Oops I left a few off.
Hybrids
Shady Lady
Porterhouse
Brandyboy

Why so many different species and how many of each?

Jay,

That's an amazing list. : ) Thanks for taking the time to post it.

I might repost mine again tomorrow. I think I made some additions and deletions between the list I posted earlier in the year and the time I actually started seed.

Do you start a new batch of plants for fall tomatoes, or do you carry yours through the summer? I normally do a whole different batch for fall because the August heat here is just so hard on the plants. In a good year, I can harvest until late November or mid-December.

Dawn

avidchamp I've been trying several different ones looking for those that will do best here. About 25 of these are ones that have shown they can do well here and the others are new. Many seeds I got sent to try. And I'm one who likes to try the new. Also some of these are for others. I grow plants for family and friends.

Dawn here we can only plant in the spring and early summer. I usually spread mine out from late April to early to mid June. The later ones are usually the best from Sept 1st till frost. The early ones gives me tomatoes early. I missed a few more. Trying to type with one hand takes so much of my attention I seem to miss things.
Purple Brandy
Purple Dog Creek
Caspian Pink
Opalka
Jaune Flammee'
Marizol Korney
PPP x P "C"
Golden Cherokee
1884 Purple
Vorlon
Golden Queen (not USDA)
Mozark

Jay,

One handed typing? I am slow enough with two hands. I'd never finish anything if I had to type with one hand. Is Paquebot Roma from the guy who used to post as Paquebot? I haven't seen him online in ages. Wasn't his name Martin?

I love the diversity on your list. You have so many different kinds.

Since I discovered the amazing flavor of dehydrated cherry tomatoes (I eat handfuls every day in the "off-season"), I've been experimenting with new (to me) cherry types. I've been in a rut with the same basic heirlooms for years, but gave away a lot of my seed earlier this year and am trying more new (to me) hybrids this year. Next year, the pendulum probably will swing the other way and I'll try fewer "new" hybrids and more heirlooms.

Well, the severe weather is kicking up a notch, so I need to get off the computer before it crashes. At least rain is falling, but I hope the hail misses us.

Dawn

Dawn I had a free give away earlier and got rid of some seeds but still have an excess. I'm trying to get rid of some before they get too old. I've been heavy on op's the last few years but as I get more involved in the farmers market imagine I will cut back on as many different ones.
Yes it is from Martin. He lists on a few sites I go to. I got my garlic from him and his partners also. Very knowledgeable. Always good advice. The Wisconsin 55's came from him also.
Hop the severe weather misses you but that you get a good rain. We had a little snow shower this afternoon then the sun came back out. Jay

Jay, I notice that you are growing Kelogg's Breakfast. Have you grown it before and do you like it? I had planned to try KB and Nebraska Wedding this year, but after I looked at how many seeds I had of others, I decided not to order anymore.

I see that you are also growing Opalka, and I like that one. You just reminded me that I didn't plant that one either. I always plant too many, but this year I have all I can keep under lights unless I buy some additional fixtures. Our favorite tomato last year was Sungold. I never thought I would choose a cherry tomato as my favorite, but we really loved it. My husband and I both had to stop at those vines for a snack each time we went by.

We liked Black Cherry also, but it wasn't as productive for me and had some cracking. I think much of that problem was from our excessive rainfall. But it was good enough that I decided to plant a couple more this year.

For some odd reason my husband likes Roma. This is kind of like Dawn's husband liking dandoline greens, I guess. I would ask "Why?" in both cases. I guess I shouldn't complain because they are always the first to germinate, and one of the easiest to grow. You don't have to pamper those at all.

I planted a few new ones this year, that I know nothing about. I got a few of them from members of other forums, and then some Baker Family Heirloom from George (macmex). I don't remember all of the new ones but I remember Warren's Yellow, Christmas Grape, White Wonder. Of course I have Sungold, Black Cherry, Roma, Rutgers and a hybrid that I like called Big Bite. There are probably others that I don't remember.....and even if there aren't, there will be. I probably only have about 40 or so planted, (under lights) and I usually do twice that many and give a lot of them away. I wintersowed my Sungold and they are just about ready for individual pots, if they don't wash away tonight. LOL

I am worse about planting peppers than I am about tomatoes, so that is why I don't have enough lights for more tomato plants this year. My DH asked me if I needed to go buy more lights and I told him, no, that I needed to get my habit under control. LOL Besides those things under lights, I have wintersown flowers everywhere. It's a sickness, I just like to watch them grow....of course, I eat a few too.

