green tomato types

wally mcgee · May 31, 2014

I have never grown or tasted a green tomato....green, not as un ripe, but like the Green Zebra. Do they taste like a regular tomato?

Do you have a recommendation for me to try next year?

Last year I grew Brandy Wine, Cherokee Purple, and German Pink.
This year I have the 3 above plus: Gypsy, Mortgage lifter, Delicious, and Garten Pearl. I plan to double the number next year...The green tomatoes intrigue me but know nothing about them.

KarenO · May 31, 2014

It's green with pink and yellow, a tri-color so not strictly green but Captain Lucky is one of the best tasting tomatoes I have ever eaten and it's beautiful inside. highly recommend to try.

Close your eyes and any green when ripe tomato tastes like any great ripe tomato. Malachite box is also a very popular green when ripe tomato and there are lots of others, even cherries.
You'll enjoy them, give them a try

KarenO

hdrider · May 31, 2014

I goofed up this year and did not grow Aunt Ruby's German Green, but it has always been my favorite tomato regardless of color. I will be growing it next year no matter what.

The best thing to do is grow your favorite and add a few new every year until you run out of room for more. Just don't do like a lot of us here and keep expanding your garden until you have nothing but garden. Unless that is what you want.

I'm Tracy and I am a tomatoholic.

wally mcgee · May 31, 2014

Dumb question? How do you know when they are ripe?

epsilon · May 31, 2014

you must give them a little squeeze. Being this is my first year growing greens, I had the same question so I googled it, and that's the nugget of wisdom the web coughed up.

Fred Hempel · May 31, 2014

Most GWR tomatoes turn slightly yellow on the surface when ripening. But, it is not always easy to distinguish from sunburn. The tactile approach is best combined with looking for a slightly yellowing surface.

The challenges of determining ripening, make GWR varieties difficult to grow for markets. Even the best crew picks at least 20% unripe (slightly sunburned), and 20% too soft (ones that weren't noticed the day before, particularly in dense foliage).

That is why you don't see many on restaurant dishes.... farmers can't grow them profitably, and thus chefs can rarely get them. They are much better, flavorwise, than their uncommonness would suggest.

kath · May 31, 2014

I'd also recommend trying Aunt Ruby's German Green and there are lots of others' favorite GWRs mentioned in this recent thread:

http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=32415

**Lee** · May 31, 2014

Check out some of the photos here for example of ripe GWR tomatoes.
http://www.tomatopalooza.org/tomatopalooza5/index5.html

There are also photos from the other tomatopalooza[tm] if you'd like
to explore the site.

As Fred mentioned, most have a amber(yellow) blush on the blossom end. Others, such as Green Giant, have a pink blush on the blossom end when ripe.

I suggest Green Giant or Spear's Tennessee Green as first choices to trial. Lime Green Salad is also a winner if you want a smaller fruited variety.

Enjoy!

Lee

TightenUp · June 1, 2014

grubs mystery green

shelleybean · June 1, 2014

Spears Tennessee Green was very productive for me and it's easy to tell when they're ripe. There will be a clear amber blush on the blossom end. They remain bright green inside and they look great sliced on a platter with other colors. Very refreshing.

ReginaAnn · June 1, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by hdrider

I goofed up this year and did not grow Aunt Ruby's German Green, but it has always been my favorite tomato regardless of color. I will be growing it next year no matter what.

The best thing to do is grow your favorite and add a few new every year until you run out of room for more. Just don't do like a lot of us here and keep expanding your garden until you have nothing but garden. Unless that is what you want.

I'm Tracy and I am a tomatoholic.

Hi Tracy.

lexusnexus · June 1, 2014

I'd been wondering this myself. Great question!

wally mcgee · June 1, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by ReginaAnn

Hi Tracy.

I will probably run out of ambition before I run out of room. Its only June and I'm already thinking about next year.

....I think I've been infected with the tomato bug

AKmark · June 1, 2014

About 10 days ago I was reminded why I grew Green Giant again; they are delicious.

BucksCountyGirl · June 2, 2014

Green Zebra Cherry was delicious and prolific for us last year. They developed heavy amber striping when they were perfectly ripe. Gorgeous tomatoes.

