Tomato choices

I always start at least 20 or so varieties of tomatoes just for the fun of it. It seems that I used up many of my varieties of seed last year that I had kept for many years. I am looking for a giant meaty red tomato. I mean the biggest on the planet! Any ideas! I liked Burpees new Steakhouse that I got last year.

Are you thinking about an heirloom or hybrid, Cat'?

I planted Neves Azorean several years ago. It wasn't really terribly late but probably not the best choice for here. One of the very biggest heirlooms!

A number of companies carry the seed. Sample Seed is almost in your neck of the woods. They also have Prudens Purple. That's also a real nice big tomato - probably a good choice for those who don't think feel that Brandywine is a good choice for their climate. Speaking of which, Brandywine OTV is a red variety and earlier that many beefsteaks.

Steve

digitS' said:

Are you thinking about an heirloom or hybrid, Cat'?

I planted Neves Azorean several years ago. It wasn't really terribly late but probably not the best choice for here. One of the very biggest heirlooms!

A number of companies carry the seed. Sample Seed is almost in your neck of the woods. They also have Prudens Purple. That's also a real nice big tomato - probably a good choice for those who don't think feel that Brandywine is a good choice for their climate. Speaking of which, Brandywine OTV is a red variety and earlier that many beefsteaks.

Steve

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I am not an heirloom snob so that does not matter. I do plant some but, I make sure I also plant some hybrid disease resistant types. I like big tomatoes. A, one slice fills a whole sandwich, type! I will look for your selection!

My Brandywines, Mr. Stripey or even German Giants are among the biggest I've ever grown. Here's a pic of a few of such maters from a few years ago....the big one is conjoined maters on one stem and the one next to it is an ordinary Brandywine. And that wasn't even a good year for us, usually they don't have all the imperfections and generally have more meat.

I guess I've always grown smaller hybrids. Yes, that disease-resistance and higher production.

I may still have been influenced by names, altho years of growing them has tempered that.

Big Beef is not a very large beefsteak. Mine are fairly consistent at just over 8 ounces. Goliath is only a tad bigger. Big Beef has really good flavor but I like how a few Goliath will show up first by several days. Both are disease free and, along with Early Girl, the best producers in the tomato patch. Don't be fooled by the names, however .

Steve

I'm with Digits I'm not a big tomato grower. I like my midsized high yield ones.

German Giant came to mind I saw BK mentioned it. Hungarian Heart was another that came to mind. I've never grown it but it's worth a try. I know there are some big bicolor tomatoes too but I don't have any varieties to suggest.

Isn't Goliath a determinate tomato?

Well, let's see ... link

Goliath is NOT a determinate
Bush Goliath is a determinate
Cluster Goliath is NOT
Italian Goliath is NOT
Old Fashioned Goliath NOT
Pear Goliath is a determinate
Prime Beef Goliath is NOT
Sunny Golaith NOT

The only Goliath I have grown is the "Goliath" hybrid. There is an open-pollinated Goliath (link). It is supposed to live up to that name. Don't know ... Oh! It is an indeterminate.

Steve

@catjac1975 this might help you find what you want. i like her search feature for different tomatoes. it lets you choose the type/color/maturity. http://tatianastomatobase.com/seed-catalog/html/

As a rule we don't have the best summers for growing tomatoes, last year it was an exception but I've found if I start them early under lights, pot them on when they need it and move them to the greenhouse the end of March is working pretty good for me. As soon as the roots fill their pots I move them up a size, this way I have flowering plants when planted out sometime around the end of May beginning of June. Most of the tomatoes I grow are midsize. I haven't tried a beefsteak this way, small beefsteak transplants from the garden centers don't produce till around October around here and that's just too late. Our first frost is unpredictable, can be anytime in September or as late as November. I grow the hybrid Celebrity and a cherry called Cherokee Green Grape the rest are all heirlooms.
Annette