Tomatoville® Gardening Forums - review 2018 growing season

My 2018 summer was interesting to say the least. Weather has been different and unpredictable. June was either uber hot in 90 or cold and rainy in 60. Early Fruit set was abysmal but plants grew 6 ft...
which is somewhat unusual for Chicago area, we generally do not have 90 in June and my tomatoes do not shoot up 6 ft with no tomatoes ...
One thing that I did not do is use TTF early, but I did use growers 4-18-38... I was hoping it would be a good sub so I do not have to order TTF on line as it is a bit expensive, I also have all those ingredients, as in fulvic acid etc cept proprietary "zymes" from TTF...
well, it did not work. Whether it was just bad luck... I ended up buying TTF mid June and things have improved.
July and August was very dry and hot and tomato taste was amazing.
Because of unusual summer I will take note of what did great and give other varieties a chance to shine some other year.

Descriptions are copied from Tania site or from other sources, my comments are in bold

Polish
late to mid-season, indet., large potato leaf plant with large pink beefsteak type fruits, 10-24 oz, excellent flavor.
[B]Winner. Large beautiful productive.[/B]

Babushkin secret
Russian , Grandma secret translation, bred and selected for Siberian region. Ind, pink, beefsteak, slicer, sweet
[B]Winner. Large beautiful productive[/B]

McKinley
Indet, regular leaf, large pink beefsteaks up to 1 lbs, juicy, with delicious rich flavor. A perfect tomato to slice for your sandwich
[B]Later than mid, nothing even close to 1 lb[/B]

Daniels
Indet., potato leaf.. Large pink beefsteaks, 8-17 oz. Very few seeds. Excellent sweet flavor
[B]Going to give it another chance but was on later mid side[/B]

Orenburg
indet., regular leaf, 4-7 oz smooth red round-oblate fruits, good balanced flavor, juicy
[B]Nice surprise, fresh and tasty and easy to grow[/B]

Gran's Portuguese neighbor
85 days, indet., regular leaf, 10-16 oz, pink oxheart fruit, very good flavor, high yield
[B]Oy, huge, tasty and prolific Super was about 78 days[/B]

Joe's portugese
Indet., regular leaf, large pink beefsteak fruits, 10-18 oz. Very good sweet flavor.
[B]Had difficulty germinating, but ended up being midseason and decent productivity, large[/B]

Joe Pink Oxheart
Huge pink oxheart tomato with huge flavor and few seeds and little juice ...
80 days. OP. Indet. Heirloom. Vigorous vine produces big bunches of huge pink tomatoes which are oxheart shaped, meaty, and have fantastic flavor. The tomatoes are relativley dry and have few seeds - perfect for processing. But also great on a sandwich due to its superb flavor - a good balance of sweet and acid. The plant is unlike other oxheart tomatoes. It is sturdy, not wispy, and has plenty of foliage. grew it in his backyard here in Alton, Missouri, for years.
[B]One plant was small round to oblate, second plant was correct, not very productive but did good and not very wispy. Keeper[/B]

Elsa
Indet., regular leaf plants with very good foliage cover. Red medium beefsteak fruits are 5-8 oz, with very good balanced flavor. Extremely productiv
[B]Just about first plant to produce, loaded, considering how bad my early summer was this one is coming back for sure[/B]

African Queen
indet., potato leaf, high yield of large pink beefsteaks of variable shapes, 12-20 oz, excellent sweet flavor, meaty flesh with small seed cavities, few seeds.
[B]Late one for me, maybe but I really do not like to bet on September tomatoes[/B]

Russian Bogatyr
Midseason, large indet., regular leaf plant, large red fruits are firm and mostly round, but other shapes may also show up. 6-13 oz. Excellent tomato flavor
[B]Repeat, superb as usual[/B]