May 31, 2014	#1
wally mcgee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: peru, Iowa zone 5a Posts: 167	green tomato types I have never grown or tasted a green tomato....green, not as un ripe, but like the Green Zebra. Do they taste like a regular tomato? Do you have a recommendation for me to try next year? Last year I grew Brandy Wine, Cherokee Purple, and German Pink. This year I have the 3 above plus: Gypsy, Mortgage lifter, Delicious, and Garten Pearl. I plan to double the number next year...The green tomatoes intrigue me but know nothing about them. __________________ Rob

May 31, 2014	#4
wally mcgee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: peru, Iowa zone 5a Posts: 167	Dumb question? How do you know when they are ripe? __________________ Rob

May 31, 2014	#6
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Most GWR tomatoes turn slightly yellow on the surface when ripening. But, it is not always easy to distinguish from sunburn. The tactile approach is best combined with looking for a slightly yellowing surface. The challenges of determining ripening, make GWR varieties difficult to grow for markets. Even the best crew picks at least 20% unripe (slightly sunburned), and 20% too soft (ones that weren't noticed the day before, particularly in dense foliage). That is why you don't see many on restaurant dishes.... farmers can't grow them profitably, and thus chefs can rarely get them. They are much better, flavorwise, than their uncommonness would suggest. Last edited by Fred Hempel; May 31, 2014 at 08:28 PM.

May 31, 2014	#8
Lee Tomatopalooza™ Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NC-Zone 7 Posts: 2,188	Check out some of the photos here for example of ripe GWR tomatoes. http://www.tomatopalooza.org/tomatopalooza5/index5.html There are also photos from the other tomatopalooza[tm] if you'd like to explore the site. As Fred mentioned, most have a amber(yellow) blush on the blossom end. Others, such as Green Giant, have a pink blush on the blossom end when ripe. I suggest Green Giant or Spear's Tennessee Green as first choices to trial. Lime Green Salad is also a winner if you want a smaller fruited variety. Enjoy! Lee __________________ Intelligence is knowing a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put one in a fruit salad. Cuostralee - The best thing on sliced bread.

June 1, 2014	#9
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	grubs mystery green __________________

May 31, 2014	#2
KarenO Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Vancouver Island Posts: 5,922	It's green with pink and yellow, a tri-color so not strictly green but Captain Lucky is one of the best tasting tomatoes I have ever eaten and it's beautiful inside. highly recommend to try. Close your eyes and any green when ripe tomato tastes like any great ripe tomato. Malachite box is also a very popular green when ripe tomato and there are lots of others, even cherries. You'll enjoy them, give them a try KarenO

May 31, 2014	#3
hdrider Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: WI/MS Posts: 93	I goofed up this year and did not grow Aunt Ruby's German Green, but it has always been my favorite tomato regardless of color. I will be growing it next year no matter what. The best thing to do is grow your favorite and add a few new every year until you run out of room for more. Just don't do like a lot of us here and keep expanding your garden until you have nothing but garden. Unless that is what you want. I'm Tracy and I am a tomatoholic.

May 31, 2014	#5
epsilon Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Desert CA Posts: 400	you must give them a little squeeze. Being this is my first year growing greens, I had the same question so I googled it, and that's the nugget of wisdom the web coughed up.

May 31, 2014	#7
kath Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: zone 6b, PA Posts: 5,664	I'd also recommend trying Aunt Ruby's German Green and there are lots of others' favorite GWRs mentioned in this recent thread: http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=32415

June 1, 2014	#10
shelleybean Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Virginia Beach Posts: 2,648	Spears Tennessee Green was very productive for me and it's easy to tell when they're ripe. There will be a clear amber blush on the blossom end. They remain bright green inside and they look great sliced on a platter with other colors. Very refreshing. __________________ Michele

June 1, 2014	#12
lexusnexus Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: MD Suburbs of DC, Zone 7a Posts: 500	I'd been wondering this myself. Great question! __________________ Dan

June 1, 2014	#14
AKmark Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wasilla Alaska Posts: 2,010	About 10 days ago I was reminded why I grew Green Giant again; they are delicious.

June 2, 2014	#15
BucksCountyGirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Holland, PA/Zone 7A Posts: 692	Green Zebra Cherry was delicious and prolific for us last year. They developed heavy amber striping when they were perfectly ripe. Gorgeous tomatoes. __________________ - Kelli Life's a climb...but the view is fantastic