Please help me decide!

gus1225 · March 22, 2014

I'm driving myself crazy this year and time is running out. In my raised beds I only have room for 8 tomato plants. Every year I have huge issues with blossom end rot no matter what I do. I think it's due to the crazy wind here and the beds drying so quickly. Anyway, the only tomatoes that don't have problems are the cherries and they are my favorite anyway. The cherries I will by planting are:

Black cherry
Solanum spontaneum
Blush
Gajo de melon
Matt's wild cherry
Sungold

That leaves me with 2 spots for other tomato types. The ones I have seeds for that I am considering are:

Stump
Santa Maria
JD's special c-tex
Cero blackburn
KBX
Rinaldo
African queen
Orange minsk
German johnson
Goose creek

I live in Minnesota so have a pretty short growing season. Any suggestions?

JamesL · March 22, 2014

Goose Creek or Stump of the World get my vote. Love them both and I know I have read reports here about both producing well up north.

**carolyn137** · March 22, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by gus1225

I'm driving myself crazy this year and time is running out. In my raised beds I only have room for 8 tomato plants. Every year I have huge issues with blossom end rot no matter what I do. I think it's due to the crazy wind here and the beds drying so quickly. Anyway, the only tomatoes that don't have problems are the cherries and they are my favorite anyway. The cherries I will by planting are:

Black cherry
Solanum spontaneum
Blush
Gajo de melon
Matt's wild cherry
Sungold

That leaves me with 2 spots for other tomato types. The ones I have seeds for that I am considering are:

Stump
Santa Maria
JD's special c-tex
Cero blackburn
KBX
Rinaldo
African queen
Orange minsk
German johnson
Goose creek

I live in Minnesota so have a pretty short growing season. Any suggestions?

I've grown all that you list in your first list but had to check out the Solanum one and I find it's in the same genus as tomatoes, but an entirely different species. So related to a tomato, but not a tomato. Should be interesting.

https://www.google.com/#q=solanum+spontaneum

From your second list my choices would be:

Orange Minsk
Stump of the World

Carolyn

Sodak · March 22, 2014

In my Southeast tip of South Dakota raised beds Stump of the World and KBX were very productive and the best tasting, along with Dester.

b54red · March 22, 2014

We suffered through a several decades long drought down here in the south so figuring out how to maintain even soil moisture was a big goal of mine for many years and I tried nearly every possible method from moisture crystals to manufactured ground covers. I finally hit on something that works consistently and at the same time I only saw one tomato with blossom end rot in the past 3 years and I didn't have that one mulched yet. I use a heavy 4 to 5 inch thick layer of cypress mulch and put it down as soon as possible after planting to protect the soil from our usually very hot springs and the wind that can be so bad in March and April. You would probably want to wait til your daytime temps were regularly getting into the high 70s or 80s before applying it. I was desperately trying anything to keep in moisture and the cypress mulch worked so well I haven't used anything else under my tomatoes and peppers since. It can be raked up and bagged or piled up at the end of the season or left on and just moved aside. You lose a bit each year to it decomposing but most of it lasts for a couple of years. I always have to buy some new bags of it each year to complete my mulching and it isn't cheap when you mulch several long beds that heavily. You could probably get by with a much thinner layer since you don't need the soil cooling effect up north so to mulch that few tomatoes with a 2 inch thick layer would probably only take a few bags. Make sure to mulch well out from the plants to maintain even soil moisture. I think if you do this you will see a noticeable reduction in blossom end rot.

Bill

b54red · March 22, 2014

Forgot to mention varieties. I like several of your choices but I think with your short season I would go with Stump and German Johnson. Too bad you don't have Limbaugh's Legacy because it tastes very much like Stump and is very productive but for me it was earlier and did better in the fall when the temps dropped. Stump does better in the mid summer heat than LL but after the winter we have seen I would think you may have a cooler summer than usual up north this year.

Bill

shelleybean · March 22, 2014

I've grown Stump of the World several times and it has been a good performer except at the hottest part of the summer. I also tried several plants of African Queen in only one season but they did not do well for me.

KarenO · March 22, 2014

I'm North of you in Alberta (zone 3a) and enjoyed Stump of the world last season. It produced moderately for me but the stocky potato leaf plant stayed healthy and disease free to the end of the season and I got some gorgeous big dark pink tomatoes from it. Exceptional flavor in my opinion as well.
Karen

guruofgardens · March 22, 2014

Stump of the World gets my vote. They did quite well last year, especially the ones that were neglected - just put into the ground with no TLC.

mecktom · March 22, 2014

Try German Johnson...PL or RL...you will love them both!

gssgarden · March 22, 2014

KBX and KBX!!

Greg

katkoot · March 22, 2014

I haven't grown the rest on your list, but Stump was awesome! It had a good flavor and fair production.

