High Tunnel 2016 - Page 4

Cole_Robbie · June 19, 2016

High tunnel tomatoes are improving. I have to wait until they ripen fully to make sure there is no whitefly damage, but so far it looks like only the very first fruit had damage. I have a kitchen counter full of tomatoes, and have started giving them away. I will probably be at market next week.

Agatha is the clear winner among my determinates: http://i.imgur.com/I7p4t56.jpg

It was my first big red tomato. The flavor is very good. Agatha will replace Titan Red as my go-to determinate. Tania lists it as a saladette, but my fruit have been full-sized.

Despite being the most sensitive to fungal issues, and too compact for high tunnel growing, Sol Gold is really not that bad of a variety. It does yield well for its size. Flavor is not bad, but honestly only marginally better than Taxi. Sol Gold reminds me of a yellow version of Cole.

I just noticed yesterday that I had also planted a Shadow Boxing in the high tunnel: http://i.imgur.com/BcXMqJv.jpg

Productive from Altai is yielding a decent quantity of nice-looking, flattened beefsteaks. I haven't eaten any yet, but it's looking to be a decent market variety. Russian Soul is very similar.

Gerardo · June 19, 2016

Great news. Let's hope you get them under control.

Russian Soul has been impressive production wise. 1st few trusses were loaded, flattened ribbed. I had some weather issues too and the flavor on the first to blush was almost unacceptable, they were headed to dog treat category (like Patio Princess). Surprisingly, the last two I tried were quite good, very respectable flavor and texture. Thumbs up on Russian Soul.

Cole_Robbie · June 19, 2016

I just ate my first 100 Pudov. I wanted to dislike that variety from the start. It is later than I had hoped, and the fruit have a weird crinkle/ribbing to the top of them. They are also pink, and I expected red. The flesh is a true pink color, looks like a Brandywine.

But the flavor really impresses me. This is not a wimpy pink. It has the sharpest acid bite of any pink I've ever had, but still sweet and well-balanced overall. 100 Pudov is a keeper for the sake of flavor alone.

Lindalana · June 19, 2016

I have not had any ripe Aurora yet, grown outside, but production is mega impressive and they look very marketable. Seed from Tania.

Cole_Robbie · June 20, 2016

Great Warrior - Velikiy Voin
http://i.imgur.com/LjZycKW.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GXmkXHq.jpg

Tarasenko 6:
http://i.imgur.com/NvhGS6z.jpg

Great Warrior wins the biggest tomato award. They are huge.

edit: I just tasted the Bloody Butcher x Brandywine Cowlick's. It's one of the best tomatoes I've ever had. Great work, Mark.

Lindalana · June 20, 2016

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I just ate my first 100 Pudov. I wanted to dislike that variety from the start. It is later than I had hoped, and the fruit have a weird crinkle/ribbing to the top of them. They are also pink, and I expected red. The flesh is a true pink color, looks like a Brandywine.

But the flavor really impresses me. This is not a wimpy pink. It has the sharpest acid bite of any pink I've ever had, but still sweet and well-balanced overall. 100 Pudov is a keeper for the sake of flavor alone.

100 pudov is on the list, thanks for info!

Cole_Robbie · June 20, 2016

You're very welcome.

That Bloody Butcher x BW Cowlick's inspired me to try my first Productive from Altai and Ton of Sugar - Sakharnyi Pudovichok.

Sadly, both of them are flavor flops. Maybe it was the cold May. They're not bad, but the BBxBWC was better by leaps and bounds, and it grew in the same weather. Sakharnyi Pudovichok has "heirloom tomato" written all over it, with a shelf life of just a few days and rapidly softening texture. But the one I just ate wasn't that good.

Cole_Robbie · June 22, 2016

Mat-Su Express is the official name of the variety I like so much, but keep slaughtering the name of.

I wanted Sol Gold to replace Taxi, but the plants are far too compact. It was also my most prone to fungal issues. But for a small plant, it yielded very well. I am getting a lot of strong compliments about the flavor of it, from friends and family to whom I have given tomatoes. I'm going to save seeds, and think about either low tunnels, or un-trellissed field production. It would be a good companion for Cole.

I just ate a Bradley last night. My plant looks to be yielding less than my Russian varieties, but not so little as to give up on it. Flavor was very good. Bradley is worth keeping around for flavor alone.

Ricky Shaw · June 22, 2016

The Bloody Butcher x BW Cowlick's sounds primo, I'd love to try those next year. What size tomato?

Cole_Robbie · June 22, 2016

It's a large red. It cat-faced a lot more than I would like, but my May weather was horribly cold, and I have a lot of cat-facing in many varieties. Hopefully, it was just the weather. It may be more suited to outdoor garden growing than the high tunnel, at least in my climate and unpredictable weather.

Cole_Robbie · June 22, 2016

I just tried the first Tarasenko 6. I'd call it "good enough," and by that I mean good enough to be a market variety. It's leading the charge in production, and even though it's not my favorite to eat, I'm confident that it would be the best tomato available at my farmer's market right now. Almost everyone grows hybrids that remind me of red baseballs.

Shelf life is very good. I could have waited a few days longer to eat the one I just tried. I would probably like it better if a little riper, and due to weather, most of my varieties have improved flavor with later fruit.

Comparison to Cosmonaut Volkov and Russian Soul coming soon.

Gerardo · June 22, 2016

Sugary Pounder, SaKharny PudovichoK. Same results here. Minimal shelf life, very little flavor. Thought it was my RGGS setup and grew a few in containers, same result. Direct to the "retired" stack. Gregori's shall continue as the Altai winner.

