# Gardeners - What's your favorite tomato?



## Burl Source (May 23, 2013)

It is just finally getting warm enough here to get things going for the vegetable garden this year.
So far all I have planted are cherry tomatoes.
Where I live there are a lot of trees so there is not an area with enough sun for a regular veggie garden.
So I am growing everything in large pots that I can place in sunny locations.

I love tomatoes. So I was hoping some of you who share my affection for tomatoes might tell which varieties you like to grow and eat.
The reason I grow cherry tomatoes are to give me something to snack on when I am doing yard work and gardening.
I use roma tomatoes a lot because I like the fact that they don't turn into a mushy mess.
But the store bought ones are usually without flavor.
If there is such a thing as a variety of flavorful roma, I would love to know the name so maybe I can grow some.
My favorite slice and eat tomato is Brandywine (a local farm grows them) but there is about a 2 or 3 day window to eat them.

Our season seems too short for beefsteak and other large tomatoes.

So........
Are you growing tomatoes this year?
What is your favorite for eating? cooking? growing?


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## mhlee (May 23, 2013)

Cherokee Purple is my hands down favorite red/black/beefsteak tomato. It has the best balance of sweetness, acidity, flavor and texture of any red/black tomato in my opinion. (Brandywine used to be my favorite before growing a super Purple Cherokee tomato.) It's even awesome in sauce, except for the fact that when cooking it down, the sauce becomes a little watery. I would honestly rather eat one of these raw than any summer fruit because you can eat them with so many things and they're so good.

For yellow tomatoes, I really like Pineapple tomatoes. They're more sweet than Cherokee Purples, and are stunning when served because they're bright yellow/orange with a touch of red. Still, they have good acidity, strong tomato flavor and a meaty texture. 

For roma-type plum tomatoes, the Costoluto Genovese tomato is excellent for cooking, although it doesn't have quite the sweetness of other tomatoes. It is, however, very meaty and cooks down to a rich sauce.


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## Burl Source (May 23, 2013)

Thank You Michael.
I am heading to the plant nursery this weekend and will see if I can find any of these.


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## Mingooch (May 23, 2013)

This years garden consists of:
CHILIPENO HYBRID --great flavor, little heat, wonderful in salsa--flavorful, but hard to find
HABANERO RED SAVINA whole lotta heat, love'm
JALAPENO JUMBO nice for stuffing/poppers etc
JALAPENO PURPLE more heat than a reg jalapeno, nice dark purple looks great in salsa too
BEEFMASTER VFN HYBRID good eating tomato
BIG BEEF VFFNTA HYBRID another nice to slice tomato
SAN MARZANO 
SAN MARZANO REDORTA 
SUPER ITALIAN PASTE 
SUPER MARZANO VFNT HYBRID 
SWEET MILLION FNT HYBRID great in salads, grilled, very sweet. 
All of the san marzano's, & super Italians are great for gravy/sauce very little liquid or seeds, very meaty, and makes for great all year round leftovers(canned or frozen)


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## mkmk (May 23, 2013)

My favorite roma style is the San Marzano -- meatier, denser, and better flavor than standard romas. The Cherokee Purple is truly amazing -- one of my favorite slicers, too. Black Krim is very similar. I also really like Brandywines.


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## mhlee (May 23, 2013)

If you do happen to buy a Cherokee Purple or Pineapple, I've noticed that careful watering (only until the ground is just damp, and never on the fruit itself) really helps them grow and be flavorful, and helps keep the delicate skin from cracking which can lead to mold or insects. (This is based on my personal experience from growing Cherokee Purples for three years straight.) 

I also have used an organic fertilizer to help get the plants going when they're small, and then occasionally, once they grow tall. Because the fruit can become large and heavy, I try to get the plants to get to a height of about 4 feet and supported by a strong stake, before letting them flower and produce; I pull off all flowers until about 3 feet so that the main stalk grows strong and tall first, and so that any branches won't bend to the ground when they start bearing fruit.


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## cnochef (May 24, 2013)

I love the Oxheart heirloom tomatoes. They have very little liquid or seeds and are as dense and meaty plus a whole lot more flavorful than San Marzanos or Romas.

Because of their greater size, they are also awesome sliced for tomato or BLT sandwiches.