It looks like you have a fine selection and I hope they all turn out great for you.

Dawn - I haven't seen Susan or merryheart on in a long time. Maybe merryheart is away in a warmer clime for the winter, and Susan is raising butterflys. Of course, maybe I have just not read the right threads.

The severe weather stopped before it got to use tonight, but we had some wind earlier and now we are getting rain. It started about 11:25 and rained aabout an hour and twenty minutes. I think it is about to end now.

Soonergrandmom,
Two years ago KB was very good and a very heavy producer. Struggled last year in the drought.
This is my first year for Black Cherry. I also have Sweet Quartz x Black Cherry cross to try if I locate the seeds. l
I wasn't as impressed with Sungold as most are. Split if you looked at it and flavor was good but to me not that outstanding. I'm not a cherry lover anyway. I like Juane Flammee' real well and does well here.
I've never been a Roma fan but making lots of salsa decided to try the Paquebot's based on the fact Martin's opinion.
I plant many peppers. Being I'm from NM mainly NM chili types and jalapenos. Will post my pepper list later. Many of mine come from a grower in the Arkansas River valley in CO. He has selected and bred for those that do well in this climate. They do real well and stand the heat, wind and drought. Jay

I'm not a "big time" gardener like many of you are, but I like to experiment with the different things. Oklahoma is so different from one location to another that the same tomatoes don't seem to work for all. Many Oklahoma gardenerss worry about so little rain and so much heat. In our county, we had almost 68 inches last year. We started out dry this year but now that the rains have started we have already had 6.73 inches. I enjoy seeing what everyone is growing. Thanks. Carol

Here's my list as it currently stands. The first three rounds are growing. Round 4, which is fall tomatoes, is usually put into the ground in late June or early July from a late May or early June sowing.

Because last year's drought continues to plague us, I cut way, way, way back. I was trying to limit Rounds 1 thru 3 to a total of 40 varieties, but I didn't succeed. : )

ROUND 1: These are my "must haves" for this year. They were started in February for planting out the last week of March or the first week of April. Might start putting them in the ground this weekend, depending on the forecast.

These 4 are from purchased plants I found at a local store in Feb. and planted in containers. One of them has 3 fruit that should ripen sometime in April, another is in bloom, and the other two are just sitting there.

1. Better Bush
2. Bush Early Girl
3. Bush Goliath
4. Grape

These I started from seed:

5. Arkansas Traveler
6. Black Cherry
7. Box Car Willie
8. Brandy Boy
9. Chocolate Stripes
10. Homestead 24
11. Indian Stripe
12. Jet Star
13. Momotaro
14. Mountain Princess
15. Neve's Azorean Red
16. New Big Dwarf
17. Orange-Flesh Purple Smudge
18. Porterhouse
19. Primetime
20. Ramapo
21. Royal Hillbilly
22. San Marzano
23. San Marzano Redorta
24. Sioux
25. Sun Gold
26. Super Sioux
27. Supersonic
28. Tess's Land Race Currant
29. True Black Brandywine

ROUND 2 (These were started from seed about a month after Round 1 and they'll be ready to go into the ground about mid-April.)

30. Bloody Butcher
31. Glacier
32. Ildi
33. Livingston's Gold Ball
34. Moreton
35. Mountain Fresh Plus
36. Mountain Glory
37. Orange Pixie
38. Red Defender
39. Red Robin
40. Rose Quartz
41. Scarlet Red
42. Snow White
43. Sophie's Choice
44. Sweet Million
45. Tropic
46. Yellow Canary

ROUND THREE: Started mid-March. Will go into ground in early May.

47. Cuban Yellow Grape
48. Dixie Golden Queen
49. Fargo
50. Golden Sweet
51. Opalka
52. Polish Linguisa
53. Porter
54. Sun Cherry

ROUND 4: Since I won't be starting seed until May, this list isn't firm yet, and I'll probably add a few others. These, though, are the ones currently scheduled for Round 4.

