Help With Varieties and Advice on First Container Attempt.

[westocast73]

I have a 20 Gallon container that I plan to use next year on my patio for Tomatoes. It has a 4 foot tall trellis built against it that the tomatoes will be grown up. I am trying to decide two things though. One, Should I be planting one plant or two in a 20 Gallon Container? I would like to grow two just to try the extra variety but would like opinions. Second, I would love peoples opinions about these 5 varieties ( All of which I have never Grown Before ) I have narrowed it down too. Your opinions are very much appreciated!

P.S. If anyone wants to add some extra information or experience about Golden Delight it would be appreciated as there is very little mentioned about this variety readily available.



Druzba
Golden Delight
Kimberly
Siletz
Silvery Fir Tree

Thanks!

[PNW_D]

I grew Golden Delight in 03 and 04 – original seed from our East Van Farmer’s Market. This was one of my favourite earlies those two years – very productive and a depth of taste I look for in tomatoes – meaty as well. I shared a lot of seed and also left some at the trade table at VanDusen Seedy Saturday (I see you are in Vancouver – so you may well have some of my seed). Unfortunately, not a lot of people seemed to think much of it – at least I don’t recall a lot of feedback. Abundant Life has given it a good review. Plant is det. About 3 feet at most and wide.

A few quickly jotted notes I managed to locate:

Golden Delight first ripe and excellent, deep assertive taste: GDD (Growing Degree Days) 1216 (slightly ahead of Black Cherry)

one of my all round favourites – very high production, early, blemish-free fruit and nice size for slicing into a salad – meaty with strong flavour

And here is a picture of the sliced fruit – the small black is Black Cherry to give an idea of size.



I liked Kimberly the year I grew it, but found Siletz a waste of time (if you are growing for flavour).

[Tania]

Mike,

I think Siletz and Sylvery Fir Tree (and even Kimberly) will thrive in 5 gal containers since they are quite compact. I think GOlden Delight is also compact, but my memory might be failing me tonight :-)

I have some 18 gals Rubbermaid storage containers I grow tomatoes in, and I find that 2 plants per contaner work nicely, even if they are indeterminates. Personally, I avoid growing 2 different varieties in the same container since it makes it impossible to distinguish which fruit belongs to which plant, unless they are some different, like chery and beefsteak, or of diff colors

Kimberly is a great early, go for it!
I'd tend to agree with D. about Siletz... but I like Oregon Spring in containers, which some folks think is very similar...
Druzba should be excellent, but I haven't grown it myself yet, so cannot speak from my own experience

Any non-red tomatoes you'd like to give some consideration? I think any tomato will be happy in 20 gal container, given a rich soil and good watering... Personally, I like growing heart-shaped varieties in containers - I think they are much sweeter if grown that way, IMO

[westocast73]

Thanks D for that wealth of information on Golden Delight. Someone gave it to me as a Bonus in a trade and since I really found Golden Queen ( my strain at least ) bland and mealy I had kind of written of Golden Delight ( I know its not the same tomato but the name just gave me a bad assosciation ). My one question for you though is when you say meaty do you mean the flesh is soft and creamy ( as some describe it) or is it meaty in a firm flesh kind of way. I am much more in favour of tomatoes that display a firm flesh. I think this is just conditioning since so many store bought tomatoes are firm fleshed and I am just knew to this whole heirloom experience.

Thanks Tania for your additional info. I think I might try to grow Silvery Fir Tree in a smaller container and place it on the patio.

Thanks for tip about colours. I plan to grow two distinctly different tomatoes in the same pot as I am not up to following each tomato back down to the root system to find out which is which :wink: .

It appears Siletz might get a pass this year in favour of Kimberly. Druzba is still up in the air for me but if its grown I might move it to the Garden. I am still debating on how much of my Trellis system I want to devote to tomatoes or other veggies. I was hoping to at least grow 18 varieties this year ( Grew 14 or so this year of which very few are returning next year ). This leads me to one other question. Can I grow a Pole Bean with a Tomato or is this asking for trouble?

I had planned to grow German Red Strawberry next year in the garden but now am wondering if it would be a good choice for the container as per your advice. I have never grown a heart tomato before and German Red will be my first. Maybe I should grow it in the container so that my first experience is a good one . I am though worried about watering and BER. I thought hearts suffered from this more often?


Thanks for your advice.

P.S. I have been informed the container is more then 20 Gallons. It is a half whiskey barrel. I have two but one is used to grow a vine up my Deck ( concrete Patio) . I grew a Dahlia in the other this year but it is so out of my sight line and yet close to my kitchen door that I would rather use it for a Tomato.