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## Lucretia (May 24, 2013)

For cherry tomatoes, I love Sungold. We've tried some other yellow cherry tomatoes, and they aren't nearly as good. Cherry Roma is also a good cherry tomato. Still trying to figure out what is best for a slicing tomato. We've had a couple tomato-unfriendly summers and are still trying to figure out what grows well in the PNW. Some of the cooler weather tomatoes like Stupice and Legend don't taste that great, IMO. Had some decent success with Brandy Boy, a brandywine-style hybrid. Last year I tried several different types to try and find THE tomato--they were carefully labeled with a Sharpie, which promptly faded away to nothing so I have no idea which tomato was what. :curse: Really aggravating, because some were good and some were mealy. I HAAAATE mealy tomatoes. Did find out I don't like black tomatoes, tho. Earl's Faux and Marianna's Peace are supposed to be really good ones. They were among some that I grew, but don't know if they were good ones or bad ones due to the faded labels. Also got the tomatoes started late last year, so there wasn't much of a crop.

Trying again this year with several different types, and they're looking really good so far. We've gone from planting in the ground to pots on the driveway trying to get the ground warm enough for them. Last fall we picked up a little pop-up greenhouse at a hardware store clearance sale, and it's making a HUGE difference. They've been out there for several weeks, and I'm getting nice chubby little plants instead of pale, leggy ones. Some plants have with buds on them already! :bliss: 

So maybe we'll find the "perfect" tomato to grow this year. (We're told not to put tomatoes out until July 4 due to possible low temperatures and frost.)


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## sachem allison (May 24, 2013)

principe borghese for plum tomatoes and I do believe there may also be a yellow variety. very tasty and they make a very flavorful dry tomato .


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## Duckfat (May 24, 2013)

Black from Tula
Brandywine
Striped German


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## kiefer (May 24, 2013)

Not the easiest to grow, or the most productive, but it is hard to beat the taste of a Brandywine.


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## Burl Source (May 24, 2013)

I agree with the Scary Looking Lady about the Sun Gold cherry tomatoes. Sweet like eating fruit.
I have not been successful with the beefsteak varieties and a local farm grows the Brandywine so I will get those there.
Several local people have also mentioned the San Marzano so I will try growing them.

Plus, I will look for the pineapple tomatoes Michael mentioned.


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## mhlee (May 24, 2013)

Mark:

Here's some info about the Pineapple. It's a beefsteak variety as well, and, to be honest, I've had trouble growing them. But, they're totally worth it, IMHO, if you can grow them. 

http://parkseed.com/tomato-pineapple/p/05420-PK-P1/


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## eaglerock (May 25, 2013)

Sungold and principe borghese are my favorites. This year i'm trying pear and garden's delight


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## Lucretia (May 25, 2013)

Hmmm....our grocery store had some nice looking Pineapple plants the other day. Might have to go back and grab one. Although there are already too many little plants in our "tomato hut" to handle:

Sungold
Cherry Brandywine
Cherry Roma
Babywine
Brandy Boy
Better Boy
Best Boy
San Marzano
Ella's Pink Plum
Gregori's Altai
Brandywine
Earl's Faux
Purple Passion
Pruden's Purple
Marmande
Rutgers
Neves Azorean Red


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## Salty dog (May 25, 2013)

I have 48 Beefmasters and just added Mr. Stripey, Old German, Hillbilly and Lemon Boy.


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## SpikeC (May 25, 2013)

I've been a bit too depressed to feel like growing sh!t, butt I found a double grafted tom yesterday that I'm going to try, it has Marzano on one side and Brandywine on the other. On one plant.


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## boomchakabowwow (May 26, 2013)

mhlee said:


> Cherokee Purple is my hands down favorite red/black/beefsteak tomato. It has the best balance of sweetness, acidity, flavor and texture of any red/black tomato in my opinion. (Brandywine used to be my favorite before growing a super Purple Cherokee tomato.) It's even awesome in sauce, except for the fact that when cooking it down, the sauce becomes a little watery. I would honestly rather eat one of these raw than any summer fruit because you can eat them with so many things and they're so good.
> 
> For yellow tomatoes, I really like Pineapple tomatoes. They're more sweet than Cherokee Purples, and are stunning when served because they're bright yellow/orange with a touch of red. Still, they have good acidity, strong tomato flavor and a meaty texture.
> 
> For roma-type plum tomatoes, the Costoluto Genovese tomato is excellent for cooking, although it doesn't have quite the sweetness of other tomatoes. It is, however, very meaty and cooks down to a rich sauce.



cool!! i planted a cherokee purple for the first time this year!! cant wait.

i do alot of romas. we like to jar them. fun and good.

i have some random ones. this thread reminds me to make a list or take notes or something.


