Anna Russian unpredictable results?

Chrysos · April 6, 2016

In 2014 Anna Russian was one of my favorite tomatoes, juicy, sweet good producer. 2014 was a good year for tomatoes here in the Pacific NW (Portland area)
In 2015 I planted 3 Anna Russian plants, in was a landmark tomato year here. For everything but Anna Russian and another of my previous favorites, Neve's Azorean Red, neither did well despite the perfect long lot tomato summer.

Is this typical for these tomatoes? Do they like cooler weather?

JLJ_ · April 6, 2016

So many have wonderful results with Anna Russian that I'm sure my experience must be atypical, but I've grown it several years and it hasn't done very well for me. Healthy enough, and it does produce and the fruit is fine . . . just hasn't produced as much fruit or as fruit that was as nice as Anna Maria's Heart, for example -- and those two have always been next to or at least very near one another.

I did get some seed for Anna Russian from a different source and will give that a try, but it's poor to mediocre past performance kept it from making the list this year.

Again, I don't want to discourage you concerning Anna Russian, as many, many people have good luck with it -- but if it didn't do well for you, you're not alone. It's only because so many think so highly of it that I bothered to get seed from a different source to try.

**carolyn137** · April 6, 2016

I've grown Anna Russian pretty much from the time that Craig got the seeds,as you can see from the link below

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Anna_Russian

And no,it doesn't prefer cold weather, as many think that Russian and Siberian varieties do,which is not true but it does look rather wimpy with wilty looking leaves that are droopy when the plant is young and then fills out with some of the earliest,most delicious hearts.

I grew it about every other year when I was lisiting it in the SSE yearbooks,and it was in high demand and that's why I had to grow it so often for new seed production.

Just look at the number of seed companies that have sold it in Tania's link, especially those that do their own seed production and that speaks to it being grown very well almost everywhere.

Carolyn

flyfiishn · April 8, 2016

I grow it in Northern California and our summers are warm to hot and dry (almost 0% humidity) except for the rare cloudy summer days.

Anna flourishes every year. This tomato absolutely rocks and is usually top producer in terms of pounds of fruit.

It gets all droopy during the peak heat of the day but once evening hits it bounces right back and looks perfect. The fruit to foliage ratio is by far the highest. I may try a little shade for some this year and see if it boosts production even more.

oakley · April 8, 2016

We have grown Anna for as long as TGS has offered the seeds.
Every year. They do well in the mountain climate...cool foggy mornings, hot full sun days. I have only used the one seed supplier all this time and have seeds in three packets...i order without checking my seed trunk,

, just because i never want to run out...
YeOldeTrusty tomato friend and may alway will...

Seems some suppliers do change? Seeds dilute? who knows as i'm not in the expert category but i do see some find a favorite hits the 'kick out of town' list when in years past were on the favorite list...

Lindalana · April 9, 2016

unpredictable for me as well, some good years and some not so

spuriousmonkey · April 9, 2016

I have two reliable varieties each year in short seasoned finland: anna russian and stupice.

April 6, 2016	#1
Chrysos Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 12	Anna Russian unpredictable results? In 2014 Anna Russian was one of my favorite tomatoes, juicy, sweet good producer. 2014 was a good year for tomatoes here in the Pacific NW (Portland area) In 2015 I planted 3 Anna Russian plants, in was a landmark tomato year here. For everything but Anna Russian and another of my previous favorites, Neve's Azorean Red, neither did well despite the perfect long lot tomato summer. Is this typical for these tomatoes? Do they like cooler weather?

April 6, 2016	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	I've grown Anna Russian pretty much from the time that Craig got the seeds,as you can see from the link below http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Anna_Russian And no,it doesn't prefer cold weather, as many think that Russian and Siberian varieties do,which is not true but it does look rather wimpy with wilty looking leaves that are droopy when the plant is young and then fills out with some of the earliest,most delicious hearts. I grew it about every other year when I was lisiting it in the SSE yearbooks,and it was in high demand and that's why I had to grow it so often for new seed production. Just look at the number of seed companies that have sold it in Tania's link, especially those that do their own seed production and that speaks to it being grown very well almost everywhere. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

April 6, 2016	#2
JLJ_ Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Wyoming Posts: 759	So many have wonderful results with Anna Russian that I'm sure my experience must be atypical, but I've grown it several years and it hasn't done very well for me. Healthy enough, and it does produce and the fruit is fine . . . just hasn't produced as much fruit or as fruit that was as nice as Anna Maria's Heart, for example -- and those two have always been next to or at least very near one another. I did get some seed for Anna Russian from a different source and will give that a try, but it's poor to mediocre past performance kept it from making the list this year. Again, I don't want to discourage you concerning Anna Russian, as many, many people have good luck with it -- but if it didn't do well for you, you're not alone. It's only because so many think so highly of it that I bothered to get seed from a different source to try.

April 8, 2016	#4
flyfiishn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2014 Location: Northern CA Posts: 80	I grow it in Northern California and our summers are warm to hot and dry (almost 0% humidity) except for the rare cloudy summer days. Anna flourishes every year. This tomato absolutely rocks and is usually top producer in terms of pounds of fruit. It gets all droopy during the peak heat of the day but once evening hits it bounces right back and looks perfect. The fruit to foliage ratio is by far the highest. I may try a little shade for some this year and see if it boosts production even more.

April 8, 2016	#5
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	We have grown Anna for as long as TGS has offered the seeds. Every year. They do well in the mountain climate...cool foggy mornings, hot full sun days. I have only used the one seed supplier all this time and have seeds in three packets...i order without checking my seed trunk, , just because i never want to run out... YeOldeTrusty tomato friend and may alway will... Seems some suppliers do change? Seeds dilute? who knows as i'm not in the expert category but i do see some find a favorite hits the 'kick out of town' list when in years past were on the favorite list...

April 9, 2016	#6
Lindalana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Chicago IL Posts: 857	unpredictable for me as well, some good years and some not so

April 9, 2016	#7
spuriousmonkey Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2014 Location: Finland Posts: 28	I have two reliable varieties each year in short seasoned finland: anna russian and stupice.