let's talk mater varieties...

[BowGuy84]

What do you like and why?

I've always planted lots of better boy and big boy but am wanting to plant some different varieties. These are great tomatoes in my opinion for eatting maters, but lack the firmness for a lot of cooking.

I want a variety of heirloom, a variety for some Bigger fried green maters

and a good flavored big variety for BLT. I bought 8# of bacon on Sunday when Kroger had the Wrights on sale but that will probably be gone well before Derby and if not cooking breakfast and libations for 30 for Oaks should take down the rest.

Anyways, post up your favorite and their best attributes.

 

[catman529]

I never grow big or better boys, they are good plants and produce well but dont have the flavor of some of the open pollinated varieties. Sure as heck they beat store bought tomatoes though.

Some staples that I like to grow are Brandywine (sudduth strain), Opalka (for cooking and drying), Black Krim, Sungold F1, Black Cherry, and some kind of yellow tomato (this year will be trying Kellogg's Breakfast for the first time... tried Aunt Gertie's Gold in the past and it was a good one).

I can never remember all my varieties off the top of my head lol. Just got my Sungold F1 seeds in the mail today from Johnnys Seeds.

If you want a good heirloom and low production doesn't bother you, plant a few Brandywines. Sudduth strain is said to be the best strain. Brandywine is said by many to be the best tomato. I have to say it is a really good beefsteak tomato and worth growing again (going on my 3rd year with it). For a black tomato, I always grow Black Krim. Usually a bit smaller than beefsteak, but awesome flavor and color. Can get a bit mushy, but just don't let it ripen too long and handle it carefully. Green shoulders are normal.

Sungold is currently the only hybrid I am growing and it's a doggone good one. Plants get massive... huge sprawling bushes... loaded up with yellow-orange cherry tomatoes that have the best flavor of almost any cherry tomato you will taste. I had 2 plants in 2010 and plenty of tomatoes for the whole family. Will have at least 2 plants this year.

If you want a good firm cooking tomato, one that has flavor unlike Romas, Opalka is my staple paste tomato. It's firm, almost crisp, and just as good to eat raw as it is for cooking. Great tomato flavor and good production. Plants look flimsy and wispy, but that's just the nature of the variety. Just don't forget to water evenly (I rarely water after transplant shock is past) so they don't get blossom end rot. Usually they will get it anyway early in the season, like most paste-type tomatoes.

 

[jb3]

Wish I didn't have so much shade in my yard or I would be growing. I end up paying some child's college education for what I spend on them at farmers market. Forgot the name of the farm, but I usually get a meal out of just going down there tasting different varieties, especially the heirlooms.

 

[fishboy1]

Amish paste
Australian..uh something or other....big heart shaped roma type
Tommy toes
Carolina gold (early producer, lower acid...incredible on BLT )
German Striped (good for canning and sauce)

Heirlooms rock. We plant extras to make up for the lower production.
Haven't had good luck with the black krim.
Tried a Russian purple last year that did better but not by much. Got blossom end rot easily.

 

[TX300mag]

Celebrity
Homestead 24
San Marazano
Solar Fire
Sweet Million
Supersweet 100
Sungold
Cherokee Purple
Lemon Boy
Early Girl
Arkansas Traveler
Brandywine
Orange Oxheart

 

[Hogbear]

Favorite for sandwiches and such is Costoluto Genovese

 

[Wildcat]

Last year was the frist time I tried to plant tomatoes since I moved and I ran into a lot of problems, I never had those problems where I used to live.

This year I'm going to put out hybrids to see if they will do better here. I'm going with Burpee's new Big Daddy and the Brandy Boy.

 

[Homebrewer]

Bradley o. p.
Brandywine
Jefferson Giant
German Pink
German Johnson
Large Red Cherry
Christmas Grapes
Cherry Roma
All Heirloom except I have 6 Jetstar Hybrid

 

[woodchuckc]

Persimmon
Cherokee Purple
Yellow Brandywine
Pink Brandywine (Suddath)
Marianna's Peace
Arkansas Traveler
Coustralee
Tommy Toe

Those are the ones I grow every year, and I usually grow another 7-8 new heirlooms per year. Last year I cut back to 30 plants, but usually have 55-60.

 

[mlhm5]

Cherokee Purple is a big good tasting tomato. I usually plant 8-10 of these along with Jetstar (not heirloom) and most of the others everyone has listed.

 

[Boone 58]

If it isnt "acidic.....i.e. beefsteak............i dont eat or grow it. I likd mine tart not sweet.

 

[catman529]

If it isnt "acidic.....i.e. beefsteak............i dont eat or grow it. I likd mine tart not sweet.

I've had some pretty sweet beefsteaks... not my preference either. (except Brandywine is the best) I love sweet cherry tomatoes but I like my beefsteaks to have a good old tomato flavor.