieties.

I have Anna Banana Russian (yellow fruited version) seeds, but it didn't make it into this list because it's listed as 75-80 days (Mid).

Beaverlodge Slicer *Early Red Saladette DET 55 days 1.5-2" red round fruits. Productive. Ex. compact and prostrate. Rich balanced flavor.
Belyi Naliv *Early Red Saladette round Dwf IND 40" 55-60 days. 2" red round fruits. Productive. Dwarf or short indeterminate. < 40" sweet and tangy.
Bloody Butcher *Early Red Saladette round RL IND 55 days 2" to med red beefsteak. Productive. Requires staking (tall/not short?) rich heirloom flavor.
Coyote *early Light Yellow Small Cherry IND RL large prostrate 55-65 days.
Extreme bush *early Red Saladette-salad round Dwarf rugose 50 days
kootenai (dwarf) *Early Red saladette Round oblate Rugose RL DET Dwarf Med 45-60 days
Sophie's Choice *Early Orange red skin/ red flesh Salad Dwarf DET 18-24" 55 days
Sophie's Choice *Early Orange red skin/ red flesh Salad Dwarf DET 55 days
Bellstar Early Red Salad oblate jointless DET 65 days
Black Cherry Early Purple Cherry IND 65 days
Black Cherry Early Purple Cherry IND 65 days
Black Krim Early Dark red green shoulders Salad IND RL short
Black Krim Early Dark red green shoulders Salad IND RL short
Italian Red Cherry Early Red Cherry DET 65 days
Matt's Folly Early Red Saladette-Salad IND 68 days
Matt's Wild Cherry Early Red Small Cherry IND RL 60 days
Matt's Wild Cherry Early Red Small Cherry IND RL 60 days
Moskvich Early Red Salad IND RL 60 days
Moskvich Early Red Salad IND RL 60 days
Northern Lights Early Bicolor yellow orange skin/yellow flesh with red blush-center Med Beefsteak IND 60 days
Sun Sugar F3 Early Orange Cherry IND 62-67 days
Spudakee Early Purple Salad IND PL short
Tiny Tim Early Red Cherry Dwarf trailing DET 60 days
Urbikany Early Red Saladette-salad round Short IND 36" 62 days
Yellow Bell Early Pale yellow with pink blush Medium Sausage IND 60 days
Yellow Bell Early Pale yellow with pink blush Medium Sausage IND 60 days
Zarnitsa Early Red Saladette SIND 60 days
Zarnitsa (dwarf strain) Early Red Saladette SIND 60 days
Native Sun Early Yellow DET RL
Black and Brown Boar Early-Mid Mahogany with green stripes Salad IND RL 65-75 days
Black and Brown Boar Early-Mid Mahogany with green stripes Salad IND RL 65-75 days
Black and Brown Boar Early-Mid Mahogany with green stripes Salad IND RL 65-75 days
Bursztyn Early-Mid Amber-gold Saladette DET 60-70 days
Campari F2 Early-Mid Saladette 60-70 days
Donomater F2 Early-mid Red with dark yellow shoulders Salad DET/SDET
Donomater F3 Early-mid Red with dark yellow shoulders Salad DET/SDET
Grub's Mystery Green Early-Mid Dark Yellow skin green flesh Large GWR PL
Jaune Flamme Early-Mid Yellow orange Saladette IND RL
Lucky Leprechaun Early-Mid Red Saladette Dwarf DET RL rugose
Moosolini F3 Early-Mid Red Fluted PL
Native Sun Early-mid Yellow Salad DET RL
Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye Early-Mid Port Wine/metallic green stripes Med beefsteak IND RL
Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye Early-Mid Port Wine/metallic green stripes Med beefsteak IND RL
Prudens Purple Early-Mid Pink skin/red flesh Beefsteak IND PL
Prudens Purple (big fruit) Early-Mid Pink skin/red flesh Beefsteak IND PL
Russo Sicilian Togetta Early-Mid Red Fluted salad DET/INDET RL
Sinister Minister F4 Early-Mid Mahogany with green shoulders Grape
Snow White Early-Mid Pale yellow Cherry
Sugar Plum F2 Early-mid Red Grape Ind RL
Sugar Plum F3 Early-mid Red Grape Ind RL
Thessaloniki Early-mid Red globe Ind RL
Tigerella Early-mid Red with orange stripes Saladette IND
Victorian Dwarf Early-mid Red Salad DWF PL
Rosella Purple Mid Purple Beefsteak Dwarf 3ft IND rugose RL

There are a number of true dwarf varieties missing from this list because I don't know their DTM. I'm planning to trial most of them this summer to decide whether to add them to Winter candidates.

