ISO: ISO good tomatoe plants...I'm trying to grow my own this year (more)

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evan

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I know I did read about some people here growing their own tomatoes a few years back but I wasn't really into gardening then.

Now I am, and I really need some tips on what tomatoes to grow. Which ones tastes good? Should I have beef or cherry tomatoes, or both? How many kinds did you grow?

I'd really appreciate some help because my garden center has got like 20 different kinds of tomatoe seeds. I'm not supposed to have one of each I hope smileys/wink.gif))

 
Look in Seed Savers for heirloom tomatoes like

German Johnson, mortgage lifter, cherokee purple, etc. They by far have the best flavor.

 
Hi Eva - I've been growing tomatoes in the backyard for many years, and...

I always start with plants, not seeds. Just convenience, I guess, but I have never even SEEN tomato seeds for sale. At least around here, maybe because of the late start of winter here in NYS, which I am assuming you probably have there in Norway, too. So that way, when you plant them, they have already "taken hold" unlike seeds which would take about another month to get to the same point of growth.

We usually have 2-3 different kinds, because that way you always have something ripe at one time or another. Also, you might want to plant a few plants a week or so after the first ones, then a few more 2 weeks later, etc. for the same reason.

We always have Beefsteak (meaty, large, sweet, bright red) as well as "Early Girl" (smaller, but very plentiful, slightly less sweet than Beefsteak; and, of course, they ripen pretty quickly). We usually have grape tomatoes, too. Not sure which kind.

About 4-6 plants of each, in an area about 10 feet x 7 feet. Make sure they have a lot of sun, and if it's a warm summer, you'll have waaaay too many - enough to share with friends.

 
Hi Eva, I've been growing my own tomatoes fo rhte past few years, and this

year I decided to start some from seed. I ordered from Tomato Bob, I've included a link to his website.

I just put the seeds in Sunday, so I'm watching and waiting!

I got carried away and ordered 12 different types - plus Bob threw in 3 "bonus" pkgs
smileys/surprise.gif

http://www.tomatobob.com/

 
Tomatoes...

I too have always bought seedlings from the greenhouse - always meant to try some from seed, but procrastination has prevented that;o) If you are going to start from seed, you’ll need to start 4-6 weeks before the last frost normally occurs in your area.

I mostly use varieties that mature relatively quickly, due to our short summers. (Here the plants go into the ground after the 3rd week in May and need to be harvested the 1st or 2nd week in September.) Normally I do 5 varieties.

My favourite cherry tomato is the Sun Gold (very sweet!), which needs 60 days to maturity. (Haven’t tried the grape tomatoes as yet, though.)

For a medium sized (5 oz) tomato, I like the Bush Early Girl a little better than Early Girl (52 days). Among other things, it doesn’t need pruning and stops growing at a determinate height. This one's my hedge against a disastrously short season!

I also like Celebrity (8 oz), which is highly rated for flavour, disease resistance and cracking (72 days). It also doesn’t require pruning.

For really large, sandwich-sized slices, I plant Big Beef (10-14 oz), which is high yielding, meaty and flavourful. It’s also one of the earliest of the beefsteak varieties at 73 days.

Last, but certainly not least, I like to plant several bushes of Roma (or Italian plum type) tomatoes, which I use in sauces and for fresh & canned salsa. I’ve had some amazing yields with Mamma Mia, which require no pruning but heavy staking (62 days).

Good luck with your crop! And keep us up to date on your progress, too!

 
The sun gold actually tastes like you have sprinkled

sugar on it when you cut into it. I don't think I have ever experienced anything like that.
I still recommend looking at Seed Savers for heirlooms. Much more flavor.

 
Hi Eva. Here are a few suggestions for you.

We've been growing tomatoes for years, and have tried many kinds. The newer tomatoes have been bred for color, shape, crack resistance, etc. A lot of the flavor is lost in the process, so we prefer the older varieties for taste. The beefsteak type tomatoes are good for slicing to put on hamburgs or sandwiches, but tend to have a mushy texture. We like the older varieties that dribble juice down your arm while you eat them from your hand.

For your first try, I'd suggest you limit yourself to 4 tomatoes. First I'd grow a cherry tomato. They are the first to ripen and are often more flavorful than the larger tomatoes. We like a variety called Super Sweet which is very prolific all season.
For a slicing, beefsteak tomato, big girl is a good standard variety that grows well.
The older variety that we like is Rutgers, has the old fashioned juicy tomato taste and is easy to grow.
And a roma tomato is a great tomato to have. They have less juice and more meat. They're good in salads, to make sauces, and wonderful roasted. My favorite is Viva italia.

We start our tomatoes from seed, but in pots. The growing season for tomatoes is too long for us to start with seed outdoors, so we plant them in flats under a grow (fluorescent) light. It takes a lot of watching to keep them from getting tall and spindly. Then we move them to a cold frame outdoors to harden them to the sunlight and weather. For a first try, I'd suggest you start with plants.

You can plant all the plants at the same time, as soon as the threat of frost is past. Once they start to produce, they will continue producing through the season. We don't stagger our plantings, and we have tomatoes up to the first frost. We're in a colder climate - like you. The rules are probably different in warmer areas.
Good luck. There's nothing that can compare to walking to the garden with the salt shaker in your hand to stand in the sunshine eating a fresh tomato with juice running off your chin.

 
Another Sungold fan here! One taste and you'll never go back. AND, they keep well...

in the fridge. All the other cherry/grape tomatoes I've tried go bad within a couple of days.

I live in the Willamette valley in Oregon. Last year I grew four "Super Marzano" sauce-type tomato plants--they're the best for making sauce. I also grew a couple of Celebrities and a really early variety.

It would be good to get some advice from people in your area. Different varieties are developed for different growing conditions.

 
The best Pinot Noir I've ever had in my life came from Willamette Valley.

Wish my hubby would go on another business trip to Portland! He used to bring back some nice wines from there. I love discovering regional wines.

I just asked him if he remembered the winery it came from...nope! We are supposed to be taking notes on these things.

 
Junebug, try "La Crema" - it's from CA - Very smooth and delicious.

and reasonably priced.

 
Two possibilities starting with a "W" (I'm sure there are a lot more smileys/smile.gif ....

Willamette Valley Vineyards 2002 Pinot Noir

WillaKenzie Estate 2003 Willamette Valley Pinot Noir (Screw Cap)

 
Junebug - am reposting this - (I already posted it in the wrong place a few posts down) ...

Try "La Crema" - it's from Sonoma Coast, CA - Very smooth and delicious and reasonably priced.

 
You're welcome. You're so lucky to live near a vineyard! BTW, here's a link to a review of

La Crema. This is my overall favorite Pinot Noir so far, in the under $20 category. It sells for about $16.99 in my area. (The $8.99 price listed on the review, which was written in April, is way off). Sterling Vineyards is good too, spicier then La Crema, but not as smooth (sells here for about $13.99).

If you try the Willamette Valley Vineyards Pinot Noir, don't forget to post your review!

http://pinotland.com/?p=12

 
Junebug - my favorite Pinot Noir is from Domaine Carneros in Napa. It's not cheap, but

worth a splurge every now and then. It runs about $25 per bottle. Every once in a while, I find it on sale, but not often enough.

 
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