Not Growing Hybrid Tomatoes Anymore

[BetterHensandGardens]

That's it, I've had it with the hybrid tomatoes. I've got both Brandywine and Early Girl ripening like crazy now, and it's not worth it to grow the hybrid. Pics and story here: http://www.betterhensandgardens.com/2010/09/22/a-tale-of-two-tomatoes/
Anyone else feel that way about the hybrids vs. the heirlooms?

 

[digitS']

I know of other gardeners who say that their very early varieties and their late varieties ripen at the same time. I find this very surprising but imagine that it has to do with specific climates.

I have never gotten more than 1 ripe tomato from an 80-day variety. Or, they are all green at the end of the season.

The tomato bench is deep; no reason to always send the same player out on the field . . .

Steve

 

[beavis]

I always plant both hybrids and heirlooms.

I consider it an insurance policy.

You never know from year to year which will perform better.



I usually end up with my hybrids being my big canning tomatoes and the heirlooms are the yummy eating tomatoes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I also plant both. I like some hybrids better than some heirlooms. I like some heirlooms better than some hybrids. Different tomato varieties, whether heirloom or hybrid, fulfill different purposes and perform differently year to year. Last year my Mr. Stripey and Black Krim were great. This year, they have yet to show up. I'll still plant them next year. You never know how any will perform.

 

[pharmerphil]

I have grown both through the years, but for the last 25 I have grown only heirlooms.
The wife and I enjoy the old time flavors/real tomato taste.
we plant 40 plants each year, assorted varieties.
We harvest 75-80 pound every three days, Heirlooms produce less?? well that's enough for Us.
Now, for the tomatoes that are slow to ripen..
Tomatoes like warm/hot weather to set fruit; however, temps between 68 and 75 are best for ripening, so, warm days..cooler nights, and you are in TOMATO heaven

 

[vfem]

I believe its based on climate, with our late-long seasons heirlooms are just fine for me. That's pretty much all I did this year. However, I like the idea of an insurance policy by keeping a few hybrids so you're not let down.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

I always plant both hybrids and heirlooms.

I consider it an insurance policy.

You never know from year to year which will perform better.



I usually end up with my hybrids being my big canning tomatoes and the heirlooms are the yummy eating tomatoes.

Using the hybrids for canning is a good idea - that's exactly where they're going. I'm still not convinced they're worth the effort though.

 

[digitS']

Early Girl has quite a history, BH&G. You can read about it here (click).

I can remember when it showed up. At that time, I thought I was stuck with Sub-Arctic tomatoes. There's one that I wouldn't recommend for flavor .

Early Girl might well have worked for me during those years. I was so pleased to move to a lower elevation where I could grow Earliana. Seedy thing, I don't know why I thought that one was so special!

I find it kind of funny how many gardeners, who swear by their heirloom tomatoes, grow Sungold cherries . Many make an exception for that hybrid.

Steve

 

[hoodat]

It would be hard to imagine any tomato outproducing what my purple Cherokee did this year. I had five plants and couldn't keep them picked. I canned a batch and supplied half my neighbors with tomatos. Next year, who knows? San Diego is the ideal tomato climate though. If you can't grow tomatos here you can't grow them anywhere. Until they buried the farms under tract homes there were miles and miles of tomato fields here in South San Diego. Now you have to drive to the Central Valley to see tomatos being farmed.

 

[sparkles2307]

I dont care for the flavor or texture of hybrids.

I broke down and bought 2 Early Girl hybrids at our local nursery this year and they suck compared to the heirlooms I grew from seed. I get better turnouts from my heirlooms too.