Tomatoes...just the beginning... part three post #7

[MontyJ]

This year I decided to try two new varieties for canning. I usually use Better Boy and Big Boy for canning. They are reliable, heavy producers, but I want to find some heirloom varieties that will seed true. I am not impressed with what I have tried this year; Brandywine and Rutgers. The Brandywine does produce some very large tomatoes, but not in the quantity I need. Rutgers seems to produce well, but again, not in the quantity I need and the fruits are smaller. Next year i think I will do Delicious for the entire crop of canners.

So, here is the first picking of canning tomatoes this year:









We got 12 quarts and 3 pints, or about 40 pounds. Very disappointing.

 

[baymule]

I feel ya' Monty. I planted 6 different heirloom varieties this spring. In previous years I planted Celebrity hybrids and got tons of tomatoes. I didn't get near enough tomatoes this summer and all the vines are now burnt up.

The varieties I did like were Cherokee Purple, nice, but not a lot of production. Arkansas Traveler, probably could have had better results, but the dang corn worms got in them, still-it's a keeper. Orange Icicle from Baker Creek, production was good and made nice dehydrated tomatoes. Riesentraube, cherry tomato that rivaled hybrids for production. As it got hotter, the size of the tomatoes got smaller and production went down. I guess I need a tomato that could grow on the edge of Hades.

I am going to try the Italian Tree Tomato next year. It will burn to a crisp too, but maybe I can get some production before it does.

http://store.tomatofest.com/Italian_Tree_Tomato_Seeds_p/tf-0261f.htm

I am trying different varieties to see what works until I find the varieties that do best here. You are on the same quest. You have room to plant some of the hybrids as well as the heirloom until you find that just right variety. Beautiful tomatoes BTW, even if they didn't produce what you wanted. :/

 

[Chickie'sMomaInNH]

got 30 different types going this year but only 1 grape tomato so far has came off them as of this morning. so i can't really compare much yet other than seeing a lot of green and just starting to get that orange blush. the patio toms are doing ok, the Marglobe Supreme's too. most of the plants i kept that were the strongest look really good and healthy with lots of green tomatoes on them. even my goofed up 'bianca rosa eggplant' tomato it producing and looking strong.

i may change my mind on growing Roma's next year. they haven't started blooming and they all look puny. i grew 3 different varieties i had seeds kicking around in my stash.

 

[majorcatfish]

Very nice job you two.

next year thinking about switching to either opalka or San marzano for canning.
Both are excellent for canning more meat and less snot.

 

[canesisters]

Very nice job you two.

next year thinking about switching to either opalka or San marzano for canning.
Both are excellent for canning more meat and less snot.

Nearly made me spray coffee out my nose!!!
I just KNEW there was a name for that stuff.

Monty, I know you were hoping for more, but that is really a lovely harvest.

 

[MontyJ]

Cut the grass this morning and finally got out to the garden to pick some more tomatoes. I had to get them done today since Im working out of town this coming week. I picked our 22 quart water bath canner full.



I may have underestimated the Brandywines a bit as there are still quite a few out there. Theres not as many as I would like to see, but they make up for it some in size. Most are running just under a pound, but many are well over a pound:



The Rutgers are doing OK. I do like the uniform size and shape of these tomatoes. They peel very well. Many are running in the 8oz range. Isnt this a pretty tomato:



The competition tomatoes are basically a wash. Weve had way too much rain this year. This is what happens when you have too much rain and not enough fruit on the plant to take it all in (also note the hail scars):



I still have a few fruit on those plants, but I doubt I will have anything over 2 pounds. In fact, a Brandywine may well produce my largest tomato this year.

Well, we blanched and peeled todays take, then cut them up:



Dew got the jars prepped with some lemon juice:



And into the canners they went. We did 7 quarts in the pressure canner to save time, and also 9 pints in the water bath canner. Yes, those are pickles in the background :



Im taking the rest of the evening off.

 

[MontyJ]

Picked more tomatoes today. Brandywine on the left, Rutgers on the right with a few Delicious in there somewhere:



Also picked a bunch of Romas for sauce:



Those Brandywine get really big:





All told I got 14 quarts and 3 pints of tomatoes and 12 pints plus 7 half pints of sauce canned up today:

 

[Carol Dee]

Jeez Monty, you make ne seem so LAZY! We have put up about 22 quarts of tomatoes and 8 of green beans (Which have all started to produce heavily , so it looks like lots of evening in the kitchen heat!) Ugh.

 

[baymule]

I am so jealous! My tomatoes sputtered to a stop way too early. I couldn't water them enough to convince them to keep living. Your tomatoes are beautiful!!

 

[digitS']

That is a pretty picnic table full of ripe tomatoes!

Are you beginning to have a greater appreciation for your 2013 selections, MontyJ? I'd be delighted to be able to grow 80+ day tomatoes! I have a Brandywine OTV in my garden. The plant looks like it is doing okay but I really question whether I'll get a ripe tomato off of it. The claim was that it ripened a few days before the other Brandywines.

Goliath is ripening right now. They are the "original" hybrid and Jung Seed has quite a few choices with that name. You can also find what Tomato Growers Supply says is an "Heirloom variety grown since the late 1800's" and they call simply "Goliath." At 85 days to maturity it is quite a bit later than the hybrid at 70 days. I assume that they are related and Tomato Growers does sell both.

It will be interesting to me if I can come close to matching your harvests in any fashion with the open-pollinated beefsteaks in my garden. Don't think that it is possible! I am just doing a "taste test" for DW and me with two 3 ounce fruits . Hey! Is it my fault the the very early OP varieties are so small?? It is mostly all right with me because I can make an attempt at cramming a 3 ounce fruit in my mouth all at once!

Do you & Dew ever can whole, cherry tomatoes?

Steve