a list of ox hearts

epsilon · April 4, 2014

So I've been browsing around and Ive been seeing ox hearts listed and some are really appetizing and beautiful, But I've also noticed what looks to be beef steak types. Can I get everyone's thoughts and onions on ox heart tons what just look tasty And those that are exceptional?

Gaston

Alpinejs · April 4, 2014

Epsilon..you don't mention your experience level, but I will tell you that hearts
are my favorites as far a shape is concerned. Brad's black heart is a great one'
and I will try to get back here with some other favorites. Seems like I recall
Carolyn saying that Oxhearts were also her favorites. Usually a lot of meat and
not too much gel.

I wish I knew your experience level as I might be expressing an opinion to
a 40 yr. veteran commercial tomato grower that grows 8000 plants every year
and teaches horticulture at Humbolt State Univ. Given that scenario, I might
feel downright foolish.

Alpinejs · April 4, 2014

It's me! I am back.

Kosovo....is a great heart and, IMHO, the very best tomato for a BLT as it has
great tomato flavor and doesn't make your BLT all sloppy and soggy.

Reif Red Heart is another good one to try.

If my guess is right, the Villians will chime in with a bunch of their faves in the
way of hearts. I will be growing about 20 hearts in Canada this summer, so I
am anxous to hear their opinions (even though they aren't as valuable as mine)

Stvrob · April 4, 2014

I'm growing Fishlake Oxheart for the first time this Year (Thanks again Ginger2778!)

kath · April 4, 2014

There are threads here about favorite tomatoes, favorite oxhearts, favorite beefsteaks, etc., and the following oxhearts (and others) also have their fans: Anna Russian, Donskoi, Fish Lake Oxheart*, Granny's Heart, Hays' Tomato*, Indiana Red, Joe's Pink Oxheart, Kosovo, Kukla's Portuguese Heart, Linnie's Oxheart, Mayo's Delight, Mazarini, Orange Minsk Heart, Orange Russian 117, Wes, etc.

(*'d varieties are my personal faves so far but every year I grow lots of new hearts to see if there are others that taste and perform better in my garden.)

kath

matilda'skid · April 5, 2014

I like Wes.

epsilon · April 5, 2014

Alpine

I'm actually quite novice in terms of tomato growing, so express away. . Though I do have a number of years in growing difficult to manage flowering plants. I have maybe three years in this area of garden culture. But I the have time to learn so my curve can be a little less hockey stickish. My primary experience is growing pastes and a beef steak here and there.

I really liked the description of brads blackheart. I also happened across brads rusty heart not to Long ago. So I'll take that as a vote for both.

Also Kosovo has crossed my Tomadar several times in the recent past so I'll add that one to the list as well

I haven't seen many offerings for reif red heart I'll be visiting Tania's tbase soon.

Stvrob

i think I remember seeing that mentioned in several posts on my recent site search, I'll be looking into that one as well sing that its mentioned highly.

Kath

Before creating a new thread I did search but didn't think to use the word favorite. Instead I searched for lists of expecting the search engine to read my mind

But I'm very appreciative of the list that you shared as that will give me an ample start to my search.

In retrospect i probably should have disclosed my growing experience, because now I'm getting a healthy dose of paranoia. Are they more prone to disease? Or more finicky when it comes to growing conditions?

should I stick to pastes?

and try to curb the tomato addiction?

Stvrob · April 5, 2014

I assume that oxhearts are no easier or more difficult to grow than other types?

Fusion_power · April 5, 2014

As interesting trivia, you can combine the fasciated gene with the heart shape gene and when you do, you get a super large meaty fat heart shaped tomato. Tastiheart is an example.

While I love growing heart shaped tomatoes, they have low seed counts. They often carry the wilty gene which tends to make the foliage very susceptible to fungal diseases. I don't usually get more than 8 to 10 tomatoes per plant.

**carolyn137** · April 5, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

As interesting trivia, you can combine the fasciated gene with the heart shape gene and when you do, you get a super large meaty fat heart shaped tomato. Tastiheart is an example.

While I love growing heart shaped tomatoes, they have low seed counts. They often carry the wilty gene which tends to make the foliage very susceptible to fungal diseases. I don't usually get more than 8 to 10 tomatoes per plant.

Darrel, it was Chuck Wyatt who first referred to the wilty gene when referring to the narrow dissected leaves that most, but not all heart shaped varieties have that makes the foliage look wilted.

But I later found out that the wilt gene determines how quickly ANY variety recovers from wilting when given water.

I searched in my faves for that link and couldn't find it, no doubt b/c I have about 2,000 items in my faves, and just searched Google and couldn't find it either.