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## panda (May 26, 2013)

i don't garden, but try to get campari tomatoes, they are absolutely delicious on its own. size is in between cherry and roma, perfect for snacking. very sweet, smooth not grainy, super juicy!


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## Duckfat (May 27, 2013)

Salty dog said:


> I have 48 Beefmasters and just added Mr. Stripey, Old German, Hillbilly and Lemon Boy.



Mr. Stripey and Old German are both awesome. They are potato leaf varieties so they a freakin huge plants and more susceptible to disease but well worth the effort.

Dave


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## Lucretia (May 27, 2013)

panda said:


> i don't garden, but try to get campari tomatoes, they are absolutely delicious on its own. size is in between cherry and roma, perfect for snacking. very sweet, smooth not grainy, super juicy!



I love Campari tomatoes! The other nasty things they call tomatoes at the grocery aren't edible, but campari's are pretty darn good when you can't have homegrown.


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## Burl Source (May 27, 2013)

I just got some pineapple plants yesterday.
and....I found out about where to get the Cherokee Purple.
My wife asked "are we going to live off tomatoes?", I said "maybe".
Going to be a lot of tomatoes this year.


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## Burl Source (May 28, 2013)

I planted 2 Cherokee Purple and 4 Pineapple plants yesterday.
Thanks for the suggestions everyone.


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## boomchakabowwow (May 29, 2013)

yesterday while watering, i peeked under my cherokee's skirt. there is a mutant runaway tomato under there. it is about the size of a tennis ball!! the rest of the fruit are tiny..i guess that one got an early start.

i only have 10 plants. my romas took the recent good weather and blasted out some fruit. all about the size of my thumb. this is the first year of fortifying my gardens with my own compost. my plants are about 5 feet tall..should be good if this cold front moves along.

with 10 plants i am gonna have a tomato problem. you big garden guys..that is a commitment!


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## Lucretia (May 29, 2013)

Just picked up a nice looking pineapple tomato plant at the grocery store!


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## bprescot (May 29, 2013)

Every year we've got a few standbys we always plant, and then we mess around with the remaining space in the bed.

Standbys:
Juliet Hybrid
Cherokee Purple
Sungold
Verna Orange

We've also tried and liked:
San Marzano Redorata
Zapoteca Pink Ribbed


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## mkmk (May 29, 2013)

Just ate my first homegrown Cherokee Purple, basil, and mozz sandwich. 

Summer is here.


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## Mucho Bocho (May 29, 2013)

Where do you live the South west or do you have a hot house. Its legal in some states you know?


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## mkmk (May 29, 2013)

I'm in Austin, so I had plants in the ground by the first of March. Early Girls are at their peak, and the good stuff is just now starting to come in. It's easy to gloat about being able to eat homegrown tomatoes by Memorial Day, but by July 4 my garden will be a wasteland, except for the heat-hardy peppers. 

At least by then, I'll have a freezer full of tomatoes (some blanched with basil, some roasted).

I'm getting ready to move to the Midwest, though, so I'm already starting to think about a greenhouse. I like having my own greens and herbs as close to year-round as I can get.


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## mkmk (May 29, 2013)

Here's from yesterday, with some Early Girl and Green Zebra -- but honestly the Cherokee Purple is so much better....


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## Mucho Bocho (May 30, 2013)

MK how do you support the tomatos? I've got a pretty nifty trick. This is from last year, I wind the plants around a single string supported by a treils.


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## mkmk (May 30, 2013)

That's a great system!

I started by using basic cheap tomato cages, but they're pretty weak. I then built my own using cattle panel -- heavy steel fencing sections cut down with bolt cutters, and shaped into cylinders with the liberal application of obscenities.

You can see them here, in the background:


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## Mucho Bocho (May 30, 2013)

MK, Nice density. You must have great sun exposure. You beans look amazing too. My father used to use those wire baskets. its cheap and simple but not the most attractive ;-) Plus, I'd always catch my wrist on the exposed metal stubbs when pulling fruit out. 

I love your stone raised beds with the stone border. If you get a chance, take a shot of the whole garden.

Do you gardent organically or are you a miracle-gro grower?


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## mkmk (May 30, 2013)

A bit wider shot of the beds below -- I ripped out the grass along our driveway, and stepped them into the hill.

