What is the problem with Dester - Page 2

MissS · October 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

That is who I got my seeds from, in 2011. I found the taste to be meh also. The ones at SSE came from tomatoes that won taste awards, so I am hoping they might be better/different.

I will look forward to hearing your review!

ginger2778 · October 3, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by MissS

I will look forward to hearing your review!

Thank you. I guess don't look for it until mid January, this tomato is late!
It's the last chance in my garden, it better do well!

Gerardo · October 4, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Thank you. I guess don't look for it until mid January, this tomato is late!
It's the last chance in my garden, it better do well!

I hope it does well for you. I'm very happy with it.

peebee · October 4, 2015

It's one of my favorite tomatoes, did very very well for me this year. Nice big fruits, not too seedy and quite productive. I will grow it again next year.

ginger2778 · October 4, 2015

Gerardo, Peebee, good to know. It seems to me that there are more who like it than don't, I wonder if it was bland due to our cooler temps. In the winter the highs are from 60-80F. It also got disease fairly quickly. But now I do a preventive regimen religiously and it really helps.

**carolyn137** · October 4, 2015

I'm remembering the sequence now, so lets start with the SSE offer of Dester.

http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestor...Dester-OG.html

Larry donated the seeds to SSE and they must have grown them out in the summer of 2011 to have them available for the taste testing that summer/

SSE offered seeds in the Public catalog at a very high prrice, Larry was offering them at his website at a lower price so quite a few folks got their seeds from Larry. Those who were not members of message sites and knew nothing as an alternative continued to buy from SSE.

I got my first Dester fruits in the following way, I couldn't think of the persons'name and then did, his name is Dennis, and here's the link to an article he wrote about me.

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...light=Altamont

Dennis knew of me via the SSE Yearbooks and had asked if he and a friend could drive up and interview me, I said sure, and he brought me maybe 5 huge pink Dester fruits. He had bought the seeds directly from SSE who got the initial seeds from Larry.

With Freda's help I saved seeds from three of those huge fruits and fermented them and I still have a coin envelope with those seeds but in the mean time Darleen had sent me lots of Dester seeds which I was offering in my annual seed offer here at Tville.

And yes, I grew it here in a container in the backyard from seeds from that coin envelope I mentioned above, Rob grew my seedlings for me, Freda cares for all my plants out there, when she remembers to do so, ahem, and it was very productive in my zone 5 and tasted great.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Carolyn

greyghost · October 4, 2015

Carolyn,
That's how I remember it, too. I ordered my seeds from Larry Pierce--I
remember checking out his small web store and ordering several vegetable
items as well as a couple of his Rogue hoes. You mentioned how much you liked
the Dester fruits you were given and I thought, as Dester doesn't have a great
deal of seeds, I'd send you more so you'd have enough for your offer.

I remember Steve from Heritage also purchased seeds from Larry and then went
on to offer them at his website. I've purchased Dester seeds from SSE, Heritage,
also from White Haven farm (I didn't check that name before I wrote this but will
correct it if wrong) which is also in MO so I assume the seeds were from Larry.

I'm pretty sure all four sources are the same, especially the taste, although for
'14 and '15, I've gone back to growing from my original seed stock. After I wrote the message above, I remembered I also had a similar experience the first year I grew it. I had given many plants away and I remember thinking early in the season, that was a mistake (the one thing these people had in common is that they weren't great gardeners) because my plant didn't seem to be performing well. Before the end of the season, though, I had a large number of wonderful fruits. I don't know if it tends to fruit a bit later than other varieties or more sensitive to weather extremes but it's probably the only variety that I've ever given a second thought to whether or not it's going to be productive although it's
never failed to set fruit well-eventually. This year, I had several varieties that
weren't that tasty initially (really wet, sometimes hot!/cold! temps); Dester was
the first that had great taste.

But back to you Carolyn-you have pretty challenging weather conditions where
you are. If you're getting fruits from Dester, I'd think that most people could.
Maybe it's a matter of getting an early start-mine are started the 3rd week of March for an early crop in order to avoid stinkbug damage. Plus, we have great
soil and the mid-Atlantic area is usually great weather for long season varieties.

So, I think when some people are frustrated with Dester, it's somewhat a valid feeling.

Lindalana · October 6, 2015

Just had few turning a blush. So we might taste it yet LOL, weather is getting nicer too...

Sodak · October 7, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Dick, I think you meant to type Yellow Brandywine ( Platfoot) lest some here think there's a new Brandywine in town.

Carolyn

You are correct, ma'am!

charline · October 10, 2015

I had Dester for the first time this year. Its one of the most productive beefsteaks I have. I already ate 17 big tomatoes and there are 15 more still ripening. It slowed down a bit during the summer heat wave but is now producing like crazy.
I started it very early so production was not late.

Lindalana · October 11, 2015

OK, taste is delish. Def keeper for taste. But way too late for my zone.

**carolyn137** · October 11, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lindalana

OK, taste is delish. Def keeper for taste. But way too late for my zone.

Why too late for your zone and I ask b;c your zone in Chicago is the the same as my zone.

Do I stop growing varieties b'c they are too late for my zone, late varieties such as the many gold/red bicolors I've grown. No I don't and here's why,

Every season is different from late Spring frosts that prevent setting out plants when you might want to or early Fall frosts/freezes that cut short the season;

No, I remain optimistic about tomatoes and all else I used to grow, meaning, put them out there and see what happens, some years great, other years not so much/

Carolyn

MissS · October 12, 2015

Lindalana, I am not all that far from you. The tomatoes here were ALL very late due to the cold spring that we had. I grew Dester last year and it was late but not that late and still produced very well from Mid-August onwards. I got around 15-20lbs. If you like it, give it another try and hope for a warmer spring next year.
The fact for me is that I seem to like the flavor of the late season tomatoes far better than the earlies. It seems that the later the tomato, the better the flavor for me.