But I know it started with Chuck many years ago referring just to most heart types.

Carolyn, dedicated lover of heart varieties.

b54red · April 5, 2014

I have to say that Kosovo is probably the most dependable moderately large heart I have grown and the taste is good. It is an early tomato for me and produces an abundance of one pound fruits.

My favorite hands down is Donskoi because it is much juicier than most oxhearts and has a more robust flavor. It is more stingy but I usually get between 8 and 12 good fruit off of it and I have gotten some as large as 2 pounds.

Anna Russian is a very prolific producer of good tasting hearts but they are not quite as large as Kosovo for me but make up for it with numbers and good ability to set in the heat. Fish Lake Oxheart is one of my other favorites and it is even earlier than Kosovo which is usually one of my first full size tomatoes to have ripe fruit.

If you want to grow some monster hearts then give Gildo Pietroboni and Hungarian Heart a try. I got some 2 pounders off both but the flavor like so many hearts is just too bland for my taste. I have had great production from Linnies Oxheart, Wes, German Red Strawberry and Olyers German. If you prefer mild tomatoes then you should love many of the heart varieties and they are terrific for sauce tomatoes because it takes so little cooking down to achieve a thick sauce.

I have never been able to grow Brad's Blackheart because it seems to be very susceptible to fusarium wilt which is a real problem in my soil. I have heard it is a terrific heart and maybe I'll get to grow some one day with grafting. This year I have successfully grafted Fish Lake Oxheart, Kosovo, Anna Russian and Donskoi and I am looking forward to seeing how the grafted plants perform. Last year I only succeeded in grafting two hearts so I am looking forward to a few more this year.

Bill

taboule · April 5, 2014

I grew Coeur de Boeuf last year, colleague brought seeds from France. It doesn't look like any pics i see on Google, but more like a heart than anything else. Thin foliage, not the heaviest producer, but very tasty. The biggest one came close to a pound. Pics below.

Trying Fish Lake Oxheart that Marsha sent me this year.(edit: pics below are of the CdB French oxheart)

ginger2778 · April 5, 2014

Hey Stvrob and Taboule, you both made me feel great! Thank you.

This year I grew/ am still growing grightmire's pride, which is incredible BTW,Gregori's Altai, Wes, Fish Lake Oxheart, Rozovyi Myod,and Striped Sweetheart. There isn't a dud in the bunch. Wes and GA were blunt hearts, Wes was a beautiful, large, prolific red heart, RM was nice, maybe a little more bland, got a 1&1/4 lb fruit, several around a pound, then smaller 6 oz ones later. SS gives gorgeous 3oz or less red with green and golden stripes, wonderful intense small fruit flavor, lots of fruits, my favorites were FLO, and GP, both had really good disease resistance, incredible flavor, medium large very heart shaped pink fruit(FLO is supposed to be red, but I don't know of anyone who has gotten red color personally), both were really prolific, and are getting a 3rd round of fruit on them, which I figure is my garden's last hurrah!
Epsilon, PM me if you want some seeds. Also, my seed offer is still open in the available for trade forum.

Marsha

ginger2778 · April 5, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by taboule

I grew Coeur de Boeuf last year, colleague brought seeds from France. It doesn't look like any pics i see on Google, but more like a heart than anything else. Thin foliage, not the heaviest producer, but very tasty. The biggest one came close to a pound.

Trying Fish Lake Oxheart that Marsha sent me this year.

Taboule, is that FLO in the pictures? And is it red? That is exciting if true!

Marsha

nancyruhl · April 5, 2014

Old reliable favorites that I have on every years list are German Red Strawberry and Monkeys (Butt). I really like hearts and have some newer to me varieties I love. Alice's Egypt, Pink Honey, Tsar Kolokol and Gildo Pietroboni are among them. Last years surprise was Hoy. In our cool wet summer, he really shined. I think of hearts as the proverbial multi use tomato. Love them fresh, but also add them to my sauce.

April 4, 2014	#1
epsilon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Desert CA Posts: 400	a list of ox hearts So I've been browsing around and Ive been seeing ox hearts listed and some are really appetizing and beautiful, But I've also noticed what looks to be beef steak types. Can I get everyone's thoughts and onions on ox heart tons what just look tasty And those that are exceptional? Gaston

April 4, 2014	#2
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	Epsilon..you don't mention your experience level, but I will tell you that hearts are my favorites as far a shape is concerned. Brad's black heart is a great one' and I will try to get back here with some other favorites. Seems like I recall Carolyn saying that Oxhearts were also her favorites. Usually a lot of meat and not too much gel. I wish I knew your experience level as I might be expressing an opinion to a 40 yr. veteran commercial tomato grower that grows 8000 plants every year and teaches horticulture at Humbolt State Univ. Given that scenario, I might feel downright foolish.