Definitely no Miracle Gro here -- organic compost, sometimes a little TomatoTone, and compost tea. I've got massive sun exposure in this spot -- makes for a fantastic start to the growing season, but it also contributes to the overall misery by July, when everything takes a two-month siesta. The midsummer heat here is just brutal. With the tomatoes and beans, it's a sprint to get as much growth and fruit production in as possible before the heat really sets in, which both shuts down the plants and exacerbates pests and disease.

My biggest problems are funguses (leaf spot, etc.) and leaf-footed bugs, which go by a much more expressive name in my yard. I don't mind sharing, but any tomato they feed on goes sour and refuses to ripen. Once past the nymph stage, they have no predators, other than me. I keep a spray bottle handy with an oil/soap mix in it that kills them on contact, but they still take a toll.


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## Mucho Bocho (May 31, 2013)

MK I feel your frustrations believe me. I have vine borers that have broken my heart too many times with summer squash.

Regarding your heat problem, have you seen this Shade cloth? 40% reduction in light trnasmission. Claims to drop the tempatire as much as 20% Not sure how you'd rig it though?

For general pests I've had great success with neem?

http://www.greenhousemegastore.com/product/40-percent-aluminet-shade-curtain/shade-cloth


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## Mucho Bocho (May 31, 2013)

Also, I love Plant Tone. Do you really think their specialised blends (roses, tomaotes...) really work are a gimic?


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## mkmk (Jun 1, 2013)

Squash borers are truly the devil's own -- it took me a while to figure out what was even causing the damage, since it looks like the stems get some kind of weird rot. I've had decent luck using BT on other kinds of worms, but I've given up on growing summer squash here.

I've used shade cloth a bit, but to do it right I'd really need to put up a structure. If I were staying here, I'd probably do a shade sail, with posts set in concrete -- but that will have to be someone else's project. 

Honestly, I don't have any idea about Plant Tone -- the tomato version is the only one I buy, and I use it on all kinds of things. 

Today I gave all the tomatoes a foliar feed of this stuff, which I love:

http://www.ladybugbrand.com/products/Johns-Recipe.asp

Then more mixed with extra Alaska fish fertilizer and seaweed on the ground.


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## Mucho Bocho (Apr 3, 2014)

Mark, I think the most important consideration for choosing varieties is to find out what grows best in your area of the world. What works in Southern California might not work for someone that lives very much to the north (you). 

What I've found the best is to go to the farmers market and find out they are growing and have success with. 

Buy those. I've had delusions of grandeur trying to grow Cherokee Purple, and many other varieties that have not turned out so well.


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## Burl Source (Apr 3, 2014)

Last year I didn't do too well with the bigger tomatoes (pineapple and cherokee purple). My wife still teases me about my $100 tomatoes.
This year I am going to try San Marzano and probably Sun Gold because I like to munch on cherry tomatoes while working in the garden.
I am also going to try out making a couple raised beds.
Not warm enough here yet to put out the plants, but soon.


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## orangehero (Apr 4, 2014)

I really enjoy orange tomatoes. KBX, Kellogg's Breakfast, and Persimmon grow well for me and taste great. It's hard to make recommendations because different varieties will peform differently in your garden. Half the fun is trying all the varieties. Keep good notes and after several seasons you can have a list of top toms for your garden.

I have to difagree about Cherokee Purple, for me it is far down on the list for black tomatoes. They taste pretty good, but for me they get too large, the plants don't produce all that many fruit, and the have a very short window of peak ripeness...they will spoil rather fast if you have more than you can eat. Same story with Brandywine, overrated IMO.

It's also a good idea to try and get early, mid, and late season ripening toms so you get a steady flow and aren't inundated all at once. Stupice is a good early tom.

I find Sun Golds too sweet, but Black Cherry is awesome for snacking and they produce boatloads.

Good luck on your season!


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## Burl Source (Apr 4, 2014)

For me the sun golds are like sweet fruit which I like.
But I will look for the black cherry.
There are a couple small organic farms nearby that do well with the pineapples.
I try to get ones that are just right and eat them same day.
They have a farmers market near me but you have to be early as the tomatoes and salad greens tend to sell out within a couple hours.


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## Sam Cro (Apr 5, 2014)

Rutgers easy to grow, short day, and tons of flavor . among several others I grow .


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## Namaxy (Apr 10, 2014)

Caspian Pink...my all time favorite tomato. Not particularly easy to grow. Other favorites....Pruden's purple...easier to grow; and Mr. Stripey...very easy to grow.


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## BeerChef (Apr 26, 2014)

Green zebra. Love those damn things.


