Favorite kind of tomatoes to grow?

[bearfan454]

Mine is Early Girl. I was thinking about trying a few Arkansas Travelers this year. In years past I have grown:

Celebrity
Early Girl
Mr. Stripey
German Queen
Black Crim
Sweet 100's
Cherokee Purple
Big Boy
Better Boy
Bush Goliath
Brandywine
Old German
Heatwave
Southern Star
Beefsteak
Mexican Beefsteak
Roma
Caspian Pink

and a bunch of others I can't think of right now. Out of all these Early Girl does the best in my soil. They make a lot, they're good sized, they taste good, and the keep making way into the summer. The only thing I don't like about them is that the plant grows so tall it falls over. I have to pound rebar into the ground to keep the cages upright.

What's your favorite kind of tomato to grow?

[Gormy Cuss]

1. Striped German and Cherokee Purple.

Those two we grow every year without fail. Striped German is a huge tomato (over 2 lb fruit are not uncommon) and it has great flavor. Cherokee is just the best tasting black tomato that I've ever had.
We always have one Early Girl plant because it's the first to ripen and the last to quit.

Others this year:
Reif Redheart
Principe Borghese
Sweet 100
Yellow Pear
Brandywine
Costuluto Genovese
San Marzano type
Taxi

[lpbk2713]

2. I'm trying one this year that I never heard of before.

Bonnie Original .... Link: http://www.bonnieplants.com/Default.aspx?tabid=89

It's from the Bonnie Plants people. I'll see how it does.

I've also had good luck with Big Beef and Roma.

[formercia]

17. I hate to admit it

but Big Beef is the best early,large and Indeterminate tomato. I was bummed when Monsanto bought out Semenis, the originator of Big Beef and my ecologically minded seed supplier quit carrying it.
I decided to save some seed to see how the F2 offspring would fare. As it turns out, the quality was almost as good and they began to ripen at least a week earlier.

A pleasant surprise.

[BOSSHOG]

3. CREOLE TOMATOES

The tastiest I ever had. Plants available in and around New Orleans. Supposedly the only real Creoles come from Plaquemines and St Bernard Parishes. This year I'm trying some new ones:

- Costoluto Genevose
- Oaxacan Jewel
- Sprite, a smaller grape tomato plant

[bvar22]

4. Rutgers/Arkansas Travelers

Rutgers & Arkansas Travelers were my "last year" favorites.
Very smooth.
We'll be planting more of them this year.

Also planned:
Early Girls
Cherokee Purple
Yellow Plum
Roma

AND....**Creoles**, even if I have to drive to South Louisiana to buy the plants!
I couldn't believe that they just weren't available here (Central Arkansas) last year.
(Hi, BOSSHOG! "Creoles" were ALL we grew in my youth in South Louisiana.
In fact, "Creole" was synonymous with "tomato".

We may experiment with some local heirlooms, but haven't decided which plants yet.

(YUM!!! my mouth is watering just writing this).


I'm going to try for an early start with a small improvised hot house (Plastic sheeting around a raised box + heat lamp for nighttime frost.)

[BOSSHOG]

5. Love those Creoles

We grow a few plants but we always take a couple of trips down to Chalmette each season and buy a bunch. There's are always better then mine. Good luck with your season. I jumped the gun last year and a late frost bit me on the butt so this year I'm being more patient, but am starting some herbs indoors.

[bvar22]

6. Ever eat a Rocky & Carlos?

Is that spelled right.
I never paid much attention to spelling when I was in Chalmette.
I wonder if its still there? (old Chalmette, by the battlefield)
I've eaten a TON of oysters there!

We lost our tomato crop (12 plants) last year too to a hard mid-April freeze.
I'm going to take some precautions and still try for an early start on 3 - 4 plants.
(Raised bed against the South wall of the house with clear plastic superstructure and a heat lamp.)

We have a modest greenhouse in the planning stage.
We are fantasizing a Plaquemines Parish Satsuma tree in the greenhouse.


On Edit:
I googled "Rocky & Carlos" and found this:

Chalmette is the ‘jewel’ of the entire area. I have never felt to be so at home while away from home. I thing the first place I enjoyed a po’ boy was Meraux’s across Paris Rd. from the old Jerry LaVie’s lounge. We frequented the entire business community in Chalmette. It was better than going to such places as Las Vegas or Hawaii.

Rocky @ Carlos is the jewel of the jewel.
When I walk in that place and while eating the fantastic food, I feel like nothing else exists. And I don’t think I everf enjoy paying for a meal more as when I hand Rocky $8.50 for a meal and a Barq’s root beer; and of course tip the server lady the change. I could go on forever, but let me say in closing. Rocky @ Carlos should live on for as long as the Lord allows.

