Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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November 20, 2007 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b
Posts: 1,439
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Has Anyone Tried These Early Varieties
If I decide to grow for market again in a few years, I need very productive early varieties with size and flavor. These are listed on Sandhill Preservation's website that look promising. Has anyone grown them before?
Early Rouge: 62 days. Semi-determinate, huge yields of top grade, uniform 6 to 8 oz. globe red tomatoes. Excellent choice for the market gardener. Burpee Gloriana: 67 days. Determinate plants with 6 to 8 oz., globe-shaped fruit. Outstanding yields. Burpee Sunnybrook Earliana: 58 days. Semi-determinate plants, flattened, 6 to 8 oz., red fruit. Very old Burpee selection. The 1920 Burpee Seed Catalog says the following about this tomato, "The entire crop can be gathered generally in about three weeks from the time the first fruit ripens. Sunnybrook Earliana is undoubtedly the very best, earliest, scarlet fruited tomato." Sweetie: 63 days. Indeterminate plants. Large, 1 pound plus, pink beefsteak type that continues to be the earliest pink beefsteak. Superbec: 55 days. Determinate plants, early, 8 oz. fruits, red globe from Quebec. Ultrabec: 65 days. Determinate plants, 8 to 10 oz. globe-shaped fruit, from the Canadian plant breeding program. |
November 20, 2007 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NY z5
Posts: 1,205
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I grew Early Rouge. DTM a little later for me than advertised, size ranged from 4 to 9 oz., average 6-8 oz. The only drawback was radial cracking, which might put customers off. Otherwise a nice tomato with good early size and yield.
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November 20, 2007 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b
Posts: 1,439
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bcday, thanks. I expect them to be later here too, but I do like Sandhills DTM's, as they seem consistent between varieties I've grown. In zone 3 I expect to add 15-20 days to their estimates. Radial cracking isn't usually an issue here as we get regular rainfall though the season.
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November 20, 2007 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boonville, NY
Posts: 419
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Is Early Rouge the same as Earlirouge, the Canadian op?
If so, it's pretty darned good for an early............ |
November 20, 2007 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NY z5
Posts: 1,205
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November 20, 2007 | #6 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,386
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Bark-I have grown burpee's sunnybrook earliana and early rouge. Both are very good tomatoes, somewhat compact in plant habit is my recollection. I dont remember them being super early, but earlier than 80 days.
I think there are some early varieties out there that are very good and early- silvery fir tree (I can hear Carolyn wondering as I type this-"What happened to that guy, mdvpc, in Texas?" but its a good variety and early). There is also demidov and a couple others that I cant think of right now that may be good for you and are earlier than the two you mentioned. If you would like, I will try and get the others in this thread.
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Michael |
November 20, 2007 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Warm Springs, GA
Posts: 1,421
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Silvery Fir Tree was fun to grow. I am unsure of my strain as it was not very silver but it was lacey. The flavor could use some help. I would also consider maybe growing Azoychka) Pretty yellow tomato. It has "good" flavor for an early.
Silvery Fir tree in the Greenhouse |
November 20, 2007 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Virginia Beach
Posts: 2,648
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Wow, Rena! The SFT looks great in a hanging basket! Very pretty!
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Michele |
November 20, 2007 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: KS 5b/6a
Posts: 249
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Three other early varieties that I think are good:
Kimberly Clear Pink Early Bloody Butcher |
November 20, 2007 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: NE Kingdom, VT - Zone 3b
Posts: 1,439
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gloria,
I've grown Kimberly and Bloody Butcher, and I'll take BB any day over Kim. It is the earliest good tomato I've ever grown, and will always grow it. I'll look into Clear pink early, and I hear Aunt Ginny's is a good-sized one too. Rena, I've grown SFT in pots and this year, in the ground. It tasted much better in a pot in my experience! Beautiful picture, it looks true. Michael,I never heard of Demidov. Do you have any info on it? |
November 20, 2007 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Corpus Christi,Texas Z9
Posts: 1,996
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Bloody Butcher keeps coming up in conversations about early tomatoes. I would like to replace Bush Early Girl as my productive early tomato. I know that isnt hard to do in many peoples eyes, its just that the BEG has been bullet proof and fairly early and most of all, productive. Great to sample early on and then give away to people that appreciate home grown tomatoes. It is becoming less attractive to me taste wise as I delve into OP varieties. BB may be a good alternative from what I have read. While I am not growing for market, this is a potentially great thread for an early that is both productive and tastes good.
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November 20, 2007 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: MS
Posts: 1,523
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Bloody Butcher is on my list for next year. First time. Is it as good as they say? How big does it get?
Don
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Zone 7B, N. MS |
November 20, 2007 | #13 |
Tomatoville® Moderator
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Antonio, Texas
Posts: 4,386
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Bark-I got my demidov either from Andrey or Tania. Another good early variety is Bushy Charabonsky. I will check my notes this week and see what info I can give you.
here is a link: http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...hlight=demidov
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Michael |
November 21, 2007 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Boonville, NY
Posts: 419
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I haven't grown Kimberly, but have grown Stupice and Bloody Butcher. I'll take Bloody Butcher. (Sounds like a drink........... )
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November 21, 2007 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Cranberry Country, SE MA - zone 6?
Posts: 353
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I grew Bloody Butcher, Early Girl, and 4th of July this year. Bloody Butcher and 4th of July ripened at the same time and Early Girl 2 days later. EG and 4th of July tied for productivity (although EG was a bigger fruit), and IMHO it was pretty much a 3 way tie for taste (none of them was anything special, except for being early and better than anything in the store). I didn't see any advantage to BB, other than being OP. BB also had green shoulders in my garden and quit producing earlier. The other 2 produced right up to frost.
JMO, Tom
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