Too many varieties...

Lindalana · September 29, 2015

Just got my first order from Doublehelixfarms, was happy to learn it is still operational. Got some really outstanding goodies from this company in the past.
Never mind that I already have enough for next year and then some.
Never mind that another couple of orders coming from Ukraine- from private sellers, if anyone interested in catalogs and can read in Russian would be happy to share links.
Never mind that Tania is about to post her 2015 seeds mid Oct...
anyway, how do you all select what to grow next year- by size, shape, color, age of seeds?... I think I need some help

ginger2778 · September 29, 2015

I just look through all my new ones, and pick what I must have from the year before, then narrow it down, then squeeze a few more in where I don't possibly have the room! LOL!

Worth1 · September 29, 2015

Next year it is going to be easy for me.
Only 6 verities.
How do I do it?
I make my mind up and stick to it.
All of these have been a success in my garden and I like them.
Neves Azorean Red
Orange Russian.
Riesentraube
Sun Gold.
Black Cherry.
Aunt Ruby's German green.
If all goes well I will plant 36 plants all together.

Worth

AlittleSalt · September 29, 2015

I just build 14 more gardens

But seriously, it's going to be a time consuming search to choose through the varieties I already have seeds for. I have set aside all of November and December to figure it all out.

Gardeneer · September 29, 2015

I am also cutting back on varieties, from 2015's 30 to about 15.

But instead will grow more of the winners. But still I aim at about 30% reduction in number of plants too.
Too much work take the fun out of gardening for me.

Gardeneer

Worth1 · September 29, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gardeneer

I am also cutting back on varieties, from 2015's 30 to about 15.

But instead will grow more of the winners. But still I aim at about 30% reduction in number of plants too.
Too much work take the fun out of gardening for me.

Gardeneer

Gardeneer I couldn't agree more.
50 is my limit anything else is just too much work for me.
36 is the number of Texas Tomato Cages I have.

I want to have enough Orange Russian to make salsa with orange chilies.

Worth

ginger2778 · September 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Gardeneer I couldn't agree more.
50 is my limit anything else is just too much work for me.
36 is the number of Texas Tomato Cages I have.

I want to have enough Orange Russian to make salsa with orange chilies.

Worth

And I want a jar of that salsa! I'll swap you for a jar of homemade ketchup, hows that?

Ed of Somis · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Gardeneer I couldn't agree more.
50 is my limit anything else is just too much work for me.
36 is the number of Texas Tomato Cages I have.

I want to have enough Orange Russian to make salsa with orange chilies.

Worth

wow! I was sort of proud of myself for buying 6 Texas Cages. haha

With a few additional container plants...I seem to always keep my 3-4 favorites in play, and then I try to add a few newbies....just because. You folks who plant 40-50 plants are really sick!

ginger2778 · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed of Somis

wow! I was sort of proud of myself for buying 6 Texas Cages. haha

With a few additional container plants...I seem to always keep my 3-4 favorites in play, and then I try to add a few newbies....just because. You folks who plant 40-50 plants are really sick!

Who only plants 40-50? Try 102!

Half of the reason I do it is for all the other sickies to get seeds from me!

AlittleSalt · October 23, 2015

I quit counting after 120 and that was just the spring garden.

Tormato · October 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Who only plants 40-50? Try 102!

Half of the reason I do it is for all the other sickies to get seeds from me!

Who you calling a sickie?
(145 plants, here

)

Cole_Robbie · September 29, 2015

I have access to plenty of land. The limiting factor for me is the cost of trellising. This year I made cheap pvc conduit H-posts, drilled holes in them, and ran baler twine to connect them. The cost was well under $1 per row foot. My (non-dwarf) indeterminate plants ended up collapsing the posts. But it was enough to hold up dwarf varieties. Considering that they are many of the best-tasting tomatoes I have grown and I would like to start selling to restaurants, I'm hoping to plant a lot of them next year, possibly up to 1,000 row feet. Even if I could afford to support that many indeterminates, I don't think I could keep that many plants pruned and tied up.

I'm planning to have one or two dwarf varieties of each color. I've got two good "red" reds, Mano and Cyril's Choice. Rosella Crimson as a dark red. Rosella Purple and Tasmanian Chocolate as two more darker varieties. Bosky Chabarovsky as a pink. Quiyanai Huang as an orange. Sweet Sue as a yellow. And Jade Beauty as a GWR.

Titan Red and Taxi will be my early high tunnel varieties. I'll grow a couple hundred feet of cherries, but they take a long time to pick and are hard to support. I like Fred Hempel's Artisan mix, Chang Li, Sun Peach f1, Green Dr's Frosted, Fahrenheit Blues, white cherry. I try to stick to one or two of each color.

Of my outdoor heirloom/op varieties, the best taste came from Paul Robeson, Esmerelda Golosina, Orange Russian 117, and Pink Rose. I also like all of the Jazz tomatoes. I will grow them again.

I'm still going to try a lot of new varieties, maybe up to a hundred or so. Some of them may end up sprawling. But the point of trying so many this year was to learn what varieties grow well and make the best product.