Lindalana · October 12, 2015

Carolyn, I think Dester would have been a bit earlier but it was not given prime real estate. I planted it on Memorial day weekend which is what traditionally planted in our area. For myself I have been zone pushing with WOW and warming up soil for quite some time and get my plants produce earlier.
MissS, I too love my late summer/fall tomatoes and have so many favs!!!! So Dester will join honorary row amid Marianne Peace, Stump, Bradywine Cowlick, Nikolaevna, Olena Ukrainian, Morgage Lifter Estler's etc.
Now gotta wait till KarenO releases her big early and tasty ones...

October 4, 2015	#21
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I'm remembering the sequence now, so lets start with the SSE offer of Dester. http://www.seedsavers.org/onlinestor...Dester-OG.html Larry donated the seeds to SSE and they must have grown them out in the summer of 2011 to have them available for the taste testing that summer/ SSE offered seeds in the Public catalog at a very high prrice, Larry was offering them at his website at a lower price so quite a few folks got their seeds from Larry. Those who were not members of message sites and knew nothing as an alternative continued to buy from SSE. I got my first Dester fruits in the following way, I couldn't think of the persons'name and then did, his name is Dennis, and here's the link to an article he wrote about me. http://tomatoville.com/showthread.ph...light=Altamont Dennis knew of me via the SSE Yearbooks and had asked if he and a friend could drive up and interview me, I said sure, and he brought me maybe 5 huge pink Dester fruits. He had bought the seeds directly from SSE who got the initial seeds from Larry. With Freda's help I saved seeds from three of those huge fruits and fermented them and I still have a coin envelope with those seeds but in the mean time Darleen had sent me lots of Dester seeds which I was offering in my annual seed offer here at Tville. And yes, I grew it here in a container in the backyard from seeds from that coin envelope I mentioned above, Rob grew my seedlings for me, Freda cares for all my plants out there, when she remembers to do so, ahem, and it was very productive in my zone 5 and tasted great. So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

October 12, 2015	#28
MissS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pewaukee, Wisconsin Posts: 3,146	Lindalana, I am not all that far from you. The tomatoes here were ALL very late due to the cold spring that we had. I grew Dester last year and it was late but not that late and still produced very well from Mid-August onwards. I got around 15-20lbs. If you like it, give it another try and hope for a warmer spring next year. The fact for me is that I seem to like the flavor of the late season tomatoes far better than the earlies. It seems that the later the tomato, the better the flavor for me. __________________ ~ Patti ~

October 4, 2015	#19
peebee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Southern CA Posts: 1,714	It's one of my favorite tomatoes, did very very well for me this year. Nice big fruits, not too seedy and quite productive. I will grow it again next year.

October 4, 2015	#20
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Gerardo, Peebee, good to know. It seems to me that there are more who like it than don't, I wonder if it was bland due to our cooler temps. In the winter the highs are from 60-80F. It also got disease fairly quickly. But now I do a preventive regimen religiously and it really helps.

October 4, 2015	#22
greyghost Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: southeastern PA Posts: 760	Carolyn, That's how I remember it, too. I ordered my seeds from Larry Pierce--I remember checking out his small web store and ordering several vegetable items as well as a couple of his Rogue hoes. You mentioned how much you liked the Dester fruits you were given and I thought, as Dester doesn't have a great deal of seeds, I'd send you more so you'd have enough for your offer. I remember Steve from Heritage also purchased seeds from Larry and then went on to offer them at his website. I've purchased Dester seeds from SSE, Heritage, also from White Haven farm (I didn't check that name before I wrote this but will correct it if wrong) which is also in MO so I assume the seeds were from Larry. I'm pretty sure all four sources are the same, especially the taste, although for '14 and '15, I've gone back to growing from my original seed stock. After I wrote the message above, I remembered I also had a similar experience the first year I grew it. I had given many plants away and I remember thinking early in the season, that was a mistake (the one thing these people had in common is that they weren't great gardeners) because my plant didn't seem to be performing well. Before the end of the season, though, I had a large number of wonderful fruits. I don't know if it tends to fruit a bit later than other varieties or more sensitive to weather extremes but it's probably the only variety that I've ever given a second thought to whether or not it's going to be productive although it's never failed to set fruit well-eventually. This year, I had several varieties that weren't that tasty initially (really wet, sometimes hot!/cold! temps); Dester was the first that had great taste. But back to you Carolyn-you have pretty challenging weather conditions where you are. If you're getting fruits from Dester, I'd think that most people could. Maybe it's a matter of getting an early start-mine are started the 3rd week of March for an early crop in order to avoid stinkbug damage. Plus, we have great soil and the mid-Atlantic area is usually great weather for long season varieties. So, I think when some people are frustrated with Dester, it's somewhat a valid feeling.

October 6, 2015	#23
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	Just had few turning a blush. So we might taste it yet LOL, weather is getting nicer too...

October 10, 2015	#25
charline Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: France Posts: 688	I had Dester for the first time this year. Its one of the most productive beefsteaks I have. I already ate 17 big tomatoes and there are 15 more still ripening. It slowed down a bit during the summer heat wave but is now producing like crazy. I started it very early so production was not late.

October 11, 2015	#26
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	OK, taste is delish. Def keeper for taste. But way too late for my zone.