Because the Livingston tomatoes do so well in our hot climate, I like to grow them as fall tomatoes. They are very tough--there is not a wimp in the bunch, although I do grow Honor Bright (Lutescent) as a novelty more than anything (although its tomatoes taste OK when fully ripened). In the case of the Livingstons, I put their date of introduction after the variety, because some of them are so very old, and I find that quite fascinating.

55. Keepsake
56. Long-Season Peach
57. Longkeeper
58. Winterkeeper
59. Solar Set R
60. Solar Fire
61. Sun King
62. Sun Master
63. Sunray
64. Turkey Chomp
65. Mule Team
66. Livingston's Dwarf Stone (1902)
67. Livingston's Favorite (1883)
68. Livingston's Gold Ball (1892)
69. Livingston's Golden Queen (1882)
70. Livingston's Globe (1905)
71. Livingston's Honor Bright (1987) (Lutescent)
72. Livingston's Ideal (1930)
73. Livingston's Magnus (1900)
74. Livingston's Main Crop Pink (1941)
75. Livingston's Perfection (1880)
76. Livingston's Paragon (1870)
77. Livingston's Stone (1889)
78. Rio Grande

And, there's some I didn't start from seed but which might prove irresistable if I see them at a store. I'd probably buy one of each of these and bring it home to plant: Black Krim (replaced by True Black Brandywine), Cherokee Purple (replaced by Indian Stripe this year), and Bradley Pink (couldn't find my seed).

I am growing tons of cherry, grape and currant types to dehydrate for winter. On any given day during the harvest season, if you walk into my house, you're likely to smell the delicious aroma of dehydrating tomatoes coming from the kitchen.

We don't grow any oxhearts here because they produce very, very few fruit per plant in our hot climate.

And, in case anyone is wondering, we grow all these tomatoes for us and, no, we don't sell any, although we often give them away to family and friends.

I always raise more plants that I have room for, so a lot of the extras go to friends and neighbors, and many will be going to the April plant swap as well.

Dawn

Round 1 is almost completely proven performers. Only three of those are new to me this year: Orange Flesh Purple Smudge, Mountain Princess (which Suze has recommended so highly on the Tomato Forum that I have very high hopes for it in our climate) and Chocolate Stripes.

Round 2 is about half old, half new to me.

Round 3 is mostly for dehydrating or canning, except for Dixie Golden Giant which would have been in Round 2 if I had found the misplaced seed in time.

Round 4 is a combination of heat lovers, old Livingston favorites which are very, very heat tolerant in our garden, often blooming and setting fruit in the August heat when little else is doing so, and some longkeeping types.

This year I did not plant many "old reliables" that I've grown for many years because the drought has been an on-going issue since August 2008 and I was trying to keep the garden smaller so I wouldn't have to spend as much on irrigation. I chose, instead, to try quite a few new ones and sacrifice by dropping (temporarily) some old faves. Some that normally produce very well in our heat that I did not plant include Dr. Wyche's Yellow, Persimmon, Cuostralee, Russian Persimmon, Azoychka, Black From Tula, Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Tennessee Britches, Valena Pink, Estler's Mortgage Lifter, Aunt Ginny's Purple, Marianna's Peace, Druzba, Mule Team, Stump of the World, Pruden's Purple, Marianna's Peace, German Queen, Big Beef, Beefmaster, Eva Purple Ball, Better Boy, Big Boy and Aunt Ruby's German Green. Now that I've listed their names, I miss them already. : )

It will be fun to try the new ones, though, and I hope to find some hybrids that taste good: I have high hopes for Scarlet Red, Red Defender, Mountain Glory, Mountain Fresh Plus and Moreton.

I also cut back on peppers drastically because of the ongoing drought, and I hate that, but you have to choose your battles. In comparison to what I've grown in past years, I have practically none this year, but enough to keep DH happy.

We had two-tenths of an inch of rain, which isn't much, but even the little bits eventually add up. The lightning and thunder were bad, but the hail that fell is western Love County missed us.

There has been enough rain this year (almost 4") that our drought classification has been dialed back from "severe drought" to "moderate" drought, so that is a little progress.

Carol, I haven's seen Susan online much either, and MerryHeart has been on a couple of times, but not often. I believe she and her family have been remodeling and updating her mom's house in preparation for selling it. Of course, it wouldn't surprise me if they've been out traveling in the RV too.

