Contrary Tomatoes

flowerbug

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It would surprise me if you have more trouble with splitting than I do, @flowerbug . Well, maybe ... lots of excess water at times?.

I once had a neighbor gardening and her sprinklers put so much water on my tomato plants that the fruits of the mild varieties became nearly tasteless. I was already inclined toward split-resistant. She would water sooo often -- then complain about how much electricity her well pump added to her utility bill.

I finally vetoed Yellow Pear from the garden, @ducks4you .

There are differences in tastes in a household. That's actually been a good thing for me. I grew red fruited types only -- until I became frustrated that DW wouldn't eat red slicers.

I suspected that if they were more interesting and mild, she would eat those. Bingo. Then, I realized that I liked many of those, too! Inexperienced, @Zeedman .(She also learned to eat the big, red ones that way :).)

Steve

the trouble with splitting is that towards this time of the season when we are picking/harvesting i don't want to water when there are tomatoes above the hard green stage. we've not had regular rains here this season at all. i had Mom water yesterday a bit and she doesn't usually water deeply so it will probably be just enough to hold them over until this weekend when we might get some rains. likely we'll also pick again before then or that day or the next day so any splits won't be too much of a problem. one thing nice about tomatoes with enough acid in them is that even if they do develop a problem it may still leave the fruit in a useful state if you can pick it quickly enough. :)

the sweet100 splitting has been an issue every time we grow them, but there are so many on a plant that we don't mind it. any extras that split, if Mom won't eat them we put them in the pot to be put up with the rest of the tomatoes. it does add more sweetness to the batch, but when i one time canned the juice from sweet100s alone it was bland and not worth it. gotta have the flavor from the beefsteaks to be better. like the beefsteaks a split in a sweet100 will still be useable if you get it picked soon enough. in my experience though a lot of the splits happen after they're picked or if you get a rain after they've ripened but you've not had a chance to get them off the plant.

this season there was not much sign of BER on the tomatoes. i think that is because when the weather turned very hot and arid for several weeks early in the summer i was out there every few days watering to keep the plants reasonably supplied with water.
 

catjac1975

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What tomato variety has given you trouble but you still grow it, or intend to grow it?

I just commented on splitting cherries. I can first say that I grew Yellow Pear through 4 seasons. It always had trouble with splitting (although DW liked them). The final season that I grew Yellow Pear, I don't believe I harvested a single one that was not split! I have no intention of ever growing it again.

Sun Sugar is a nice golden cherry and splits next to never :). However, it isn't quite as sweet and flavorful as Sungold. Sungold will spit, and yet, I must have grown it for 20 seasons, or close to it.

Any and all varieties - which one will you patiently "put up with."

:) Steve
The best cherry ever Sun Peach So sweet.
 

ducks4you

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Such an interesting Thread! We are dubunking claims of tomato variety sweetness, bc this is where the rubber meets the road. I thought these tomato failures were just mine.
@ninnymary , it could be your soil re: Sungolds, but cherry tomatoes are the Original central american tomato, and the easiest and most adaptable. It's the heirlooms that seem to give people trouble. Also, I have grown Rainbow Tomatoes and I loved to can them bc they are always huge. DH doesn't like the taste, and in 2019, they really didn't taste as great as the Rutgers I grew. According to Johnny's Seeds the Sun Peach looks Very productive. I'm game.
 

flowerbug

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besides the soil being ok, you also do need enough sunshine to get those leaves to make the sugars for you.

in the case of the sweet 100s the last few days when they are ripening make a lot of difference in flavor.
 

digitS'

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Here's a little information on a few of the Sun family from Osbourne trials.

LINK

Tokita Seed has a wholesale seed catalog and "Tomatoberry" is also one of their varieties. Those sound good.

Mary's tomato problems may relate to her location. And, she may be comparing her plants' performance with warmer regions nearby. I mean, it's no secret that Sacramento is also known as Sacratomato.

Steve
 

catjac1975

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Cat, do you have 3-4 extra seeds I could have? I'm always on the lookout for a sweet cherry. I don't think Sungolds are as sweet as people say they are. But maybe it's my soil or climate?

Thanks,
Mary
I will look to see if I have any left. I think I bought new this year which should mean I have leftovers. Message me your address.
 

digitS'

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I like the story of tomatoes in North America. Shows something about how silly we often are ;).

Coyote is a recent introduction (20 or so years ago) from Mexico, if I remember my information right. The researcher was at the site of an Indian village and they were growing wild.

Also, if I remember right, we don't now know how far north Native Americans were growing the tomato.

Steve
 

ducks4you

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Also, if I remember right, we don't now know how far north Native Americans were growing the tomato.

Steve
Do you think we gardeners really care?!?!? I have tried to keep a Gardenia alive, for heaven's sake! Glad to know I'm not the Only person to kill one. Sure did smell nice when it was alive.
Seriously, I don't think the Native Americans would have bothered with any plants that were hard to care for, but SOMEBODY introduced the tomato to the English colonies, else they wouldn't have recorded tomato sauce recipes in the 18th century. Perhaps, since the Eastern tribes were agrarian, they were already growing it there.
 
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