Biyskaya Roza
Indet., regular leaf plants with good foliage cover. Large, 10-18 oz beefsteak fruits, smooth and shaped like Brandywine tomatoes, with most beautiful rose pink color. Very few small seed chambers with few seeds. So meaty and deliciously sweet. This is one of the first large-fruited tomato varieties that ripens in our garden. Early to mid-season maturity.
[B]My most favorite and superproducer, does well no matter what[/B]

Matsu express
Brandywine and Bloody butcher cross from Alaska. Early, great taste, large beef early then round
[B]Early but not too early, repeat, somehow I ended with smaller than usual fruit. Might ask for new seeds for next year[/B]

MOPLA
indet. tall plants, potato leaf, pink beefsteak fruits, 8-14 oz, excellent flavor, meaty and juicy
[B]Repeat, great as always[/B]

Violaceum Altaysky
Indet., regular leaf. Pink beefsteaks, 6-12 oz, with very good sweet flavor
[B]Did good in less than ideal circumstances, will grow, was a bit of heart shape with some fruit[/B]

Tarasenko 6
indet., regular leaf, round red fruits, average 6 oz. Juicy, with very good flavor, more sweet than acidic. 5-10 oz An old Ukrainian variety, developed by the Soviet tomato breeder Fedor Tarasenko, who specialized in breeding large-fruited and productive tomato varieties.
[B]Repeat, heavy producer, will be back[/B]
GGWT
Striped, midseason early, large, delish
[B]was not as early as last years but superb as usual[/B]

Novcherkasskij
Compact indet., regular leaf plants. 4-8 oz red fruits shaped like beefsteaks, with some green shoulders. Flesh is very meaty and juicy, with small seed chambers.
[B]Did well and early under currently conditions, on larger side does well in pot[/B]

Elgin pink - late but super Ind., PL, pink, 1 lb+, beefsteak, extremely sweet
[B]Loved it. Huge plant. Not late for me, sure midseason[/B]

Maya and Sion Airdrie Classic
ndet., potato leaf plants. High yield of flattened and ruffled red beefsteaks of small to medium size. 3-8 oz. Excellent 'tomatoey' flavor, juicy flesh. Early to mid-season.
[B]did well as usual, early and prodcutive[/B]

Carolyn seeds

That Russian Tomato 8 seeds Ind RL Red Beefsteak/blunt heart Huge Slicer great flavor
[B]Heck of a tomato, huge, gnarly, distorted early fruits, mid season to later, pretty dry for a slicer[/B]

Rubinka 9 seeds Indet. RL Red Round Cherry Multiflora. Not a multiflora, but very long trusses of excellent red charries..
[B]Best cherry, superb, just loved it and was totally unfazed by anything this weather presented[/B]

Rozovye Krupnye 7 Indet. RL Pink Beefsteak Slicer
[B]Super. Large productive, tasty, just like my childhood tomatoes, winner[/B]

Leon Noire 7 Indet. RL Red/Black
[B]great productive black midseason,maybe more on sweet side[/B]

German Johnson Benton strain 8 Mid Indet RL Pink Beefsteak Large Slicer
[B]Later one, not sure, might have better varieities but might give another chance[/B]

Rosedale 8 maroon, clear skin, flat beefsteak, PL, has Cherokee Purple as part of the parentage.
[B]Nice midseason, productive, great taste, keeper[/B]

Yellow

Giant Orange
80 days, indet., regular leaf with a good yield of 4-10 oz fruit with good flavor.
[B]Not giant and not orange, but very productuve with heart like texture, very meaty, keeps real well too[/B]

Sakharnyi Zheltyi
Indet., regular leaf, large golden fruits, 8-24 oz, very meaty, typical beefsteak shape, very pretty. Quite early for a large beefsteak. High yields. Excellent flavor.
[B]Outstanding and keeper[/B]

Tobolsk

75 days, indet., regular leaf, light yellow, 3-5" sweet fruit, beautiful and super productive, 100-year old heirloom from Urals near Tobolsk, Russia
[B]Yep, did very well[/B]