Dawn

Dawn,
Nice list. I've grown many on your lists. And several will be back. Just not enough room this year. I will have lots of extra plants. A few are asking about if I will have extra already. I have never sold anything in the past but plan on selling more in the future. As I increase the sales will cut back on so many varieties and species.
I'm also growing more than one of some species from different growers. I've found with some there is a big difference. One is Cherokee Purple. Grew it from commercial seeds and it was average. Then Craig sent me seeds and it it a lot better and a different tomato than what the commercial seed is.
My observation on KB is that cool temps really affect the flavor. It can go from a great tasting mater to a spitter in a few days of cool temps.
Hope everyone has a great 09 season. Jay

Okay, you folks are making me pout. LOL I had a huge stash of (seeds of) tomato and pepper varieties but lost them all in a drama-filled year a couple of years back. *sniffle* I'm slowly building my obsession, er, I mean collection back up but I still whine about it on special occasions. ;-)

And, this year, I'm stuck with store-grown plants because the greenhouse was in transition during seed starting time. That just makes me extra-special whiny this year!

Forgive me for drooling all over your varieties this year. :-D

Oh, and I miss Martin, too!! I got tomato seeds from him as well as garlic in years past -- the latter all still going strong in my allium garden, thankfully.

Owie,
If there is some seed you need send me an email. I may have it and always willing to share. If I don't now may this fall. Jay

Aw, thanks, Jay. That's sweet of you to offer! I may just take you up on that later this year. I'm so disorganized right now, I'm not even sure what I have at the moment. Once the baby is a bit older so I can have two hands free at the same time, I have to go through my seeds to organize and update my lists.

Until then, I'm stuck with general whining, I'm afraid. ;-)

Diane

Diane,

If you're coming to the swap, I can bring you all the plants you want. I could put a nice mix of everything together in a flat or two and label it with your name.

Just let me know if you're going to be there.

Jay,

I do think seed source matters, and you can't do any better than getting them directly from Craig. I grew Cherokee Purple for two years in which it was a total failure--it did not taste great, it did not produce well, and it had all kinds of foliar issues. Then I got seed from a second source, and I think it was Victory Seeds, and the third year was fantastic. I grew it for quite a few years before replacing it with Indian Stripe, which is far superior in my garden.

Kellogg's Breakfast is one that has frustrated me. It has never produced well in my garden at all, so I generally grow Nebraska Wedding, which produces heavily here and has great flavor. And my experience with Aunt Gertie's Gold is similar to my experience with KB, except that the few tomatoes we get from AGG do have great flavor.

I guess that's a lot of the adventure.....figuring out what works here and what doesn't, what tastes good to us, and what doesn't.

Dawn

"I guess that's a lot of the adventure.....figuring out what works here and what doesn't, what tastes good to us, and what doesn't."

.....and what year it taste good...and what year it produces well...so many varibles.

Thanks, Dawn! I'll not be going to the swap this year but I appreciate the offer (and am drooling over it)!

Diane

It is always interesting to compare results. And sometimes just a difference of soil or conditions can make the difference. A windbreak can make a difference and also here letting them sprawl helps, But then some just won't hack it. Did get the first horseradish that arrived planted last night. So gaining slowly.

Dawn,
I've only tried AGG one year another Brandywine for me. Big beautiful plants and no fruit. Not a one. I got around 20 pounds from KB that year. It was one that the men at work who aren't used to op's/heirlooms would wait and beg for and I would have other tomatoes there for them. Lucky Cross was the best I've ever tasted but only two fruit.
My first CP looked right color wise but was smaller and the taste wasn't good. Produced average. Last year was good and even in a bad year fruit was bigger. Craig said there is one floating around that isn't true. I have found that with others so like to grow a species from at least two sources and see how they compare. I've noticed more mixed and wrong types with vendors than I have with seeds from growers like myself.
DIane and anyone else,
The offer is always open so just ask if you ever see anything you would like to try. And that goes for all seed. Provided I have extra and I do of most.

Soonergrandmom,
Yes you hit it on the head. I try to grow my standbys that I can depend on every year. At least part of them. Some of the others are way more sensitive to conditions.
Jay