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## Burl Source (May 3, 2014)

orangehero said:


> ..... but Black Cherry is awesome for snacking and they produce boatloads.


I just picked up 4 Black Cherry Tomato plants from a local farmer yesterday.
Since they are a 45 day variety I figure I might have a better chance this year.


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## larrybard (May 4, 2014)

Could one of you experienced tomato gardeners make a recommendation to me as to which variety might satisfy my needs -- and whether it would be best to start with seeds, or to try to buy seedlings?

The best way I can describe what I'm looking for, as far as final product, is a super-sweet tomato that I can either slice and enjoy plain, or -- only slightly fancier, though I guess not considered conventional gourmet fare -- that I can slice and consume as a simple tomato sandwich, on white bread with home made mayo. I have had spectacularly frustrating bad luck in recent years stopping at farm stands (not only around Philadelphia, where I live, but also elsewhere), and after telling them what I am after and being assured that they had just what I sought, getting home and discovering that the tomatoes purchased were disappointing.

So I want to try growing my own this year. Due to the threat of animals -- my backyard is adjacent to Fairmount Park, so my backyard gets regular visits from rabbits, deer and other creatures -- I think I will try to raise half a dozen plants in large pots on a second floor floor balcony that gets a fair amount of sun.

Suggestions? Many of you seem to rave about Cherokee Purple.

TIA,
Larry


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## Burl Source (May 5, 2014)

I was not successful growing Cherokee Purple & Pineapple tomatoes last year but fortunately there is a local farm that knows what they are doing.
When I was able to get them I liked them both best as BLT sandwiches. 
So for growing they were difficult for me. Probably because I only have direct sunlight the second half of the day.
You might do better than me. If you are successful, they are both delicious fresh eating tomatoes.


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## jared08 (May 5, 2014)

Where do you folks buy your seeds for these breed of tomatoes? Do you keep it local from a farmer, or buy online?
I'm moving into my first house and have a beautiful back yard that is fenced in and has a garden plot ready to be planted. I'd love to fill it with a variety of tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. A long with others, but they are my priority.


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## Burl Source (May 5, 2014)

I go to the local farmers market and get plants grown locally.
Figured I would have a better chance than with ones grown in another state.


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## larrybard (May 13, 2014)

jared08 said:


> Where do you folks buy your seeds for these breed of tomatoes? Do you keep it local from a farmer, or buy online?



Don't know if it's helpful, but yesterday I went to a local nursery and purchased two varieties of plants (not seeds): "Mortgage Lifter" and Cherokee Purple. They originally came from Quality Greenhouses in Dillsburg, PA. I realize that's not all that close to Scranton, but if they distribute in my (Philadelphia) area, chances are they're available at retailers in your neck of the woods too. But maybe you're only interested in seeds -- though I would think it's a bit late now to plant seeds.

I don't have very high hopes for my plants this year -- I'm going to try and raise them in pots, if I can find fairly large ones -- but miss good eating tomatoes so much that I felt compelled to try and grow my own for the first time. If they turn out well and you strike out, let me know and I'll mail you some (and you can mail some sausage to me  ).


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## orangehero (May 13, 2014)

You can pick up an 18 gal round tote for cheap.


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## larrybard (May 14, 2014)

orangehero said:


> You can pick up an 18 gal round tote for cheap.



Thanks for the suggestion. Hadn't thought of that possibility. (Truth is, didn't even immediately understand what a "tote" is and had to quickly Google it.) Will expand my search around the house for any such containers that might be available.


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## larrybard (May 14, 2014)

Frankly am torn between planting in some sort of container, away from predators, or planting in my backyard. I'd prefer the convenience of my backyard -- no hauling lots of soil up to my second floor balcony (though ideally I'd use soil that was purchased, and free from contamination -- insects, etc.). But the backyard would enable the roots to grow unrestricted. And I wouldn't have to worry about supporting potted plants that might well grow over six feet tall. But I worry that, despite perhaps chicken wire around the plants, any tomatoes would be enjoyed by raccoons, rabbits, deer, hedgehogs, birds and squirrels (and perhaps other animals that don't immediately come to mind). My backyard directly abuts Philadelphia's Fairmount Park, which has all the animals mentioned. So here's the question: if I surround the plants with stuff like cayenne, garlic powder, liquid soap and maybe even a commercial product like Shake-Away how likely do you think it is that I can ward off animals that would like to eat my tomatoes? Anyone have experience with effective repellents?


