Too many varieties... - Page 2

taboule · October 1, 2015

There's a strong possibility I may not be at the same residence next year/spring (relocating), so that would greatly affect what I do.

Regardless, I do wish to downsize a bit to reduce the amount of work I need to put in -as others said. This year, even the data capture and recording became a chore, something I used to enjoy. I also cut back on seed gathering, I have enough to grow 1000++ plants.

From the minimum data I captured, I must have grown ~30 varieties and ~100 plants. Of those, I gave away ~40 and kept ~60 distributed across 3 gardens/houses including pots. I'm tired of making sauce, freezer full and had to learn canning special recipes to deal with the overflow.

I plan/hope I can cut back to ~10 varieties, and between 30 and 40 plants MAX, in 1 or 2 max lots. Will start with at most 50~60 seedlings, minimal giveaways and nothing (for me) in pots. I'm quite happy just growing types from existing seeds, nothing new. Crazy I know, but I have so many wonderful candidates to chose from already, that will be a tough selection to make.

Most likely on my list for 2016 (from existing 2015 grow)

Black Krim
Brandywine (either pink or red but not both)
Carbon
GGWT
SOO
Thessaloniki and Rutgers (for stuffing)
FLO and Coeur de boeuf (for sauce)

And, maybe an early one (Bloody Butcher) or other

No roma types anymore, too small and unproductive for me to mess with for sauce, prefer to use hearts.

Lindalana · October 18, 2015

am thinking I will start with what is rare and I may not get seeds second time... then...
here is Ukrainian catalog for those who able to read
Скачать каталог в формате docx (6,8Мб; Office 2010-2013)
Скачать каталог в формате pdf (6,7Мб)

KC.Sun · October 18, 2015

I'm selecting what to grow based off of rarest variety first, then by taste and color.

I'm experimenting this year and next trying to find a certain flavor for product development.

So next year, my plan is to graft maybe 4 to 1 plant and see what develops. (Each plant would have 4 different colors/types). That way if I find something I like, I can explore further. At the same time save some seeds. I seem to have developed a seed problem...with more than I can plant in a year.

I've also collected some rarer types that have excess seed so I will be sharing with Gary's MMMM.

I wish I could read your link...but no Bueno on my end

AlittleSalt · October 18, 2015

Well, November is quickly getting closer. When a major frost/freeze is about to happen will be when I remove the last plants and the drip irrigation system from the main garden. I will be planting that garden different next year because we have decided buying a few bags of small red potatoes for soups makes more sense than growing potatoes (For us) We just don't eat that many, and we can't tell any difference in taste between store-bought and home grown red potatoes. The same holds true with peppers like Jalapeno, Serrano, and Anaheim. While it nice growing them - They are very cheap bought in-store, and we believe they are not worth the garden space. That frees up a lot of room in the main garden for more interesting things like Tomatoes. It also shifts the rows which means the drip irrigation no longer matches up.

Other changes are in the raised beds we have. Those sizes are increasing because I got to watch how the sun patterns are in those areas throughout the year. Raised beds will changed from 3 x 12 - to 17 x 15 with a keyhole design. I'll post pictures as they happen, and dimension will change as needed. That changes a lot on what can be planted there.

As far as choosing tomato varieties to be planted. That will come from the best information I can get, curiosity, who sent us what, and varieties that we found that those who eat the tomatoes I grow - love.

That is why I've chosen two months (November and December) to figure out what we will be growing. There are a lot of things to think about.

b54red · October 23, 2015

I used to grow around 100 varieties each year. I enjoyed all the excitement of many new varieties with all the different shapes, sizes, colors, and tastes. Now I only grow a couple of dozen varieties based almost totally on taste. It is more enjoyable to know that every variety I grow now will taste fantastic except when we have too much rain.

Bill

Zenbaas · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

I used to grow around 100 varieties each year. I enjoyed all the excitement of many new varieties with all the different shapes, sizes, colors, and tastes. Now I only grow a couple of dozen varieties based almost totally on taste. It is more enjoyable to know that every variety I grow now will taste fantastic except when we have too much rain.

