A couple of years ago I built a raised garden and have planted four tomato plants each year since then. What I am harvesting are loads of same size, perfectly round tomatos with very little taste and baseball hard. What variety can I plant to get tomatos like my Father had in his garden 60 years ago? TIA Allan
Allan, Allan, Allan. I have never seen a gardener in more desperate need of heirloom tomatoes than you. I will suggest four varieties, but we really should know what area you live in or your Department of Agriculture zone.
Dufresne or Dufresne #2 (they are the same): 3-4 inch, luscious, fruit. Spreads 5-6 feet.
Sweet 100: The only cherry tomato I like. Like Dufresne, it is a large vine.
Cherokee Purple: The opposite of what you have been growing. Great flavour. Purple in colour, 10-12 oz fruit.
Black Krim: From the Crimean area of Russia. Delicious, earthy flavour. Almost a black colour. Does well in adverse conditions,
Do let us know what area you live in! -- Gardening Zones Canada Zone 5a United States Zone 3a
Sixty years ago, Rutgers was the most popular tomato, with Marglobe still in the running. Many home gardeners grew the Red Ponderosa which was also called Beefsteak. Today hundreds of "heirlooms" have been introduced by amateur breeder/traders. They have become very popular for various reasons, but I have not found any that can beat those old commercial varieties. If you like yellow, the Golden Ponderosa is very good. The Purple Ponderosa and and its imitators are very good pinks.
The most delicious tomato I've grown in recent years has been the Brandywine. Very large, pink rather than red, relatively thin skin. So full of flavor you don't even want to put a vinaigrette on it, just a pinch of salt. Oxheart is another very tasty heirloom variety. -aem
I have never tasted Rutgers. That said, the Red Brandywines were extraordinary in their flavour, but each vine produced only 4 or
5 tomatoes. Perhaps I am too far north -- in eastern Ontario near Ottawa. I am told Rutgers produces much better. -- Gardening Zones Canada Zone 5a United States Zone 3a
Mentioned to my nephew today about my post here and the reponses. He casually mentioned that he started 8 varieties of tomato plants each year and one of them is Brandywine....and he will give me all the plants I want. I really did get a lot of info from people with that post. Thanks again. Allan
We really love pineapple stupice. Each year we try several different heirloom varieties in addition to our standards. Seek out unique varieties at the local garden center, farmers market or mail order nursery. A nice site to read about the different varieties and what they taste like is
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I like to browse, make note of what sounds good and then hunt them down locally.
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