2015 Tomato Grow List

[duckcreekfarms]

OK I can't list everything I plan to grow out for seed production, (probably around 100 varieteis) but here is what I plan to grow out for transplant sales at the Plant Festivals/Farmer's Market etc.

Last year, I only grew a very small amount of seedlings, but will increase that this year.  I used to grow litterally 1000's of seedlings, but times have changed.

Cherry types
Black Cherry
Grape
Mexico Midget
Red Variety to be decided
Sungold
Sunsugar

OP & Heirloom types
Black Krim
Burgundy Traveler
Carbon
Cherokee Purple
Costoluto Genevese
Dana’s Dusky Rose
Grandma Suzy’s Beefsteak
Randy’s Brandy
Royal Hillbilly
Sioux
Vintage Wine
Yellow 1884

Paste types
Roma
Rio Grande

Hybrids
Better Boy
Big Beef
Celebrity
Jet Star

So what are you going to plant this year???

[macmex]

Nice varieties! I have to look a couple up.

George

[duckcreekfarms]

OK I guess no one else is growing Tomatoes this year???

[macmex]

Sorry! Snow, ice, kidding (goats), taxes, computer problems....

I plan to grow:
Baker Family Heirloom
Black Cherry
Carbon Copy
Sioux
Heidi
Tuxhorn Yellow & Red
Little Bells

and probably Sunray VF

May sneak another in there, especially if I have one needing the seed renewed. But that's what I'm aiming for.

[macmex]

Okay, I planted my last tomato and pepper seeds yesterday. I didn't plant Sunray VF. But I did plant Tomato Rocky. I've heard rumors that the summer will be like last summer, and that was really good for Tomato Rocky. I had started to plant Clark's Early Jewel, which Ron Cook had shared with me. But I decided that I was getting too stretched, as it was, and decided to put that one back into frozen storage, for next year.

I received Tuxhorn's Yellow and Red from Mrs. Ed Tuxhorn, in Warsaw, Indiana, in 1985. She and her family had been growing it for years. I suspect that someone had carried it to Indiana from the Appalachians. She actually gave me some plants and I grew them that summer. It did exceedingly well. Here in Oklahoma the plant shows itself to be exceedingly vigorous. But the fruit will sometimes rot during the worst of our summer heat. It has been my habit to start this one a little later and enjoy it for a fall crop. Though, this year I will get it out with the main crop. The fruit is quite large and it makes a very good slicer. It is one of many heirlooms which are yellow fleshed with red streaking and marbling. Tuxhorn's Yellow and Red has two main flaws: 1) the fruit has a large core and 2) it rots easily when our temperatures are really high. It has three main strengths: 1) The fruit is exceedingly impressive (beautiful), 2) The plants are exceedingly hardy and vigorous, and 3) This one makes the absolute best fried green tomatoes that I have ever tried. The flavor is sharper than other varieties used this way. This is one of the few old beefsteaks, I brought with me to Oklahoma, which gets grown regularly, due to our growing conditions.

Heidi continues to impress me very much. This will be the third season for me to grow it. But this year, it will be my main plum tomato, used for making sauce. Last year Rio Grande received that slot. Rio Grande did okay. It is determinate, so it did peter out after about a month. In past years Roma VF had this slot. There is little to complain with Roma. It is excellent in production, though it too, peters out after about a month. Heidi produces over a longer period of time. It is also exceedingly good for hot conditions. Its weakness might be that the fruit, though plum shaped, are not truly paste. They are more watery than a paste tomato. But then again, they taste better than most paste varieties.

Baker Family Heirloom continues to be the one "must grow variety" in our garden. Though, I have to admit, I could fill that slot, about as easily, with Sioux. I am experiencing a pleasant anticipation as I consider that I will have Sioux in our garden, again, this year. Sioux is an excellent variety.

Folks, I know it's getting busy for us gardeners now. But chime in and share what you are growing and why. This information is helpful for others.

George