Bill

As a matter of interest what would you say your favourites are..?

Starlight · October 23, 2015

How do I select? Two ways. One is taste from ones I have already tried and liked and the other way is by name. Some of the names of seeds tickle me and so I have to grow them just to see what they look like and taste like.

I try to stick to a certain list, but I doubt I will ever be able to restrict myself to it. Always gotta have that one more and just one more.. and.... : )

Tormato · October 23, 2015

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the best way to select is by dartboard. The second best way is pulling from a hat. So there is no confusion, that's pulling slips of paper with the varieties on them from a hat, not darts from a hat.

Zenbaas · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starlight

How do I select? Two ways. One is taste from ones I have already tried and liked and the other way is by name. Some of the names of seeds tickle me and so I have to grow them just to see what they look like and taste like.

I try to stick to a certain list, but I doubt I will ever be able to restrict myself to it. Always gotta have that one more and just one more.. and.... : )

Funny that you mention that but I also find certain names very alluring. The name should have no real bearing on choosing but I also find it to be a bit of a draw card.

Worth1 · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenbaas

Funny that you mention that but I also find certain names very alluring. The name should have no real bearing on choosing but I also find it to be a bit of a draw card.

Would you buy a car called the Sewer Mobile?

Worth

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!

b54red · October 23, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zenbaas

As a matter of interest what would you say your favorites are..?

Nearly every year my favorites change rankings a bit due to changing weather conditions and the affect they have on the flavor. In dry hot years the black tomatoes are usually the best but if we are having a bit too much rain I find that many of the pinks and reds maintain their flavor better. Below are the ones that most frequently are in my top ten.

Brandywine Sudduth's & Cowlick's
Couilles de Taureau
German Johnson
Limbaugh's Legacy
Neves Azorean Red
Indian Stripe reg & pl
J D's Special C Tex
Giant Belgium
Pruden's Purple
Barlow Jap
Donskoi
Red Barn

Royal Hillbilly, Henderson's Winsall and Dester were in my top ten this year but I haven't grown them many times so they may or may not make it over the long term. For instance Giant Belgium, Barlow Jap nor Donskoi made it into my top ten this year but all were in it for the last three years. Both Carbon and Berkley Tie Dye Pink are usually two of my best in the fall but didn't get set out this fall because I forgot to water the seedlings when they were very young and they died. For sheer production and dependability Indian Stripe and Pruden's Purple are the all time leaders for me over many years. I always try to plant at least three each of them as my insurance tomatoes that also taste great.

Bill

AlittleSalt · October 23, 2015

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

Zenbaas · October 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by b54red

Nearly every year my favorites change rankings a bit due to changing weather conditions and the affect they have on the flavor. In dry hot years the black tomatoes are usually the best but if we are having a bit too much rain I find that many of the pinks and reds maintain their flavor better. Below are the ones that most frequently are in my top ten.

Brandywine Sudduth's & Cowlick's
Couilles de Taureau
German Johnson
Limbaugh's Legacy
Neves Azorean Red
Indian Stripe reg & pl
J D's Special C Tex
Giant Belgium
Pruden's Purple
Barlow Jap
Donskoi
Red Barn

Royal Hillbilly, Henderson's Winsall and Dester were in my top ten this year but I haven't grown them many times so they may or may not make it over the long term. For instance Giant Belgium, Barlow Jap nor Donskoi made it into my top ten this year but all were in it for the last three years. Both Carbon and Berkley Tie Dye Pink are usually two of my best in the fall but didn't get set out this fall because I forgot to water the seedlings when they were very young and they died. For sheer production and dependability Indian Stripe and Pruden's Purple are the all time leaders for me over many years. I always try to plant at least three each of them as my insurance tomatoes that also taste great.

