Tomatoes for 2023

[seedcorn]

What were you happy with in 2022? Unhappy with?

Has anyone grown Jersey Devils? Sound interesting.

@Zeedman , will try the orange oxheart’s again next year. Had more positive about them than negative. One that that surprised me was they came on earlier than Big Boys and Better Boys and San Mariano. One disappointment was they were susceptible to rot though.

 

[digitS']

You haven't specified hybrid/OP as you did with cucumbers, Seed'. That left my Talladega F1 slicers out.

Happy with in 2022? Yellow Jellybean F1 were such darn robust plants through all of the difficult, & different weather, that they made trouble for their neighbors both as potted plants and in the open garden. As a snacking tomato, I'm very pleased with them over several recent years.

Porters OP was one of the tomatoes that they made trouble for but, Oh My, did Porters produce well! They always do just fine but they have to be what you are looking for. This variety must have been something like the first "saladette." It only looks like it might be a paste. Also, it has a very mild flavor.

I'm not sure why I didn't have Big Beef in 2022. However, you seem to have that league already out there on the field with Better Boys and Big Boys.

Several of my standards didn't produce all that well this year. A difficult start out of the South Window and greenhouse, then a hot and very, very dry season outdoors.

Steve

 

[Dahlia]

What were you happy with in 2022? Unhappy with?

Has anyone grown Jersey Devils? Sound interesting.

@Zeedman , will try the orange oxheart’s again next year. Had more positive about them than negative. One that that surprised me was they came on earlier than Big Boys and Better Boys and San Mariano. One disappointment was they were susceptible to rot though.

I was really happy with a couple varieties of cherry tomatoes! Sun Gold and Golden Grape. I love those kind of tomatoes! It seems cherry tomatoes do well here in the Pacific Northwest, but I don't have as much luck with the large tomatoes. It seems the growing season isn't long enough. I also was super happy with my rosemary, chives, thyme, oregano, basil, sage, and dill!

 

[ducks4you]

@digitS' , I wonder if you should try containers for your tomatoies. I know they need more watering.
I also know that when you water in very dry conditions the soil around the plants will suck the water out of where you need it.
Today, I am bringing in my plants for the winter. One window box is for 6 geraniums. Geraniums will do great on the 2nd floor, don't need much light, and will often flower in February, too. I have killed them by letting them dry out.
My solution is to use a (biodegradable) kitchen garbage bag inside before I put soil in and transplant them. I hope to check them every time I give monthly heartworm meds to my dogs.
I guess you could check to see if anybody near you has those tubs that had cattle molasses licks. They hold, I think, 10 gallons, plenty for most tomatoes, IMHO, and usually made out of rubber.
Rubber bowls are VERY hard wearing. I know bc my horses play with their rubber feed buckets, and it takes years for them to make them leak and thus create pasture toys.

 

[ducks4you]

First is rubber,

2nd is hard plastic. Either would need drainage holes. Both make good planters.

 

[heirloomgal]

I've grown Jersey Devils. Very attractive fire engine red fruits with that horned bottom. I did find they were some of my lowest yielding cooking tomatoes though. Just not many fruits/plant compared to all the others.

Germaid Red was a shockingly good tomato in 2023. Even the smell of the cut fruit was incredible.

 

[digitS']

Here's my example of being a little disappointed in 2022.

Gary O Sena tomato plants have been in my garden for 10 years or so. A couple of seasons ago, they had obviously crossed with something and I didn't have the pre-cross seed from an earlier year. I ordered a new supply from Restoration Seed. Restored, I once again had this big, mild slicer keeping DW happy .

Plants from the new seed, just like the originals, were healthy and doing just fine. Even through all-time record heat in late June 2021. Maybe the heat came too late in 2022 -- hottest August in history. The Gary O Cena had huge tomatoes; unfortunately, they all had those concentric breaks.

A problem with the entire process was travel time and irrigation time needed in the distant garden this year. I was trying to get by with my usual 2x/week watering schedule out there. It wasn't working and I was about 2 weeks late in realizing that. Nevertheless, I had more than enough of a tomato harvest. Yes, the potted tomatoes here in the backyard required daily watering. Their roots pass through the holes in the bottom of the pots but it isn't enough.

"2023" @heirloomgal ?? One thing about the gardening experience, we all are anticipating, anticipating ...

Steve

 

[digitS']

BTW @heirloomgal ,

how did Jaune Flamme do for you?

Aren't those pretty things ? I don't grow paste tomatoes as a usual thing but might those serve a dual purpose as both a paste and for fresh eating?

 

[seedcorn]

I've grown Jersey Devils. Very attractive fire engine red fruits with that horned bottom. I did find they were some of my lowest yielding cooking tomatoes though. Just not many fruits/plant compared to all the others.

Germaid Red was a shockingly good tomato in 2023. Even the smell of the cut fruit was incredible.

How did they taste? Would like a paste type that has some flavor. IMO, Roma’s lack any flavor. San Marranos still lack some flavor compared to Better Boys.
Had Lincoln’s-yuck!
Amish paste-yuck!

 

[flowerbug]

Big Beef of the two varieties we had last year was the better one. tons of production from them when kept watered and in moderately fertile soil. don't recall BER being a problem with them either. i'm not fond of their very firm texture as they remind me of a mid-winter store tomato but the flavor was acceptable and they processed well for canning (which is our primary reason for growing a lot of tomatoes).