heirlooms

[DrDan]

I have only grown the normal big-boys etc - but love just-picked tomatoes.

I would like to do some heirlooms this fall. I checked a couple of sites and found some for like #18 for 30 seeds.

So . . . any advice? Does that sound reasonable? What seed sources would you recommend?

(I assume once started, I can save seeds from planting to planting - so I guess this might be a one-time expense.)

[Viva_La_Revolution]

1. I can send you free seeds for Black Prince

It was my favorite last year so I saved seeds. The plant was next to a Black Krim, hopefully they didn't cross. But it was a good one too, so maybe I'll get a combo of something even better! lol
PM me if you want some

The cheapest way to get just a few seeds is a trading board. Google for your area + seed trade tomato heirloom. that should get you hooked up. :)

You could also hit the farmers markets when the ripe ones come in and buy a few to save seeds from. That's what I'll be doing for next year instead of buying plants. I started two types myself this year, the Black Prince and Oregon Spring. They look better than the plants I got from the nursery.. so next year I go to 100% of my own.

[bvar22]

2. Hi.

If you are going to Save your Seeds, Heirloom (or Heritage) is the only way to go.
Hybrids will not produce descendants that are "true" to the parent tomato, and some may even be sterile.

However, "Hybrids" are not the boogieman most people in the "Organic" community make them out to be. In some cases of limited space, disease prone areas, or Farmers Market "Income" Tomatoes, a good high production "Hybrid" may be the better choice. Anyone with a small garden who has experienced a "Blight" year should consider a "Disease Resistant Hybrid" for the following year.
If you want the earliest possible tomato of the season, a fast hybrid will have you eating tomatoes before anyone else.

Here are some good links on Hybrid vs Heirloom.

http://gardening.about.com/od/vegetable1/f/Heirlooms.htm

http://searchwarp.com/swa11465.htm

http://www.growyourtomatoes.com/op-hyb.html

Another consideration if you are Saving Seeds is the possibility of cross-pollination if you are growing more than one variety of Heirlooms.

"If you are growing more than one variety, and you plan to save the seeds from some of your fruit, you may want to consider the possibility of cross-pollination. Tomato flowers are self-pollinators, so most of the seeds you get will be true. However, a small percentage of tomato seeds grown near other varieties will be cross-pollinated - likely by insects.

You can expect 90-95% of the tomatoes you harvest to be non-crossed. But if you want to increase that number to 100% and have no accidental hybrid seeds, you can bag the blossoms before they open.

http://www.growyourtomatoes.com/op-hyb.html

We generally choose "Heirloom/Heritage" tomatoes.
Our goal is taste, not quantity or appearance.


Our choices this year:
4-Creoles- A South Louisiana Heirloom developed in 1956 for the South Louisiana/Gulf Coast climate.
We grew them last year, and they are at the top of our "Best Tomato Ever" list.
They are not readily available in most parts of the country. I had to have a friend in New Orleans send us some seeds. In most parts of South Louisiana, "Creoles" is synonymous with "tomato".
"I picked up a bag of Creoles down by my Moma's House."

4-Boxcar Willie's-An accident that we have four, but we grew one of these a few years ago, and it produced excellent tomatos...so we planted all four seedlings that came our way.

1-Brandywine Everybody knows how good this on is.

1-Arkansas Traveler It is a good idea to grow tomatoes that originate in your area. They will be localized to your climate and soil. We live in Arkansas. The Traveler is a local heirloom that is Heat/Wilt/Crack resistant... very mellow, earthy taste...I love this one, near the top of my taste list...my wife places it further down on her list. A late season producer, though ours is currently out growing everything else.

1-Rutgers Recommended. We grow at least one every year. Great flavor, robust plant.

1-Black Prince Our first. Can't resist the name. One of the several recent popular "heirloom" "Black" tomatoes from Russia (with questionable pedigrees). We grew a "Black Krim" a couple of years ago, and it was delicious...very close in taste to the popular "Cherokee Purple".

1- Roma For canning. We are only growing one this year, but giving it plenty of room.

1-Sir Speedy. This is our "rabbit". I believe it is a hybrid...though not sure. We planted it up close to the South face of our cabin, and protected it from frosts with a cover and light bulb. We will be eating tomatoes off this plant several weeks before any of the others.
It is way ahead of our other plants, already has nice sized green fruit...won't be long.


A great resource for "What grows good here?" are local gardeners in your area.
They love to talk about their gardens, even to strangers passing by who express polite admiration.
A local independent nursery is also a good resource.

[DrDan]

3. great info - thanks!!!

[Botany]

4. Don't forget

Cherokee Purple
Lemon Boy
Old German or German Queen
Jet Star (not a heirloom) but very good
Black Krim
one of the pink ones

[noamnety]

5. another option for seeds

instead of paying a dollar or two for a packet of seeds, go to a grocery store that sells heirloom tomatoes. (Even krogers around here carries them). Eat the tomato minus a slice, sprout the seeds from the slice.

[DrDan]

6. thanks - need to head to the local farmer's market . . .

(and read up on saving the seeds)

[bvar22]

7. Tomato Bob's

Try out this link for a mind boggling list and seed source of heirloom tomatoes:
http://www.tomatobob.com/heirloom-tomato-photos.htm

Most common comment between Starkraven and myself while browsing this list:
"We have GOT to try that one!"
We've never ordered from Tomato Bob's, but plan to to buy a couple of exotics from him for next season.

The rest of the site is wonderful if you LOVE Tomatoes and Peppers.

:hi:

[DrDan]

8. what a great site - thanks

[bearfan454]

9. I've grown

Mr. Stripey
German Queen
Brandywine
Lemon Boy
Patio
Celebrity
Cherokee Purple
Black Krim
Porter's Pride
Southern Star
Heatwave
Bush Goliath
Big Boy
Better Boy
Beefsteak

and several others I can't remember right now. Out of all of these over the years my favorite is Early Girl. You get a lot of them, they're fairly good size, they keep putting out in the heat, and they have the good acidy tomato taste. That's just what does good in the soil in my back yard.

[WhiteTara]

10. here's another site for heirlooms

http://www.victoryseeds.com/catalog/vegetable/tomato/tomato_orange.html

[NRaleighLiberal]

12. That's a great site - owned by my friend Mike (I've sent him quite a few of the tomatoes he offers)

[mod mom]

11. I bought an assortment of heirlooms from a local garden shop last year, and this year

I am also reaping their benefit with new seedlings that came up from last year. Had a bumper crop last year, all different colors (red, orange, yellow, pink and striped) and with our hot & humid temperature expect the same this year. :)

[WhiteTara]

13. was that 18 dollars for the 30 seeds?

If so, please, let me have your address and I'll send you some left over seeds from my heirloom Cherokee Purple, Stupice and Glacier. But that seems robbery if I'm understanding correctly.