April 4, 2014	#4
Stvrob Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Jacksonville, FL Posts: 1,413	I'm growing Fishlake Oxheart for the first time this Year (Thanks again Ginger2778!)

April 4, 2014	#5
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	There are threads here about favorite tomatoes, favorite oxhearts, favorite beefsteaks, etc., and the following oxhearts (and others) also have their fans: Anna Russian, Donskoi, Fish Lake Oxheart, Granny's Heart, Hays' Tomato, Indiana Red, Joe's Pink Oxheart, Kosovo, Kukla's Portuguese Heart, Linnie's Oxheart, Mayo's Delight, Mazarini, Orange Minsk Heart, Orange Russian 117, Wes, etc. (*'d varieties are my personal faves so far but every year I grow lots of new hearts to see if there are others that taste and perform better in my garden.) kath

April 5, 2014	#6
matilda'skid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 309	I like Wes.

April 5, 2014	#9
Fusion_power Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,250	As interesting trivia, you can combine the fasciated gene with the heart shape gene and when you do, you get a super large meaty fat heart shaped tomato. Tastiheart is an example. While I love growing heart shaped tomatoes, they have low seed counts. They often carry the wilty gene which tends to make the foliage very susceptible to fungal diseases. I don't usually get more than 8 to 10 tomatoes per plant.

April 5, 2014	#11
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I have to say that Kosovo is probably the most dependable moderately large heart I have grown and the taste is good. It is an early tomato for me and produces an abundance of one pound fruits. My favorite hands down is Donskoi because it is much juicier than most oxhearts and has a more robust flavor. It is more stingy but I usually get between 8 and 12 good fruit off of it and I have gotten some as large as 2 pounds. Anna Russian is a very prolific producer of good tasting hearts but they are not quite as large as Kosovo for me but make up for it with numbers and good ability to set in the heat. Fish Lake Oxheart is one of my other favorites and it is even earlier than Kosovo which is usually one of my first full size tomatoes to have ripe fruit. If you want to grow some monster hearts then give Gildo Pietroboni and Hungarian Heart a try. I got some 2 pounders off both but the flavor like so many hearts is just too bland for my taste. I have had great production from Linnies Oxheart, Wes, German Red Strawberry and Olyers German. If you prefer mild tomatoes then you should love many of the heart varieties and they are terrific for sauce tomatoes because it takes so little cooking down to achieve a thick sauce. I have never been able to grow Brad's Blackheart because it seems to be very susceptible to fusarium wilt which is a real problem in my soil. I have heard it is a terrific heart and maybe I'll get to grow some one day with grafting. This year I have successfully grafted Fish Lake Oxheart, Kosovo, Anna Russian and Donskoi and I am looking forward to seeing how the grafted plants perform. Last year I only succeeded in grafting two hearts so I am looking forward to a few more this year. Bill

April 5, 2014	#13
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Hey Stvrob and Taboule, you both made me feel great! Thank you. This year I grew/ am still growing grightmire's pride, which is incredible BTW,Gregori's Altai, Wes, Fish Lake Oxheart, Rozovyi Myod,and Striped Sweetheart. There isn't a dud in the bunch. Wes and GA were blunt hearts, Wes was a beautiful, large, prolific red heart, RM was nice, maybe a little more bland, got a 1&1/4 lb fruit, several around a pound, then smaller 6 oz ones later. SS gives gorgeous 3oz or less red with green and golden stripes, wonderful intense small fruit flavor, lots of fruits, my favorites were FLO, and GP, both had really good disease resistance, incredible flavor, medium large very heart shaped pink fruit(FLO is supposed to be red, but I don't know of anyone who has gotten red color personally), both were really prolific, and are getting a 3rd round of fruit on them, which I figure is my garden's last hurrah! Epsilon, PM me if you want some seeds. Also, my seed offer is still open in the available for trade forum. Marsha

April 5, 2014	#15
nancyruhl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan Posts: 1,051	Old reliable favorites that I have on every years list are German Red Strawberry and Monkeys (Butt). I really like hearts and have some newer to me varieties I love. Alice's Egypt, Pink Honey, Tsar Kolokol and Gildo Pietroboni are among them. Last years surprise was Hoy. In our cool wet summer, he really shined. I think of hearts as the proverbial multi use tomato. Love them fresh, but also add them to my sauce.