Bill

Thanks Bill..!
I have quite a few of those lined up for this year. Now I'll also have a few more to add to my wanted list

October 1, 2015	#16
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	There's a strong possibility I may not be at the same residence next year/spring (relocating), so that would greatly affect what I do. Regardless, I do wish to downsize a bit to reduce the amount of work I need to put in -as others said. This year, even the data capture and recording became a chore, something I used to enjoy. I also cut back on seed gathering, I have enough to grow 1000++ plants. From the minimum data I captured, I must have grown ~30 varieties and ~100 plants. Of those, I gave away ~40 and kept ~60 distributed across 3 gardens/houses including pots. I'm tired of making sauce, freezer full and had to learn canning special recipes to deal with the overflow. I plan/hope I can cut back to ~10 varieties, and between 30 and 40 plants MAX, in 1 or 2 max lots. Will start with at most 50~60 seedlings, minimal giveaways and nothing (for me) in pots. I'm quite happy just growing types from existing seeds, nothing new. Crazy I know, but I have so many wonderful candidates to chose from already, that will be a tough selection to make. Most likely on my list for 2016 (from existing 2015 grow) Black Krim Brandywine (either pink or red but not both) Carbon GGWT SOO Thessaloniki and Rutgers (for stuffing) FLO and Coeur de boeuf (for sauce) And, maybe an early one (Bloody Butcher) or other No roma types anymore, too small and unproductive for me to mess with for sauce, prefer to use hearts.

October 18, 2015	#17
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	am thinking I will start with what is rare and I may not get seeds second time... then... here is Ukrainian catalog for those who able to read Скачать каталог в формате docx (6,8Мб; Office 2010-2013) Скачать каталог в формате pdf (6,7Мб)

October 18, 2015	#18
KC.Sun Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: 6a Posts: 322	I'm selecting what to grow based off of rarest variety first, then by taste and color. I'm experimenting this year and next trying to find a certain flavor for product development. So next year, my plan is to graft maybe 4 to 1 plant and see what develops. (Each plant would have 4 different colors/types). That way if I find something I like, I can explore further. At the same time save some seeds. I seem to have developed a seed problem...with more than I can plant in a year. I've also collected some rarer types that have excess seed so I will be sharing with Gary's MMMM. I wish I could read your link...but no Bueno on my end

October 18, 2015	#19
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Well, November is quickly getting closer. When a major frost/freeze is about to happen will be when I remove the last plants and the drip irrigation system from the main garden. I will be planting that garden different next year because we have decided buying a few bags of small red potatoes for soups makes more sense than growing potatoes (For us) We just don't eat that many, and we can't tell any difference in taste between store-bought and home grown red potatoes. The same holds true with peppers like Jalapeno, Serrano, and Anaheim. While it nice growing them - They are very cheap bought in-store, and we believe they are not worth the garden space. That frees up a lot of room in the main garden for more interesting things like Tomatoes. It also shifts the rows which means the drip irrigation no longer matches up. Other changes are in the raised beds we have. Those sizes are increasing because I got to watch how the sun patterns are in those areas throughout the year. Raised beds will changed from 3 x 12 - to 17 x 15 with a keyhole design. I'll post pictures as they happen, and dimension will change as needed. That changes a lot on what can be planted there. As far as choosing tomato varieties to be planted. That will come from the best information I can get, curiosity, who sent us what, and varieties that we found that those who eat the tomatoes I grow - love. That is why I've chosen two months (November and December) to figure out what we will be growing. There are a lot of things to think about.

October 23, 2015	#20
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I used to grow around 100 varieties each year. I enjoyed all the excitement of many new varieties with all the different shapes, sizes, colors, and tastes. Now I only grow a couple of dozen varieties based almost totally on taste. It is more enjoyable to know that every variety I grow now will taste fantastic except when we have too much rain. Bill

October 23, 2015	#22
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	How do I select? Two ways. One is taste from ones I have already tried and liked and the other way is by name. Some of the names of seeds tickle me and so I have to grow them just to see what they look like and taste like. I try to stick to a certain list, but I doubt I will ever be able to restrict myself to it. Always gotta have that one more and just one more.. and.... : )

October 23, 2015	#23
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,961	I've said it before, and I'll say it again, the best way to select is by dartboard. The second best way is pulling from a hat. So there is no confusion, that's pulling slips of paper with the varieties on them from a hat, not darts from a hat.