Grand Belgium
Indet., regular leaf plants. First flowers have slightly exerted stigmas.. Fruits are irregularly shaped large orange beefsteaks, 8-20 oz, with some fruits exceeding 2 lbs. Delicious sweet flavor
[B]Not very productive but tasty[/B]

Captain Lucky
85-90 days. Indet., potato leaf green/yellow/pink medium-large tricolor with a striking appearance and great flavor, from accidental cross of Lucky Cross and an unknown variety.
[B]Repeat from last year, later than usual but did well, keeper[/B]

Dark or darkish

Rozovyi Kilogramovyi
Indet. plants with regular leaf foliage. Huge pink beefsteaks, 10-26 oz. Very juicy and meaty. Delicious sweet flavor
[B]Loved it, everything you want in a tomato, more dirty pink, huge and productive[/B]

Zhar
Indet., reguilar leaf plants. Medium to large pink fruits are almost heart-shaped, but have beefsteak-type seed locules inside. 6-16 oz. Excellent sweet flavor.
[B] Container plant, tasty, heart shaped but juicy, keeper[/B]

Olimp Malinovyi
ndet., regular leaf plants. Large pink beefsteaks, 10-16 oz, meaty and juicy, with excellent sweet flavor. Very productive.
[B]Keeper, early large than smaller ones but is good steady production[/B]

Malinovyi Charodei
Indet., regular leaf plants.. Large pink beefsteaks, 8-12 oz, with thick walls and meaty flesh. Outstanding sweet flavor
[B]OMG OMG OMG loved it[/B]

Mikado Black
indet., compact plants with potato leaf foliage, purple-black round oblate fruits with green/brown shoulders, 3-6 oz, very good flavor similar to many other black tomatoes.
[B]Probably winner of entire season, seed from Doublehelix, taste was sublime and absolutely loaded. Nothing came close considering how lousy my early fruit set was[/B]

Kardinal Tchornyi
80 days, indet., regular leaf plant with high yield of 6-12 oz reddish black fruit with excellent flavor
[B]More sweetish taste but started early and kept producing, will be returning[/B]

Tomato Not Purple Strawberry
NPS is a 4-6 oz beefsteak with a purple color. Cross of German Red Strawberry with Cherokee Purple. Highly productive, RL., indet. delicious.
[B]Heavy producer and early enough, loved it[/B]

Black Bear
Indet., regular leaf plants. Large purple/black beefsteak fruits are quite juicy, and have excellent flavor. 8-12 oz 5 days, indet., regular leaf, 8-14 oz pink-black fruit, excellent flavor, high yield
[B]Keeper[/B]

Morado Chocolate
Indet., regular leaf plants produce ruffled chocolate brown beefsteaks, 4-7 oz. Excellent rich sweet flavor 85 days, indet., regular leaf plant with a high yield of 10-16 oz purple-black fruit with excellent flavor
[B]Keeper, on large side and sweet[/B]

Deep space
dark plum, trusses, productive, sauce
[B][B]tolerated decent abuse and still did greeat[/B][/B]

Purple dog creek
85 days, indet., regular leaf plant with a good yield of 16-24 oz pink beefsteak fruit, excellent flavor.
[B]Was only in container and did well, keeper for that alone but taste is great too[/B]

Eva Purple Ball
Large vines, needs caging or staking. First maturity about 65 days. Plants provide a steady crop of 3-4 oz. deep pink juicy globes, very good sweet rich tomato flavor. Ripe fruit sometimes fall off vine.
[B]Excellent producer, did well and early enough for this louse start I had[/B]

Black Magic
A cross between Lucky Cross and an un-known variety discovered by Millard Murdock of North Carolina. This is a sister to Captain Lucky. Very meaty tomato. Solid slices with extra sweetness. This was one of my earlier ripeners and still pumping out like crazy at the end of my season. Perfect BLT tomato.
[B]Perfect is correct term, it is a repeat and will be back[/B]

