Mat-Su Express

[Salsacharley]

I'm wondering if there are expectations of noticeable differences between the various MSE plant numbers. I've got #12 and #8 growing but only now setting fruit (I put them in the ground in mid June). All the MSE plants look the same to me (really good!).

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I'm wondering if there are expectations of noticeable differences between the various MSE plant numbers. I've got #12 and #8 growing but only now setting fruit (I put them in the ground in mid June). All the MSE plants look the same to me (really good!).

Yes, you will find subtle differences, but not much, you may find some taste variation. Anything selected for seed stock was chosen from very early producing plants that had a good taste, I like something more than just sweet. I think B. has the most taste variation, and A. plant 8 had the best taste overall for me this year, 13 is great too. I usually grow many plants, so I see more variation in strains than people do that only grow a few plants.
Glad they are working out for most of you guys, we sure like it up here in AK.

[jmsieglaff]

Mine is a vigorous plant (this is with some pruning). Very healthy, setting a lot of fruit. This got a later start by a week or two (need to check notes) so DTM from seed should still be rather good I think!

[Ricky Shaw]

My MSE, 3 stem, 10gal fabric pot, planted out June 1.

[My Foot Smells]

wow. nice fruit set and big, dark green leaves. What is your altitude Ricky and does it provide any challenges to growing tomatoes?

[Ricky Shaw]

5400ft altitude and all in all pretty easy gardening here, more so since putting the toms in pots. Early Blight and hornworms have disappeared, but temps become more of a factor in the bags. I could write a book on the nuances and it's a narrower window, but you get the bags right and it's the jackpot.

[My Foot Smells]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

5400ft altitude and all in all pretty easy gardening here, more so since putting the toms in pots. Early Blight and hornworms have disappeared, but temps become more of a factor in the bags. I could write a book on the nuances and it's a narrower window, but you get the bags right and it's the jackpot.

Nice. I'm kinda of astonished that you get early blight in the rockies w/ the low humidity. The times I have been in the rockies, seemed like there were a bunch of chipmonks. Never recall getting bugged too much.

always think of mork & mindy, and john "Denver." hadn't been in a while, may need to add puff the magic dragon.....

always a superb job, such a nice clean operation.

[Cole_Robbie]

hadn't been in a while, may need to add puff the magic dragon.....

LOL

[AKmark]

I have been gnawing on some Mat-Su that are absolutely great tasting, very complex tomato goodness, and I have been saving lots of seeds. A friend up the road was telling me his are awesome too, nice size fruit with a good shape, and an awesome taste. I am thinking about doing a few F7's under lights this winter for my F8 seed, am already planning for next season.

[Salsacharley]

If you need encouragement to do F7's please consider this as encouragement. I'm very upbeat about how MSE is performing for me. I'm still waiting for ripe fruit but it has been less than 60 days since I got my plants into their growing environments. I've got 1 plant #8 in the 15 gal pot shown in the pic just taken, and I've got another 8 in the ground and 2 #11's in the ground in a different location that are all doing very well so far.

Originally Posted by AKmark

I have been gnawing on some Mat-Su that are absolutely great tasting, very complex tomato goodness, and I have been saving lots of seeds. A friend up the road was telling me his are awesome too, nice size fruit with a good shape, and an awesome taste. I am thinking about doing a few F7's under lights this winter for my F8 seed, am already planning for next season.

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

If you need encouragement to do F7's please consider this as encouragement. I'm very upbeat about how MSE is performing for me. I'm still waiting for ripe fruit but it has been less than 60 days since I got my plants into their growing environments. I've got 1 plant #8 in the 15 gal pot shown in the pic just taken, and I've got another 8 in the ground and 2 #11's in the ground in a different location that are all doing very well so far.

You should get a real winner out of that many plants. We look for early selections, and I just love what we call that "old fashioned tomato taste." Many good tomatoes are sweet, or have a good tomato taste, but so few have a rich complex tomato zing, and I must say that Mat-Su has thrown out quite a few that fall into that category. You will still find some taste variation because I did not save seeds from just one selection from F4 on, but anything selected was excellent. The F4 A's had many very good selections that were carried forward.
Enjoy, they are nice RED tomatos.

[ginger2778]

On my grow list are both types you gave me, #11,and #41 A F6s.I am looking forward to them.

[ddsack]

Marsha, I'm getting in line now for your eventual seed offer on those #41's! I am currently growing tomatoes from Cole Robbie's offer, I assume those are #11's, and I can't imagine a better tomato!

[Urbanheirlooms]

I received some seeds from Cole Robbie this year and planted about 20 plants. Production has been ok, many smaller kidney shaped ones up to about 10 days ago. I am now getting rounder shaped ones and they are coming in well. Most are smaller and my market dictates larger tomatoes, so not many sales of this variety.

Enough of the pessimism though, I will definitely grow this one again. I like the taste better than any of the varieties I have grown (sorry Cherokee Purple, I still love you).
It is pretty complex in its flavor, but it hits my taste profile for sure.

There was a annual Tomato festival in a nearby town that I went to this past weekend. They had a taste testing of about 15 different varieties. I brought in some Matsu Express tomatoes for the tasting. Those who did taste it either loved it or hated it. Go figure?? They cut up the tomato in such small chunks that I don't really think people got the true taste of the tomato-many times just the skin chunk. I think that so many people are so used to typical R & R hybrids that they have eaten for years and years that they don't understand what a good tomato with good balance tastes like. Oh and by the way, I did enter it in the "best tasting" tomato contest and it won, so at least the judges knew a good tomato when they tasted it!

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by Urbanheirlooms

I received some seeds from Cole Robbie this year and planted about 20 plants. Production has been ok, many smaller kidney shaped ones up to about 10 days ago. I am now getting rounder shaped ones and they are coming in well. Most are smaller and my market dictates larger tomatoes, so not many sales of this variety.

Enough of the pessimism though, I will definitely grow this one again. I like the taste better than any of the varieties I have grown (sorry Cherokee Purple, I still love you).
It is pretty complex in its flavor, but it hits my taste profile for sure.

There was a annual Tomato festival in a nearby town that I went to this past weekend. They had a taste testing of about 15 different varieties. I brought in some Matsu Express tomatoes for the tasting. Those who did taste it either loved it or hated it. Go figure?? They cut up the tomato in such small chunks that I don't really think people got the true taste of the tomato-many times just the skin chunk. I think that so many people are so used to typical R & R hybrids that they have eaten for years and years that they don't understand what a good tomato with good balance tastes like. Oh and by the way, I did enter it in the "best tasting" tomato contest and it won, so at least the judges knew a good tomato when they tasted it!

Glad to hear it is a true winner in taste. If you want larger tomatoes try pruning some off, or look for one that produces larger tomatoes, you will find them too. We have had some trusses set around 40 tomatoes, just too many to get larger fruit.
Thanks for sharing the info

dd, that is a bold statement, but we are glad to hear that.