Hybrid Tomatoes You Like

AlittleSalt · January 26, 2015

In a couple days, we're going to be buying some garden seed. I want to look at some hybrid tomatoes while we're at it. I have seed catalogs full of hybrids - especially Tomato Growers and Burpee.

I'm curious, and as the title says, What are some Hybrid Tomato varieties you like?

So far, I've grown Celebrity, Early Girl, Sweet 100, and Super Sweet 100. I liked all 4 of them.

January 26, 2015

Sun Gold is definitely THE top-tasting hybrid in my opinion. Although I have a cross of P-20 x Momotaro in the F-4 stage that has outstanding flavor!

Blueaussi · January 26, 2015

After losing all my tomato plants to Tomato Spotted Wilt virus some years back, I always have at least one resistant variety in the garden. Of the ones I have tried, I think Bella Rosa has the best flavor, and that Amelia is the most reliable.

Worth1 · January 26, 2015

There are way too many good hybrids out there to even list.

People relate hybrid to store bought shipping tomatoes and it isn't fare to hybrids.

Worth

camochef · January 26, 2015

Being an heirloom snob, there is only one hybrid that I grow anymore. That's Mountain Fresh Plus. It's close to being as good as my favorite Brandywines. Thin Skinned, little core, great taste, nice size and decent production.
I had three of them in last years gardens and they were fantastic. Last tomatoes producing after everything else had been pulled. I even saved some seed from the largest, just to see what it does.
Enjoy!
Camo

gssgarden · January 26, 2015

Big Beef is a mainstay in my garden. XL fruit, good flavor, and long lasting production.

Greg

NarnianGarden · January 26, 2015

The only hybrid I ever tried growing was SunGold, and yes, it was good (and productive!). Perhaps not quite up to the hype, but delicious nonetheless. However, with so many wonderful OP varieties demanding my attention and space, I don't think I will have it in my garden next summer.

Mountain Fresh Plus made me very curious...!

Cole_Robbie · January 26, 2015

Big Beef and Sungold. I'm also trying Sun Lemon, Sun Peach, and Sun Chocola, the other cherries in the sun series.

I also really like Orange Blossom F1 from Johnny's.

My grandparents always grew Jet Star. I grew Jet Star next to Big Beef in the high tunnel last year. The flavor was identical, but Big Beef had a higher yield and larger fruit.

Mojo · January 26, 2015

Early Girl is reliable. So is Celebrity.

But SETTFest vets will remember the "grand prize winner" of 2009 (2010?) was a hybrid, and evidently you can now get six-packs of it at some big-box stores: ATKINSON!!! Late producer but will survive high heat.

(I like to think our repopularizing this got the attention of some nursery folks...)

ddsack · January 26, 2015

Sungold every year, Brandy Boy is good too, and I used to grow Better Boy every year before I got into heirlooms.

Dutch · January 26, 2015

For good taste and market ability my picks are similar to Robbie’s above, Big Beef and Sun Sugar (Sun Gold’s sibling).

Like Robbie I have grown both Big Beef and Jet Star and I too found that Big Beef had a higher yield and larger fruit. I no longer grow Jet Star.

Dutch

green_go · January 26, 2015

SunSugar - orange cherry
Sweet Treats - pink cherry
Sweet Baby Girl - red cherry
Big Beef - red beefsteak
Better Boy - red beefsteak
Juliet - saladette, I use it for canning
Mountain Magic - saladette, I use it for canning

joseph · January 26, 2015

Sungold and Celebrity for me.

FLRedHeart · January 26, 2015

Better Boy has great flavor to complement OPs & heirlooms when you need a break, and especially productive in your part of the country (world record).

Irv Wiseguy · January 26, 2015

A hybrid that has always grown well for me and tastes good is Champion. I still have seeds I bought several years ago and will be growing 1 Champion plant this year after a long hiatus (if the seed still germinates).

Irv

January 26, 2015	#1
AlittleSalt BANNED FOR LIFE Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 13,333	Hybrid Tomatoes You Like In a couple days, we're going to be buying some garden seed. I want to look at some hybrid tomatoes while we're at it. I have seed catalogs full of hybrids - especially Tomato Growers and Burpee. I'm curious, and as the title says, What are some Hybrid Tomato varieties you like? So far, I've grown Celebrity, Early Girl, Sweet 100, and Super Sweet 100. I liked all 4 of them.