Oh Man! What I would give for an Oyster Sandwich and a Barq's!

http://www.beenthereclearinghouse.com/2006/01/10/it-will-never-be-the-same-with-rocky-and-carlos-being-five-minutes-away/

It looks like Rocky & Carlos is rebuilding!

[BOSSHOG]

7. I was in the Navy stationed down on Dauphine Street

and me and a Buddy would head to Rocky and Carlos at least once a month for lunch. What a great place. They got tore up pretty good by the hurricane but they have reopened at the same location. I mostly grew up in Washington County and my Dad had a godawful garden every year. He could just look at his garden spot and it would produce all summer and into the fall. I bet you could grow a Satsuma "way up north."

[murray hill farm]

8. Hi Bob.

I have been on the MLS for Mena and general area since I first saw your pictures last year. I am planning a trip out there for a week starting April 6th to begin to look for property and to get a good look at the area. If you know of any good and not too costly places for sale..land or land with structure...somewhere about 5 to 10 acres....out of city so I can keep chickens and goats, please do let me know. Thanks, Pat

[BOSSHOG]

9. If you get the opportunity

take old highway 71 from I-40 up towards Fayetteville. Since they put the "new" interstate bypass in its kinda lonely and might be a good place to check out real estate as you describe.

[murray hill farm]

10. Hey...thank you for the info!

i certainly will make the opportunity to take that advice. Do you live in that area too?

[BOSSHOG]

14. I lived in Fayetteville

in the 60's - 80's and way back when 71 south was the only way out of Fayetteville. The geography is incredible, very hilly and was a great place for Tyson's to throw up chicken houses all over the hills. I would suspect real estate would be reasonable since the beaten path is seldom beaten anymore. Good Luck and enjoy your visit.

[bvar22]

11. Hi!

Nice to hear from you again.
I'll certainly keep my eyes open.

Bob

[murray hill farm]

12. Thanks Bob!

I am really looking forward to seeing the area. I have pulled up every picture I can find of the area and every one looks amazing...but it was your garden pictures that initiated my interest. I had originally planned on driving out and camping while I looked around, but then decided to just fly and rent a car. I will be flying into Little Rock and driving over to Mena on the same day. do you have any recommendations on Motels in Mena? Pat

[Kolesar]

13. Put in these Burpee "Long Keepers"--picked them in September and was eating them until November

I put the plant starts in the ground on June 15. We had a few ripe ones to eat each week until our last big salad on November 18. After that, we had a few small ones that were slowly ripening. A local farmer always sells the starts. You can find the seeds online at a few places. http://www.burpee.com/product/vegetables/tomatoes/specialty+tomatoes/tomato+burpee%27s+long-keeper+-+1+pkt+%2830+seeds%29.do?search=basic&keyword=long+keeper&sortby=newArrivals&page=1
www.burpee.com

[NMDemDist2]

15. tomatoes in Nov in OH???

:wow:

[silverweb]

16. Roma.

They're most versatile for my varied uses and easier to grow in containers.

[Blue Gardener]

18. Sun Sugar or Sungold

Those little yellow ones that are so sweet they melt in your mouth.

[knitter4democracy]

19. I'm trying five varieties this year.

Last year was a terrible year for tomatoes here in Michigan (I thought it was just me until everyone at church started talking about it). My Romas did as well as everyone else's. This year, I'm doing Roma, San Marzano, Amish Paste, Opalka, and an early eating tomato I forget the name of. I'm hoping to can more than last year, even though I still have plenty of canned tomatoes. I did a bushel and a half last summer, plus a bit more, so I'm hoping I can grow at least that many myself.

[CrispyQ]

20. I don't know, but I hope by the end of gardening season next fall,

I can give you a review of Brandywine & Italian Roma tomatoes. ;)

Last year I bought one of the last remaining tomato plants at the grocery store. It was marked some kind of giant tomato, great for sandwich slices. We stuck it in a giant pot & waited. It turned out to be a roma & they were some of the best tasting tomatoes I've had in years! I don't know if it was the variety that was so good or that we grew it or both. But those great tasting tomatoes were the inspiration to attempt small garden this year. We're going to do two kinds of tomatoes, basil, onions & pumpkins - for carving.

[K8-EEE]

21. Early Girl and Yellow Boy

I love making BLTs with yellow and red tomatoes, avocados (and soy bacon!) Vegan delite!