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## orangehero (May 14, 2014)

Only effective repellent is a gun or a fence. Also if you're going to grow in containers you need to use potting mix. It doesn't have any soil in it. Soil is too heavy and the plants will suffer...you need to use something that is light and airy. I like ProMix; it comes in a 3.8 cubic foot compressed bale.


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## larrybard (May 15, 2014)

orangehero said:


> . . . . Also if you're going to grow in containers you need to use potting mix. It doesn't have any soil in it. Soil is too heavy and the plants will suffer...you need to use something that is light and airy.



I'm going to give my backyard a try. But I'm curious about your comment concerning soil. I hope this isn't too naive of me -- I readily admit to having no gardening experience -- but if tomato plants can grow well in soil in one's backyard, why would the same soil be "too heavy" to use when planting tomatoes in pots? Does the soil somehow become compacted over time in a pot?


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## banjo1071 (May 16, 2014)

Annas Russian
Purple Calabash
Black Cherry
Berner Rose


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## Burl Source (May 20, 2014)

Just planted a couple Green Zebras and San Marzanos

As for keeping the deer away;
Used to have a neighbor who would urinate around the outside edges of his garden. He said it would keep the deer away.
My thoughts were that he was always drinking beer and just too lazy to go inside to pee.


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## DDPslice (Jul 13, 2014)

larrybard said:


> I'm going to give my backyard a try. But I'm curious about your comment concerning soil. I hope this isn't too naive of me -- I readily admit to having no gardening experience -- but if tomato plants can grow well in soil in one's backyard, why would the same soil be "too heavy" to use when planting tomatoes in pots? Does the soil somehow become compacted over time in a pot?



The answer is in books, way too may variables to explain. But something brief because your reading this. Love. The more you give the more you get. But seriously it has to do with how the plant roots breathe and root rot, ph levels yada yada yada...

Cherry tomatoes all the way. I dont know why they are just so addicting.


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## larrybard (Jul 14, 2014)

DDPslice, I'll take your word for it. It is academic at this point, inasmuch as I did plant the tomatoes in my backyard, rather than pots (and would probably do so again, in future years, if this year's first time experiment turns out reasonably successful). I started extremely modestly, going to my local Primex and purchasing one mortgage lifter and two Cherokee purple plants. After a disheartening setback -- looked like deer evidently sneaked into my backyard one night and ravaged my plants -- they have rebounded, after I trimmed back the damaged limbs. (But they remain unprotected; waiting for 6' metal stakes to arrive at my local Walmart, so I can put up deer mesh fencing, but that will probably be too late to make much of a difference. Was tempted to track down Mark's neighbor and ask him to pee in my backyard, but decided that might well be impractical.) The mortgage lifter is particularly impressive: over a dozen tomatoes developing, currently about golf-ball size. I need to read about about pruning and what I have to do to support the soon to be much heavier branches, but it is exciting to see the progress. I will be devastated if I get closer to harvesting mature tomatoes, only to have them destroyed by birds, squirrels, groundhogs, rabbits or some other animal.


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## DDPslice (Jul 14, 2014)

Trying making a tea with rosemary and spraying the plants for bugs and a tea of wormwood for the animals, rabbits are destroying my mint and this should do the trick. But I haven't tried the wormwood tea spray yet. Also deer are very smart and will get past fencing if it's not sturdy and locked. But maybe your deer are docile, good luck!

Also I would look into vermicomposting aka earth worm farm. Nothing will come close to a better yield when you use the worm tea (worm pee, not boiling the worms) We had this at our community garden when I was in college. Make sure your in the right zone for this because being in a zone 8, it is just too hot for them outside and we had them inside. Which is fine if you keep the farm healthy and will smell of fresh earth, else it will smell like a compost heap, and your worms won't be happy either.


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## daveb (Jul 14, 2014)

Deer are pretty easy to relocate. From the garden to the freezer in 30 min or less...:whistling:


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## Burl Source (Jul 14, 2014)

daveb said:


> Deer are pretty easy to relocate. From the garden to the freezer in 30 min or less...:whistling:


Are the little ones like veal?
Momma deer and a couple toddlers came by and lightly pruned my plants the other day.
Fortunately our killer chihua-olverine chased them off before they could do much damage.

It is looking like a better tomato year for me.
San Marzano, Green Zebra, Black Cherry and something that looks like a cross between a roma and cherry tomato.


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## daveb (Jul 14, 2014)

You mean venison veal? I use brown shoe polish to cover the spots...


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