January 26, 2015	#2
WillysWoodPile Guest Posts: n/a	Sun Gold is definitely THE top-tasting hybrid in my opinion. Although I have a cross of P-20 x Momotaro in the F-4 stage that has outstanding flavor! Last edited by WillysWoodPile; January 26, 2015 at 03:30 PM.

January 26, 2015	#9
Mojo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 317	Early Girl is reliable. So is Celebrity. But SETTFest vets will remember the "grand prize winner" of 2009 (2010?) was a hybrid, and evidently you can now get six-packs of it at some big-box stores: ATKINSON!!! Late producer but will survive high heat. (I like to think our repopularizing this got the attention of some nursery folks...) __________________ There is no logical response to the question, "Why won't you let me plant more tomatoes?"

January 26, 2015	#10
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,228	Sungold every year, Brandy Boy is good too, and I used to grow Better Boy every year before I got into heirlooms. __________________ Dee **************

January 26, 2015	#11
Dutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: S.E. Wisconsin Zone 5b Posts: 1,831	For good taste and market ability my picks are similar to Robbie’s above, Big Beef and Sun Sugar (Sun Gold’s sibling). Like Robbie I have grown both Big Beef and Jet Star and I too found that Big Beef had a higher yield and larger fruit. I no longer grow Jet Star. Dutch __________________ "Discretion is the better part of valor" Charles Churchill The intuitive mind is a gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. But we have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. (paraphrased) Albert Einstein I come from a long line of sod busters, spanning back several centuries.

January 26, 2015	#3
Blueaussi Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: South Carolina Zone 8a Posts: 1,205	After losing all my tomato plants to Tomato Spotted Wilt virus some years back, I always have at least one resistant variety in the garden. Of the ones I have tried, I think Bella Rosa has the best flavor, and that Amelia is the most reliable.

January 26, 2015	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	There are way too many good hybrids out there to even list. People relate hybrid to store bought shipping tomatoes and it isn't fare to hybrids. Worth

January 26, 2015	#5
camochef Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Gettysburg, Pennsylvania Posts: 707	Being an heirloom snob, there is only one hybrid that I grow anymore. That's Mountain Fresh Plus. It's close to being as good as my favorite Brandywines. Thin Skinned, little core, great taste, nice size and decent production. I had three of them in last years gardens and they were fantastic. Last tomatoes producing after everything else had been pulled. I even saved some seed from the largest, just to see what it does. Enjoy! Camo

January 26, 2015	#6
gssgarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: N.C. Posts: 1,824	Big Beef is a mainstay in my garden. XL fruit, good flavor, and long lasting production. Greg

January 26, 2015	#7
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	The only hybrid I ever tried growing was SunGold, and yes, it was good (and productive!). Perhaps not quite up to the hype, but delicious nonetheless. However, with so many wonderful OP varieties demanding my attention and space, I don't think I will have it in my garden next summer. Mountain Fresh Plus made me very curious...!

January 26, 2015	#8
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	Big Beef and Sungold. I'm also trying Sun Lemon, Sun Peach, and Sun Chocola, the other cherries in the sun series. I also really like Orange Blossom F1 from Johnny's. My grandparents always grew Jet Star. I grew Jet Star next to Big Beef in the high tunnel last year. The flavor was identical, but Big Beef had a higher yield and larger fruit.

January 26, 2015	#12
green_go Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Canada, Ontario, z5a Posts: 142	SunSugar - orange cherry Sweet Treats - pink cherry Sweet Baby Girl - red cherry Big Beef - red beefsteak Better Boy - red beefsteak Juliet - saladette, I use it for canning Mountain Magic - saladette, I use it for canning __________________ Gala

January 26, 2015	#13
joseph Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: Cache Valley, N/E of The Great Salt Lake Posts: 1,244	Sungold and Celebrity for me.

January 26, 2015	#14
FLRedHeart Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: FL 8b/9a Posts: 262	Better Boy has great flavor to complement OPs & heirlooms when you need a break, and especially productive in your part of the country (world record).

January 26, 2015	#15
Irv Wiseguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Thousand Oaks, CA Posts: 281	A hybrid that has always grown well for me and tastes good is Champion. I still have seeds I bought several years ago and will be growing 1 Champion plant this year after a long hiatus (if the seed still germinates). Irv