[digitS']

Whoa this thread has "evolved!"

. . . first tomato that has set for me this year...

And, set fruit! How'd you get away with that Dusty? You're growing that indoors, aren't you?

Porter in a window makes sense. The plants are small. I thought the flavor was pretty good. I mean, they are something of a paste tomato but I think they could be called a "saladette" - not that what they are called makes much difference. Anyway, they are real nice fresh and that can't be said about some.

That list is really impressive, AppleStar! Those are from your outdoor trails? My curiosity is aroused about Spudakee . . . off to do some research . . .

Steve

[LA47]

Whoa! So many choices, so little space! I have ordered two paste/fresh eating ones to experiment with. They are long seasons ones but I plan on starting them as soon as the order gets here. My house faces south with lots of concrete so I'm going to try a cold frame against the house (2" away actually) and try to get the concrete heated up so I can put them in it during the day anyway. We still need to build our greenhouse but the cold frame can be used by next month. I need to check out the many choices you've given me for short season ones...soon! Mike is going to start building the greenhouse as soon as the snow melts, but that may happen until May. Thanks for the suggestions.

[dustyrivergardens]

I have 6 dwarf tomato variety's I am growing and there all about the same size they are all blooming I am hoping for a few more to set this week. The dwarfs make excellent indoor winter plants and most of them are very good eating tomatoes. The Dwarfs were breed to grow in containers of 5 gallons some less and grow to there full height some 3ft some 4ft. I really need to get them in there final containers but like everybody I have been busy.

[applestar]

Which varieties? We're any of them on the early side? Did you start other varieties at the same time that could be used for comprising?

[dustyrivergardens]

kootenai, Jack as s F5, Sleeping Lady, Darth Mator x Demi Dov f3, Iditarod Red, Tasmanian Chocolate. The Kootenai is extra early the others are blooming but I should have transplanted these guys last week but I am thinking the Jack as s will be early as well but who knows we will have to see. The Iditarod Red is very early as well. I do have a few Coyote tomatoes but they are 4 weeks behind these guys I grew them last year and they about took over my yard so I thought they might do well in a small container I grew them last year in a large container and they were HUGE...

[applestar]

Thanks! Someone else told me that bout Coyote, too.

I have Kootenai as extra Early also, and I have Tasmanian Chocolate and JA Yellow both listed as Mid. I guess I'll just have to try them out.

[filmnet]

I agree most early ones are not sweet at all. Here op north we have only 60 hot days. I hope!! so I and friends have tomatoes to eat on the last days of July? I get them inside what a bag and a banana. My friends have my plants also and let the fruit on plants for 30 days after july. I do not know way they grow this? I am eating and they are wanting for red fruit on plants?Come on????

[applestar]

What varieties are you growing? Do you have experience with any of the ones on my list?

[dustyrivergardens]

Well I have grown the Coyote- I would say a mid small yellow current in size.
Black Cherry a good one mid at best I started growing Chocolate Cherrys instead I liked them better they are a stabilized cross with the black cherry.
Black and Brown Boar- a mid early tomato for me lots of small 3-5oz tomatoes good producer average taste.
Moosolini f3- I liked this one lots of nice flutted tomatoes good taste mid. I grew this one as well as it's sister Pinky Tuscadero both good eating.
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye - I liked this one very nice looking tomatoes and I liked the taste. mid early.
Snow White - a good tasting tomato small cherry light yellow mid early.
Rosella Purple Dwarf - a excellent tasting tomato heavy producer mid early.
I grew Stupice which is an early as well as Pink Honey which also Early I think these two should be on your list I do have seed for both if you want to try them.
My list is not together yet I wanted to grow 75 variety's right now my grow list is at 110 so I am still trying to see who I can cut.
My pepper list is similar I want to grow 20 variety's but I have 40 on my list.