What tomato varieties are you growing?

[oregonkat]

Not to get off topic, but speaking of salsa... has anyone successfully grown cilantro? It ALWAYS bolts on me. I even planted it in mostly shade the last time, and it still bolted!

I grow cilantro every year and I allow some of it to flower and seed. You must harvest often for it to delay bolting but it will anyway. I discovered that it much prefers to grow in the less amended parts of the garden, like the pathways!! I have a section of one pathway that is a forest of cilantro at the moment, self seeded there from last year. The seeds (coriander) make a great addition to curries and stews also, slightly crushed and added before simmering. Lovely!!

I love homemade salsa!! I am hoping to make some this year as well. I am also growing peppers. I have never grown tomatillos. Are they easy or difficult to grow?

Super easy, in fact if allowed, they will happily self sow. They are also incredibly prolific when happy so you dont need a whole lot of them. I love the purple ones best.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Jealous of all the tomatoes people have going! For years all I grew was Sun Gold because it could survive anything I put it through - potted in a shady back patio, sitting in a shallow bed filled with poor quality soil, etc. This year I skipped the Sun Gold (and got new garden beds) and went with Black Krim, Green Vernissage, Stupice, and Napa Chardonnay Blush. No ripe tomatoes yet but the plants are all doing well.

And yes my cilantro always bolts, so just gotta keep trimming it and eating it.

 

[KikiLeigh02]

We do mostly Big Beef, Better Boys, Big Boys, etc. They work really well for us because they don't have a lot of core. We do salsa, spaghetti sauce, plain canned tomatoes, and juice. I always plant Sun Sugars for the kids, they are the best orange cherry tomatoes. I'll have to try some of the plum variety tomatoes next year! We always plant a variety in case one type doesn't do well.

 

[oregonkat]

I would love to try what you are doing, but haven't found the time for it. I am just getting back into gardening after moving from a high elevation location.
This year I only have eight tomato plants. I planted Big Beef, Sun Gold, Sun Sugar, Roma, and Lemon Boy. I plan on saving the seeds from them for next year.

The only trouble with growing F1 hybrids from their seeds is that you will end up with some plants of both parent varieties that were used in the hybrid. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but they will be different from the hybrid plant that you grew.

 

[oregonkat]

Jealous of all the tomatoes people have going! For years all I grew was Sun Gold because it could survive anything I put it through - potted in a shady back patio, sitting in a shallow bed filled with poor quality soil, etc. This year I skipped the Sun Gold (and got new garden beds) and went with Black Krim, Green Vernissage, Stupice, and Napa Chardonnay Blush. No ripe tomatoes yet but the plants are all doing well.

And yes my cilantro always bolts, so just gotta keep trimming it and eating it.

Stupice, is without doubt, the best tomato juice, tomato IMHO. My father in law grew them several years ago, made lots of juice, and our Bloody Mary's have never been better. Nice and early with good production. Super choice.
Napa Chardonnay Blush sounds super, have you grown it before? If so, what did you like about it?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Stupice, is without doubt, the best tomato juice, tomato IMHO. My father in law grew them several years ago, made lots of juice, and our Bloody Mary's have never been better. Nice and early with good production. Super choice.
Napa Chardonnay Blush sounds super, have you grown it before? If so, what did you like about it?

The Stupice was a random pick up while I was at a local nursery, since I didn't know how well my seeds would do - sounds like I made a good selection!

This is my first time with the Napa Chardonnay Blush so I don't know what it'll taste like. I started it from seed and the germination rate was quite good. I kept the best looking plant and gave the rest to my mother in law. Mine is getting huge but only just now starting to flower. Our tomatoes tend to come in late.

 

[oregonkat]

The Stupice was a random pick up while I was at a local nursery, since I didn't know how well my seeds would do - sounds like I made a good selection!

This is my first time with the Napa Chardonnay Blush so I don't know what it'll taste like. I started it from seed and the germination rate was quite good. I kept the best looking plant and gave the rest to my mother in law. Mine is getting huge but only just now starting to flower. Our tomatoes tend to come in late.

Ours come in later also, I can be harvesting tomatoes at Thanksgiving in some years. I see you are in the PNW, so am I. I live up at 2800ft. which contributes to my later harvest.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Ours come in later also, I can be harvesting tomatoes at Thanksgiving in some years. I see you are in the PNW, so am I. I live up at 2800ft. which contributes to my later harvest.

I've never had tomato plants alive at Thanksgiving . I like to judge by what's available at the farmer's market to know how far off I am in terms of fruit & veggie growth. No one has had tomatoes for sale this year, except one guy that has a greenhouse (he gets them at the start of May, everyone's jealous).

 

[LittleMissCountry]

The only trouble with growing F1 hybrids from their seeds is that you will end up with some plants of both parent varieties that were used in the hybrid. This isn't necessarily a bad thing but they will be different from the hybrid plant that you grew.

I think that would be part of the fun! I always loved genetics.

 

[sourland]

Rutgers, Cherokee Purple, Zebra, Pineapple, Mr Stripey, Brandywine, and Mortgage Lifter this year. Happened upon Mortgage lifter 3 years ago and like it the best of any tomato I have ever eaten. Once tomatoes start to ripen, every lunch is a BLT sandwich and every dinner includes mozzarella/tomato/basil/Bibb lettuce salad with a Balsamic vinaigrette.