Tomato List '15

[GreatGazoo]

2. I grew 7 of those two years ago as part of a mix of about 16 varieties

I am experimenting with low input techniques -- looking for 'smarter, not harder' learnings and methods. 2 years ago, in addition to easy crops (potatoes, beans, onions) I targeted tomatoes because they are the legendary Divas of the garden -- demanding our care and attention and rewarding us richly when it all comes together. I thought tomatoes would give me the most visible feedback about what where I was cutting too many corners. And they did.

From your list I did:

Mr. Stripey
Cherokee Purple
Black Krim
Brandywine
Mortgage Lifter
Sun Gold
Green Zebra

I transplanted to holes that were dug 18 inches deep by 12-16 inches wide and then backfilled with about 12 inches of a mix of the loam that came out of the hole and aged organic compost. I had a bamboo bar on trellises at 6 feet and then trellis-clipped the plants to lines as they grew. They were on drip tape and soaked regularly with stored rainwater. I'm a tomato novice (so perfect for my experiment in naive gardening) so the plants were perhaps, equally on their own...

For me: Sungold produced 100+ salad tomatoes of nice taste and texture. Mortgage Lifter was a nice slicer for burgers or big salted chunks in a salad. The plant got bigger than I expected. Would have done better with more space and maybe a tall cage. Brandywine was similar but wow a taste winner. Lived up to its own hype and was a delicious beast of a tomato. My plant got big quickly at one point, as the fruit was filling out, it cracked near the base. My pruning and supporting experience was nil. Tried to save the side that broke off and got some small Brandywines off that side but I will some day grow Brandywines again.

Green Zebra was real good. Nice taste. A nice tomato for color and to mix on small pizzas. Kind of tart and acid so it pops against any cheap white cheese.

My Cherokee Purple and Black Krim were mediocre. I have had not good luck with black tomatoes in general.

This picture was taken to show the issues particular to each variety in the experiment, so not a beauty shot. Poor size on many of these which I think was due to 1) crowding the plants -- I spaced all plants the same, didn't give more space to bigger ones. (the row was planted from earliest to latest which means the plants get progressively bigger but the spacing didn't), 2) lack of available nutrients when the plants were peaking and their growth was exponential (more compost ?), 3) poor pruning skills, and 4) inconsistent watering.



I think what would have helped mine was more top quality compost, more consistent watering/soil moisture, and more space and support for the bigger plants.

Good luck and hope you will share updates! Happy gardening!