Marizol Korney
Indet., regular leaf plants. Medium sized round and slightly oblate dusky purple/black fruits, perfectly shaped and blemish-free, 2-5 oz. Flesh is rich burgundy color. Skin sometimes has a bit of mottling on the shoulders. Delicious rich flavor. Sets well in heat
[B]Sets well, period, taste great too, it is repeat for me and will be back[/B]

Plum or paste

Gallo Plum
Indet. plants with wispy regular leaf foliage. Pepper shaped elongated red fruits with pointed end, 5" long, 3-9 oz. Beautiful meaty dark red flesh, small seed cavities that may be partially hollow. Excellent sweet flavor, great for eating fresh or it makes a great tomato sauce
[B]Tolerated abuse and did well, bit on a later side[/B]

Carol Chyko's big paste
indet., regular leaf plants produce lots of blunt red hearts in 10-16 oz range. Some fruits are not heart-shaped, but not beefsteaks either, I would call them 'blocky'. Fruits have meaty interior with small seed cavities and very few seeds. This variety is too juicy for a paste tomato, but it is excellent as a slicer, as it has outstanding sweet/tart balanced flavor. Late
[B]Was not late at all and excellent producer[/B]

Abbattista paste
Indet, mid late, paste, great for sauce
[B]Did well but might have better paste[/B]

Giant Cuneo pear
Italian. Midseason in PNW area. Indet., regular leaf, beautiful red ruffled pear shaped tomatoes, 5-11 oz, early fruits are seedless. Paste type, fruits similar to Liguria in shape and color, but without the green shoulders. High yields. Excellent rich tomato flavor
[B]OMG that plant does not know when to stop. Pear shaped. Totally worth the space[/B]

Dominick's paste
80 days, indet., regular leaf, large red bomb-shaped fruits, juicy, excellent fresh flavor, not a paste tomato in my opinion
[B]Tolerated abuse well. in the pot on the corner area and still produced well, keeper[/B]

Principe Borgese
80 days. In the Tuscany region of Italy, racks of this small, 1 x 2 inch, fragrant tomatoes fill backyards, to be dried and used in winter sauces and cooking. This prolific little tomato is also well suited to growing for market and for selling as a complete truss. Can be stored well into the fall without drying. Determinate plants.
[B]Interesting that size was varied from cherry to tennis ball in different containers, will be back[/B]

Uralskiy Ranniy
51 days, determinate — 'Uralskiy Ranniy' is an extremely early variety with enormous amounts of red, globe-shaped, one to six ounce fruits that are borne in clusters of six to ten. They have beautifully smooth skin and a deliver a pleasant, mild flavor.
[B]Early and productive, taste is good for early[/B]

Titan Red
early det, round red productive, tasty
[B]Did well, reliable, your typical early red[/B]

42 Days
Very early, compact determinate, regular leaf plants. 1 oz bright red round fruit, sometimes with slightly pointed end. sometimes the first fruits are seedless. Sweet excellent flavor, even when grown in a smaller, 3 gallon pot
[B]Did well and early for container growth, nothing spectacular though[/B]

Talalikhin 186
Compact det. plants with regular leaf foliage. High yield of medium red and juicy slicers, with excellent acidic flavor. 2-6 oz. Ideal for growing in pots. Early maturity.
[B]Great early container and large[/B]

Limbo
Det., RL. producing lots and lots of red tomatoes, mostly size of an egg. Some thinner, some a bit more round. I had it 2 years in a row and in both years, it was "terribly" prolific,
[B]Yep, excellent find[/B]

Cherry tomatoes

did not do well. Rubinka was probably most outstanding I tasted. Others were either currants which my family refused to pick or they did not start till very late.
Karma Pink survived big branch falling on it and growing in part shade, excellent taste and will be back next year.