NarnianGarden · September 30, 2015

Next summer, I'm planning on making it a pink theme year - plenty of pretty pinks I haven't grown, also some I already tried and loved. This past season was an orange one

Other colors will be present too (black ones are a must), but building the list around one color makes it more organized for me, and is easier to narrow down the possibilities.

heirloomtomaguy · September 30, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindalana

Just got my first order from Doublehelixfarms, was happy to learn it is still operational. Got some really outstanding goodies from this company in the past.
Never mind that I already have enough for next year and then some.
Never mind that another couple of orders coming from Ukraine- from private sellers, if anyone interested in catalogs and can read in Russian would be happy to share links.
Never mind that Tania is about to post her 2015 seeds mid Oct...
anyway, how do you all select what to grow next year- by size, shape, color, age of seeds?... I think I need some help

Please do share the links

Ricky Shaw · September 30, 2015

I'm in a big expansion. I'm adding 12 hangable spots, maybe 15 with some single or two vine pruning. This will largely be heirloom additions, of which I know nothing. My brain is filled up.

Coming Back: Big Beef, Early Girl, Roma, Sweet 100

Definite Newbies: Paul Robeson, Black From Tula, Crnkovic, Delicious, Pink Rose, Sungold, Yaqui

Most Probably: Stupice, Caspian Pink

On the Bubble: Black Sea Man

Moving up the Charts: Mexico, Pruden's Pride

September 29, 2015	#1
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	Too many varieties... Just got my first order from Doublehelixfarms, was happy to learn it is still operational. Got some really outstanding goodies from this company in the past. Never mind that I already have enough for next year and then some. Never mind that another couple of orders coming from Ukraine- from private sellers, if anyone interested in catalogs and can read in Russian would be happy to share links. Never mind that Tania is about to post her 2015 seeds mid Oct... anyway, how do you all select what to grow next year- by size, shape, color, age of seeds?... I think I need some help

September 29, 2015	#2
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	I just look through all my new ones, and pick what I must have from the year before, then narrow it down, then squeeze a few more in where I don't possibly have the room! LOL!

September 29, 2015	#3
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	Next year it is going to be easy for me. Only 6 verities. How do I do it? I make my mind up and stick to it. All of these have been a success in my garden and I like them. Neves Azorean Red Orange Russian. Riesentraube Sun Gold. Black Cherry. Aunt Ruby's German green. If all goes well I will plant 36 plants all together. Worth

September 29, 2015	#4
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I just build 14 more gardens But seriously, it's going to be a time consuming search to choose through the varieties I already have seeds for. I have set aside all of November and December to figure it all out.

September 29, 2015	#5
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,916	I am also cutting back on varieties, from 2015's 30 to about 15. But instead will grow more of the winners. But still I aim at about 30% reduction in number of plants too. Too much work take the fun out of gardening for me. Gardeneer

October 23, 2015	#10
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	I quit counting after 120 and that was just the spring garden.

September 29, 2015	#12
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I have access to plenty of land. The limiting factor for me is the cost of trellising. This year I made cheap pvc conduit H-posts, drilled holes in them, and ran baler twine to connect them. The cost was well under $1 per row foot. My (non-dwarf) indeterminate plants ended up collapsing the posts. But it was enough to hold up dwarf varieties. Considering that they are many of the best-tasting tomatoes I have grown and I would like to start selling to restaurants, I'm hoping to plant a lot of them next year, possibly up to 1,000 row feet. Even if I could afford to support that many indeterminates, I don't think I could keep that many plants pruned and tied up. I'm planning to have one or two dwarf varieties of each color. I've got two good "red" reds, Mano and Cyril's Choice. Rosella Crimson as a dark red. Rosella Purple and Tasmanian Chocolate as two more darker varieties. Bosky Chabarovsky as a pink. Quiyanai Huang as an orange. Sweet Sue as a yellow. And Jade Beauty as a GWR. Titan Red and Taxi will be my early high tunnel varieties. I'll grow a couple hundred feet of cherries, but they take a long time to pick and are hard to support. I like Fred Hempel's Artisan mix, Chang Li, Sun Peach f1, Green Dr's Frosted, Fahrenheit Blues, white cherry. I try to stick to one or two of each color. Of my outdoor heirloom/op varieties, the best taste came from Paul Robeson, Esmerelda Golosina, Orange Russian 117, and Pink Rose. I also like all of the Jazz tomatoes. I will grow them again. I'm still going to try a lot of new varieties, maybe up to a hundred or so. Some of them may end up sprawling. But the point of trying so many this year was to learn what varieties grow well and make the best product.

September 30, 2015	#13
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	Next summer, I'm planning on making it a pink theme year - plenty of pretty pinks I haven't grown, also some I already tried and loved. This past season was an orange one Other colors will be present too (black ones are a must), but building the list around one color makes it more organized for me, and is easier to narrow down the possibilities.

September 30, 2015	#15
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	I'm in a big expansion. I'm adding 12 hangable spots, maybe 15 with some single or two vine pruning. This will largely be heirloom additions, of which I know nothing. My brain is filled up. Coming Back: Big Beef, Early Girl, Roma, Sweet 100 Definite Newbies: Paul Robeson, Black From Tula, Crnkovic, Delicious, Pink Rose, Sungold, Yaqui Most Probably: Stupice, Caspian Pink On the Bubble: Black Sea Man Moving up the Charts: Mexico, Pruden's Pride