2017 Season Progression

[jpop]

Originally Posted by Gardenboy

jpop...I use to love Neves Azorean Red until I grew and tasted Aker's West Virginia. Great south Florida tomato for me. I didn't even grow Neves Azorean Red this season, but I like higher acid tomato taste. NAR is a great tomato, but like Aker's much better...just my opinion.

Great feedback. I too also prefer a bit more acid or tang and will report back as I received the seeds from you last year. How's your winter harvest been compared to your fall?

[jpop]

Here is today's harvest and will report back on overall taste on the new varieties I have not sampled. Very exciting.

Noir de Crimee
Sakharnyi Pudovichok
Palmira's Northern Italian
Girls Girl Weird Thing
Rebel Yell
Stump of the World
Wes
Alex Popovich Yugoslavian
Iraqi Heart
Assorted Sungold, Reisentraube, and Stupice

[jpop]

Trialed Rebel Yell and Stump of the World tonight, so battle of the potato leafed pinks. Let me preface by saying both of these varieties lived up to the hype. Last year was my first growing a pink variety in New Big Dwarf and was hands down everyone's favorite, so I was determined on growing more pinks this year. Have one late Brandywine transplant that will likely not have ripe fruit for the next 60 days or so, so that jury is still out. Back to Rebel Yell and Stump of the World, Rebel Yell is a fantastic tomato that starts sweet at first bite and finishes with a nice tang, a very balanced tomato overall worthy of a solid 9, thank you Marsha. Now, I prefer a tomato that has more tang and acid bite than one that is sweet, so that leads us into Stump of the World. Was excited to grow this from all the rave reviews i have seen on this site and Tatiana's. This tomato starts with full flavor and finishes with a punch in the mouth crisp tangy mouth watering bite. I am so disappointed that I lost my only New Big Dwarf plant this year and have no direct comparison as last year the NBD was 9.5-10 and this tomato would go toe to toe no doubt. I can tell you w/o a doubt that both of these are on my grow list for next year, as they are stunners.

Top pic is RY and lower SOW.

[MissS]

What a wonderful review! I enjoyed reading it. I also agree that Stump of the World and Rebel Yell are two very mouthwatering pink tomatoes.

I can not wait to hear your descriptions of your other fruits.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by MissS

What a wonderful review! I enjoyed reading it. I also agree that Stump of the World and Rebel Yell are two very mouthwatering pink tomatoes.

I can not wait to hear your descriptions of your other fruits.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

Thank you for the kind words MissS, I am more than happy to share my good and bad experiences as well as feedback on the few varieties I am growing especially considering many were gifted in members SASE generosities. I am really honing in on what my personal tastes find best and of course local growing conditions to have a continuous rotation and then add a few new varieties rather than all new each year.

[ginger2778]

I am a huge fan of most pink PL beefsteaks. My friend Karen's theory is that its the PL that improves the flavor, because even her PL purples are very delicious. I don't know that to be fact, but it sure could be. I am open to the theory.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I am a huge fan of most pink PL beefsteaks. My friend Karen's theory is that its the PL that improves the flavor, because even her PL purples are very delicious. I don't know that to be fact, but it sure could be. I am open to the theory.

Could very well be some truth to that and thank you very much for the Rebel Yell seeds.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by BigVanVader

YMy take on flavor is that it's OK, really good texture, but I don't really like red tomatoes much for fresh eating. It makes a killer salsa though and is great for processing.

BVV, your flavor description of Wes is very close to my perception of the tomato as well. Found Iraqi Heart to be similar too. These tomatoes from start to finish are full old fashioned tomato taste and very good. I made pasta sauce from a mix of them last night and it was excellent. So, both still very good fresh by all accounts, but they really shined over pasta and would both make a great salsa. Wes is also a very heavy producer and is pumping out tons of fruit 2 to 3 times more than anything else. Would grow these again just for the above reasons, definite winners. Cut fruit of Wes below.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by jpop

Could very well be some truth to that and thank you very much for the Rebel Yell seeds.

You're welcome. Are you a seed saver?

[jpop]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

You're welcome. Are you a seed saver?

Have not tried it yet but seems straight forward from what I have seen. my biggest concern is crossing as my EB's have 2 plants each of different varieties.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by jpop

Have not tried it yet but seems straight forward from what I have seen. my biggest concern is crossing as my EB's have 2 plants each of different varieties.

I wouldn't even worry about it. I have never had a cross from my OWN saved seeds, at the time of year that we grow, Hallictidae bees are not very active especially during the early part of the season when the fruit are largest and my seeds are saved then. And we don't even have bumblebees here.
Even the folks I have given out seeds to, the only time a cross was present, it was from a kindly donor from another state who shared seeds with me. And I don't bag my blossoms, but you could if you are really worried. Plus as posted here in many threads, even where the type of bees that cause crosses are present, it's only about a 5% chance of a cross.
Honeybees do not cause tomatoes to cross pollinate.

[Ricky Shaw]

I love the reviews, and the excellent work, congratulations on a good harvest jpop.

[jpop]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

I wouldn't even worry about it, it's only about a 5% chance of a cross. Honeybees do not cause tomatoes to cross pollinate.

Thank you for this Marsha

[jpop]

Originally Posted by Ricky Shaw

I love the reviews, and the excellent work, congratulations on a good harvest jpop.

Thank you Ricky, really enjoying the varieties this year as they have all been winners in their own regard. Last year i grew multiple plants of the same varieties and three different hybrids. Did not care for any of the hybrids and cut them out completely. These were mostly due to seed i had left over form a few years back. After receiving and reviewing many different favorites from other posters, i decided to focus mainly on OP w/ rave reviews and some that found would match what I like in a tomato from the year before.