Ah, the infamous "tomato". Such a tempting and teasing crop, with so many factors to consider.
One fine surprise I had this year, was to get 3/5 determinates and 2/5 pink-black from what I thought was an indeterminate brown F4 on its way to stability... Likely a bee cross with a pink-black sibling and more determinate genetics present than I suspected. There was, however, more variation in other traits than I expected or would have liked. Subtle but important differences in shape, texture, earliness... no one plant excelling in every category. I am tempted to mine that pack of seeds for all the determinates I can get, also to grow out all the winners in a massive outdoor foliage trial...
My biggest disappointment was from last year's lucky find - the Whiskeyjacks did not ripen properly in the extremely hot summer temperatures, flavor suffered, and I suspect this inability to perform in the heat is a fatal flaw. I made a side cross to my preferred determinate Skipper (taste size and shape but not earliness) which I thought had not taken, but last week it started to grow so I am waiting patiently for those seeds, and only hope it produces something close to Whiskeyjack size/earliness without that ? defective enzyme or whatever explained that flaw...
Happiest outcome was my Rodney F4 which proved to be pretty consistent for outstanding taste and growth habit without any loss of fruit size either... I wouldn't mind a bit larger and did make a side cross to a larger Compass F2 sibling line. I'm thinking since they are siblings, I should consider the cross to be at the earlier of the two parents' generation re: stability. But I admit the prospect of selecting for taste, growth habit and determinacy again as well as size is a bit daunting. I'm really glad to see Rodney moving towards a stable state (you have to finish something, right?
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Yellow project at F2 was all over the map. I was pleased with the size overall (no cherries). Five different flavors, only one had the fruitiness I desired, and it was not the determinate one. So I'm sticking with the taste and hoping to find a determinate next gen... I grew out two plants of the "wobbler" F4 from last year to see if the long pointy pear shape was stable - it was - and saved seed from the one that tasted right, although it is not my preferred shape the long fruit are handy for pizza decorations even when a bit lopsided. And so the freezer is filled with oddities....