Help me reduce my list

[mikemansker]

I have room for 12 plants and I have 15 varieties growing.

I usually grow one or two varieties with more plants of each, but this year, I want to grow 12 different varieties.

I am interested in taste mostly, though I love a nice slicing size.

I would appreciate your help in culling three varieties from the list.

Delicious
Cherokee Purple
Bush Big Boy
Big Beef
Bush Beefsteak
Betalux Polish
Rutgers
George Detsikas
Super Beefsteak
Bucks County
Legend
Celebrity
Mozark
Marglobe
Juliet

Thanks in advance,
Mike

[Labradors2]

I would cull Juliette, a nasty acidic spitter.

I grew Rutgers last year and, although it produced lots of beautiful round fruits, I thought they tasted like store-bought tomatoes.

Linda

[crankyoldfart]

Hi Mike, Can't help with the culling dilemma except to say I'd keep Big Beef and Cherokee Purple. I am curious about your Buck's County seed though. Is it still the original "F1" sold by Burpee? I ask because I am growing out a single plant of Buck's County F2, from seed I produced last year and I am wondering what to expect.

[mikemansker]

Hi Cranky,

I got the seeds on Amazon and all it says is that they are hybrid from an heirloom. Not sure where they are in the process.

[AlittleSalt]

I'm going to agree with Linda. For us, Juliette produced a lot of boring tasteless tomatoes on 3 plants.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by mikemansker

I have room for 12 plants and I have 15 varieties growing.

I usually grow one or two varieties with more plants of each, but this year, I want to grow 12 different varieties.

I am interested in taste mostly, though I love a nice slicing size.

I would appreciate your help in culling three varieties from the list.

Delicious
Cherokee Purple
Bush Big Boy
Big Beef
Bush Beefsteak
Betalux Polish
Rutgers
George Detsikas
Super Beefsteak
Bucks County
Legend
Celebrity
Mozark
Marglobe
Juliet

Thanks in advance,
Mike

I could cull more than three but will startwith
Legend,which was bred for the PNW,no longer used much b/c of other varieties that are better,and not that relevant to MO and not great taste IMO

Celebrity? do you need that for disease tolerances,or not,b/c I can't say much positive about the taste.

You've got a couple there that are just about the same,and that's Marglobe and Rutgers, an d compared with many of the F1's you list I'd prefer either one of those for taste

Lastly,are you referring to Buck's County Red fromBurpee?

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Bucks_County

It is just Red Brandywine they represented as an F1,quite a to do about that situation. I didn't know seeds were still being sold.Do you have an F1 or the original OP?

Carolyn,not a fan of Juliet either, but,well,that's the way it is with me.

[mikemansker]

Hi Carolyn,

The Amazon seller describes Bucks County as "a hybrid variety of an heirloom". I had to go back and read the description after I read your post.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by mikemansker

Hi Carolyn,

The Amazon seller describes Bucks County as "a hybrid variety of an heirloom". I had to go back and read the description after I read your post.

Figures.

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Bucks_County

Note that no sources are given in the above for the F1,but then Tania seldom lists many F1's anyway,and I know she wouldn't list Burpee either. But folks who wanted to be listed have to submit to her what they have,and that's why you'll never see Stokes,or Burpee or Territorial,or TGS, or Totally Tomatoes etc.

I was upset when Burpee brought out that variety back in the early 90's since that was THE first time that it was suggested that an F1 was made from an heirloom.And doubly upset since before that they had listed a true Red Brandywine,but by changing the name it indicated something new and different.

So what I did was to buy a 6 pack of the F1,gulping as I did,set out some plants and at the same time set out plants from my own seed which I knew were Red Brandywine,the original.

I could not tell any difference between the two.

And in more recent years Burpee has done the same thing as I recall. Burpee was great when David Burpee ran the place and it was the place to go to for home growers during WWII and VictoryGardens, but over the years there have been changes in who owned it who have had different philophies.

At home on the farm we were commercial and each year the man from Harris Seeds came to our home and discussed with my father what was new they were offering,etc., and took his entire order.

Carolyn,just thinking here,which I do from time to time,if there's anyone here with a burpee catalog,a current one,or who wants to go to their website,please check and see if they are still selling seeds for the F1 Bucks County Red.

[Cole_Robbie]

My grandparents always ordered from Harris. The last year that they didn't order any seeds, Harris called them for the first time ever, asking if they were ok and if everything was all right, because they hadn't seen their seed order yet.

[Runescape]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

if there's anyone here with a burpee catalog,a current one,or who wants to go to their website,please check and see if they are still selling seeds for the F1 Bucks County Red.

Yeah, its on their site:

"Tomato, Bucks County Hybrid

Short Description
Heirloom flavor.

Full Description
Organic Gardening testers voted this the best new tomato for 1999! It's got wonderful, old-fashioned flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture. Our breeders took a luscious and richly flavored heirloom and added modern high yields, early ripening and a more perfect shape. You'll love it."

[FarmerShawn]

Well, if you're looking for slicers, Juliet isn't the one, but I do feel the need to put in a good word for her, as she is one of our must-haves. My wife loves it for canning whole, because it peels so easily, and we will always reach for it when making a pico de gallo, because it is almost crisp, and holds up real well to chopping. I will say that it turns red before it is ripe, so for best flavor, leave it on the vine longer, or let it sit awhile on the counter before using. They keep that way for a surprisingly long while.

[KLorentz]

I agree with the majority about Juliet. It is definitely a spitter . also it dropped ripe fruit at the drop of a hat. Would keep Cherokee Purple and Big Beef for sure. Also Celebrity ( Sorry Carolyn ) . While not as good as the heirlooms I have grown Celebrity's flavor was good when I grew it here in Ohio.

[Captain Neon]

I have grown Celebrity potted on my patio, and will be doing so again this year. All I can say is that it is better than store bought. My mother loves them, and will be growing again this year. I'm giving my mother a Ponderosa seedling this year and I hope that she likes it. She grew a Better Boy last year; was happy with it, just not enough to make a complete switch. I am trialing a potted Rosella Purple this year and it may replace Celebrity next year.

[imp]

Originally Posted by mikemansker

I have room for 12 plants and I have 15 varieties growing.

I usually grow one or two varieties with more plants of each, but this year, I want to grow 12 different varieties.

I am interested in taste mostly, though I love a nice slicing size.

I would appreciate your help in culling three varieties from the list.

Delicious
Cherokee Purple
Bush Big Boy
Big Beef
Bush Beefsteak
Betalux Polish
Rutgers
George Detsikas
Super Beefsteak
Bucks County
Legend
Celebrity
Mozark
Marglobe
Juliet

Thanks in advance,
Mike

Marglobe, celebrity, Legend , Juliet would be cut. Maybe Rutgers too.

I'd probably stuff the two with "bush" in the names into re-usable grocery bags and free up a bit more space for a good orange, another good dark/black variety and a tasty cherry.

But that is me, ymmv.

edit: by "stuff" I mean to grow them in the bags.

[Cole_Robbie]

I never tried Juliet, but I would trust the opinions about it here.

The Celebrity I grew three years ago made fine baseballs. They were nice and hard, and round so they fly straight. If you want a good throwing tomato, that's my pick.

If you want to eat the tomatoes, Big Beef trounces all other hybrid beefsteaks, at least in my garden.