ExpendableZero · March 22, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by gus1225

Every year I have huge issues with blossom end rot no matter what I do. I think it's due to the crazy wind here and the beds drying so quickly.

The only cure for blossom end rot that I know of is amending your soil with calcium. Add something like lime or eggshells.

**carolyn137** · March 22, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by ExpendableZero

The only cure for blossom end rot that I know of is amending your soil with calcium. Add something like lime or eggshells.

It's not that simple.

It used to be thought that lack of Ca++ caused it but research has shown that not to be true.

http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/291012/

In the above thread, please read the third post down, by me, for updated information which I know will help.

Carolyn

gus1225 · March 22, 2014

Wow, I think stump is a definite winner. I did not have luck with it last year but I think it was just a weak plant for some reason. I'll just make sure to plant extras. Orange minsk was really productive last year, but had the worst blossom end rot - it was so bad I didn't even get a taste but the chickens loved them. Planted German Johnson for my mom and she loved it. Goose creek was the strongest plant and had the most tomatoes, but again blossom end rot.

Carolyn - this will be my first time planting Solanum spontaneum. According to Remy it gets pretty big, but if you Google it they claim it's a low growing plant. Not sure what to expect.

I'm so happy with my peppers this year. Planted 120 peppers - 100% germination. Hopefully they continue to do well.

March 22, 2014	#1
gus1225 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Minnesota Posts: 8	Please help me decide! I'm driving myself crazy this year and time is running out. In my raised beds I only have room for 8 tomato plants. Every year I have huge issues with blossom end rot no matter what I do. I think it's due to the crazy wind here and the beds drying so quickly. Anyway, the only tomatoes that don't have problems are the cherries and they are my favorite anyway. The cherries I will by planting are: Black cherry Solanum spontaneum Blush Gajo de melon Matt's wild cherry Sungold That leaves me with 2 spots for other tomato types. The ones I have seeds for that I am considering are: Stump Santa Maria JD's special c-tex Cero blackburn KBX Rinaldo African queen Orange minsk German johnson Goose creek I live in Minnesota so have a pretty short growing season. Any suggestions?

March 22, 2014	#4
Sodak Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: 5a SD Posts: 253	In my Southeast tip of South Dakota raised beds Stump of the World and KBX were very productive and the best tasting, along with Dester. __________________ Fight the good fight, finish the course and keep the faith

March 22, 2014	#7
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	I've grown Stump of the World several times and it has been a good performer except at the hottest part of the summer. I also tried several plants of African Queen in only one season but they did not do well for me. __________________ Michele

March 22, 2014	#2
JamesL Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Long Island NY Posts: 1,992	Goose Creek or Stump of the World get my vote. Love them both and I know I have read reports here about both producing well up north.

March 22, 2014	#5
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	We suffered through a several decades long drought down here in the south so figuring out how to maintain even soil moisture was a big goal of mine for many years and I tried nearly every possible method from moisture crystals to manufactured ground covers. I finally hit on something that works consistently and at the same time I only saw one tomato with blossom end rot in the past 3 years and I didn't have that one mulched yet. I use a heavy 4 to 5 inch thick layer of cypress mulch and put it down as soon as possible after planting to protect the soil from our usually very hot springs and the wind that can be so bad in March and April. You would probably want to wait til your daytime temps were regularly getting into the high 70s or 80s before applying it. I was desperately trying anything to keep in moisture and the cypress mulch worked so well I haven't used anything else under my tomatoes and peppers since. It can be raked up and bagged or piled up at the end of the season or left on and just moved aside. You lose a bit each year to it decomposing but most of it lasts for a couple of years. I always have to buy some new bags of it each year to complete my mulching and it isn't cheap when you mulch several long beds that heavily. You could probably get by with a much thinner layer since you don't need the soil cooling effect up north so to mulch that few tomatoes with a 2 inch thick layer would probably only take a few bags. Make sure to mulch well out from the plants to maintain even soil moisture. I think if you do this you will see a noticeable reduction in blossom end rot. Bill

March 22, 2014	#8
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	I'm North of you in Alberta (zone 3a) and enjoyed Stump of the world last season. It produced moderately for me but the stocky potato leaf plant stayed healthy and disease free to the end of the season and I got some gorgeous big dark pink tomatoes from it. Exceptional flavor in my opinion as well. Karen

March 22, 2014	#9
guruofgardens Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: zone 5 Colorado Posts: 942	Stump of the World gets my vote. They did quite well last year, especially the ones that were neglected - just put into the ground with no TLC.

March 22, 2014	#10
mecktom Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Southern Virginia Posts: 342	Try German Johnson...PL or RL...you will love them both!

March 22, 2014	#11
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,821	KBX and KBX!! Greg

March 22, 2014	#12
katkoot Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: California Posts: 69	I haven't grown the rest on your list, but Stump was awesome! It had a good flavor and fair production.