My 1st few Tarasenko-6 were grainy. Waiting on a few others.

Ricky Shaw · June 22, 2016

Thank you Cole, I don't even know if the brandywine stuff will do well in this dry heat, through default I've 5 BrandyBoys so they should give me an idea.

All my Russian varieties are blossoming and vegetating strongly even in the plus 95 heat, esp. the Cosmonaut Volkov and Moskvich. I'll have those to compare, I've spotted little maters on both.

AKmark · June 22, 2016

Cole, I imagine it's the weather, mine have little to no catfacing. You should also find that the fruit will go from somewhat irregular to rather smooth as weather improves, but still carries an heirloom look. I can also get you some seed from plant B. they are called the Mat-Su Super B because of the way they set fruit. I have well over a 100 of the f5's going, so I will be able to make a good selection for f6. I also plan on sending out seed of AK Sunrise for peeps to try, they will knock your tomato socks right off, I am not even kidding. They are a very smooth fruit, was going to call the Wasilla Wonder, but a friend suggested the current name, which I liked. I will send out f7's of it.

Your Chinese varieties are growing, will let you know how they do at the 62nd.

Cole_Robbie · June 22, 2016

Awesome. Thank you.

June 20, 2016	#50
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Great Warrior - Velikiy Voin http://i.imgur.com/LjZycKW.jpg http://i.imgur.com/GXmkXHq.jpg Tarasenko 6: http://i.imgur.com/NvhGS6z.jpg Great Warrior wins the biggest tomato award. They are huge. edit: I just tasted the Bloody Butcher x Brandywine Cowlick's. It's one of the best tomatoes I've ever had. Great work, Mark. Last edited by Cole_Robbie; June 21, 2016 at 12:56 AM.

June 20, 2016	#52
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	You're very welcome. That Bloody Butcher x BW Cowlick's inspired me to try my first Productive from Altai and Ton of Sugar - Sakharnyi Pudovichok. Sadly, both of them are flavor flops. Maybe it was the cold May. They're not bad, but the BBxBWC was better by leaps and bounds, and it grew in the same weather. Sakharnyi Pudovichok has "heirloom tomato" written all over it, with a shelf life of just a few days and rapidly softening texture. But the one I just ate wasn't that good. Last edited by Cole_Robbie; June 21, 2016 at 01:01 AM.

June 19, 2016	#46
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	High tunnel tomatoes are improving. I have to wait until they ripen fully to make sure there is no whitefly damage, but so far it looks like only the very first fruit had damage. I have a kitchen counter full of tomatoes, and have started giving them away. I will probably be at market next week. Agatha is the clear winner among my determinates: http://i.imgur.com/I7p4t56.jpg It was my first big red tomato. The flavor is very good. Agatha will replace Titan Red as my go-to determinate. Tania lists it as a saladette, but my fruit have been full-sized. Despite being the most sensitive to fungal issues, and too compact for high tunnel growing, Sol Gold is really not that bad of a variety. It does yield well for its size. Flavor is not bad, but honestly only marginally better than Taxi. Sol Gold reminds me of a yellow version of Cole. I just noticed yesterday that I had also planted a Shadow Boxing in the high tunnel: http://i.imgur.com/BcXMqJv.jpg Productive from Altai is yielding a decent quantity of nice-looking, flattened beefsteaks. I haven't eaten any yet, but it's looking to be a decent market variety. Russian Soul is very similar.

June 19, 2016	#47
Gerardo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego-Tijuana Posts: 2,598	Great news. Let's hope you get them under control. Russian Soul has been impressive production wise. 1st few trusses were loaded, flattened ribbed. I had some weather issues too and the flavor on the first to blush was almost unacceptable, they were headed to dog treat category (like Patio Princess). Surprisingly, the last two I tried were quite good, very respectable flavor and texture. Thumbs up on Russian Soul.

June 19, 2016	#49
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	I have not had any ripe Aurora yet, grown outside, but production is mega impressive and they look very marketable. Seed from Tania.

June 22, 2016	#53
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Mat-Su Express is the official name of the variety I like so much, but keep slaughtering the name of. I wanted Sol Gold to replace Taxi, but the plants are far too compact. It was also my most prone to fungal issues. But for a small plant, it yielded very well. I am getting a lot of strong compliments about the flavor of it, from friends and family to whom I have given tomatoes. I'm going to save seeds, and think about either low tunnels, or un-trellissed field production. It would be a good companion for Cole. I just ate a Bradley last night. My plant looks to be yielding less than my Russian varieties, but not so little as to give up on it. Flavor was very good. Bradley is worth keeping around for flavor alone.

June 22, 2016	#54
Ricky Shaw Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Zone 6a Denver North Metro Posts: 1,910	The Bloody Butcher x BW Cowlick's sounds primo, I'd love to try those next year. What size tomato?

June 22, 2016	#59
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	Cole, I imagine it's the weather, mine have little to no catfacing. You should also find that the fruit will go from somewhat irregular to rather smooth as weather improves, but still carries an heirloom look. I can also get you some seed from plant B. they are called the Mat-Su Super B because of the way they set fruit. I have well over a 100 of the f5's going, so I will be able to make a good selection for f6. I also plan on sending out seed of AK Sunrise for peeps to try, they will knock your tomato socks right off, I am not even kidding. They are a very smooth fruit, was going to call the Wasilla Wonder, but a friend suggested the current name, which I liked. I will send out f7's of it. Your Chinese varieties are growing, will let you know how they do at the 62nd.