You don't say what type of tomato your interested in, but I've had a good amount of luck with 'porter', and the smaller 'porter's pride'. I'm looking forward to trying 'Creole' this year, but haven't heard too much about it. If your going to grow in containers, the smaller tomatos will probably fare better.
Jerry

Jerry, I have quite a few heirloom tomato seeds, both small and reg.
Stupice, Green Grape, Black Cherry, Black Seaman, Brandywines,
Stripes, 1884, etc.
This is just some of them.
The problem is I only have room to grow a few.
I tried all cherry types last year, but they didn't do very well. Didn't seem to do anything during the summer until it got cooler.
I was hoping someone grows heirlooms and knows which ones perform best in our heat.

Ruth I would suggest Dona. This is a medium size and I love this. Also Carmello ( which may be HY). Costoluto Genovese is great. Arkansas Traveler, Abraham Lincoln, Silvery Fir Tree...I would do plants cause I think it is too late to get any 80 day tomatoes seeds going. And with this crazy cold weather...

Of the ones you listed, I would try Stupice. The plants don't get too large and they are an early variety.

I'm bookmarking this thread. I tried some heirlooms last year (can't remember which ones, but none named) and they didn't produce anything. I had just about decided heirlooms weren't worth the effort.

I planted Brandywine one year, said to be one of the best flavored tomato ever. It produced a HUGE plant, but not even one flower and thus no fruit.

Heirlooms are definitely a challenge. I agree that of those mentioned, Stupice is the better choice. The reason I suggested Porter/porter's pride is that they were bred for Texas summers. Seeds are getting harder to find too! Yummykaz has a great list as well, thing to consider is days to maturity ideally would be ~65-70 days. As you probably are aware, night temps over 75, and day temps over 85 pretty much stop fruitset.
If you really get crazy, you might consider grafting heirloom to hybrid rootstock! I haven't tried that yet, but haven't ruled out the possibility in the future. Johnny's selected seeds website has a pretty good video of how to graft....
Jerry

Not having much experience growing or eating them I'm wondering what the attraction is for heirloom tomatoes. Since it seems they are not easy to grow and from accounts here don't they seem to be more productive; are they that much better tasting, or is it the nostalgic value, their beautiful unique colors and forms, the challenge, or what? Inquiring minds want to know :-)

Good question, Roselee ........I will be awaiting answers as I have not found them to be all that special.

roselee, probably all of the above. I'm looking for tomatoes as good as the ones my parents grew when I was growing up in North Georgia. As I grow these, I'll probably eliminate them one by one.
yummykaz & jerrytx, Dona and Porter sound like good ones.
Can you buy the seeds or plants from local nurseries?

I love to grow Heirlooms for several reasons. Probably my main one is a bit to political for this forum...but I hate everything about Monsanto and they own just about every seed company now, even many of the ones with family names still. I also have no proof but worry the GMOs are killing off the bees. I trust buying from Baker Creek and Seed Savers and Tomato Fest. Some folks carry a bit of a snobby attitude about Heirlooms, but I don't feel that is needed and I don;t look down on you if you grow HYs. If you want to grow Hys go ahead. My strategy is to grow both. I grow probably 70% Heirlooms rest HYs like Celebrity , Sugary and JD's Early Texas Black. This way I got my good Heirloom flavor and reliability from Hys.
I find the flavor and variety is the draw to grow them outside my political reasons.It is hard to find a black hybird. It is hard to save seeds from HYs.

Thanks for your answers, Ruth and Yummy. It gives the rest of us some idea about what heirloom tomatoes are all about :-)

I'm with Yummy I grow mainly heirlooms with a few sprinkled hybrids in there for reliability. Plus, I just LOVE black tomatoes and they seem to do well for me. And it's funny your cherries didn't set in the summer, mine just keep going and going and going..

Just a followup....sort of on topic.. I am addicted to going to this awesome market called Hubble/Hudson in the Woodlands Tx. Over winter I got some miserable tomatoes at regular grocery. I could not eat them. At H&H I saw some Heirlooms for like 5.99 a pound. Crazy huh!? Anyway I was so desperate I bought some. Most were a red robbed, orange or oval black. I saved the seeds from every one of those. EVERY one has germinated that I planted in Jan.
So we will see if they come true to what they were.
Just an idea of a way to try and get heirlooms ( for next year)

Ruth;
I haven't found a local (Spring,Tx. area)source for either plant or seeds of the Porter, but Willhite seed co. has the Porter, and Porter improved seeds. Here's a link to their website. You might ask at the Arborgate, if the Gunter (sp?) sisters have any plants. They grow nothing but heirloom plants.
Jerry

Here is a link that might be useful: Willhite seed company

You might want to look at this, it shows the plants for your area.
http://stephenville.tamu.edu/~nroe/vegrec.htm#planting

Here are some ideas with pics too:

Yummy, I like the look of that Arkansas Marvel. Is it tasty, and productive, like Arkansas Traveler?

Susan

Yes it is awesome! Better than Taxi

Yummy, don't suppose you have any extra seeds for trade, do ya? It's too late this spring. But there's always fall or next spring!

SFmathews...I saved seeds from some heirlooms I got. Let me see how they do and I will try and find thread and get back with you and let you know.

Thanks Yummy! Much appreciated!

Porter's Pride is the larger of the Porter tomatoes. Porter's Pride (aka Porter Improved) is about 3 oz., while the original Porter is a little bigger than the average cherry tomato (about 1 oz.).

Both of these varieties are great "heirloom" choices for Texas gardeners. Smaller fruited tomatoes tend to do well in our heat, regardless of whether they are heirloom or hybrid. For larger fruit, Cherokee Purple, Kellogs Breakfast and Magnus have done well for me.

Hi Roselee, I met you at the SAPS Swap last spring when you brought me a shrimp plant. I thought I could address what you wrote in this thread.

You wrote: * Posted by roselee z8 SW Texas (My Page) on
Tue, Feb 23, 10 at 20:25

I planted Brandywine one year, said to be one of the best flavored tomato ever. It produced a HUGE plant, but not even one flower and thus no fruit.

And: Not having much experience growing or eating them I'm wondering what the attraction is for heirloom tomatoes. Since it seems they are not easy to grow and from accounts here don't they seem to be more productive; are they that much better tasting, or is it the nostalgic value, their beautiful unique colors and forms, the challenge, or what? Inquiring minds want to know :-)

I grow Heirlooms because they are massively more tasty than the tomatoes from the grocery store and some hybrids. I too grew Brandywine as one of my first heirlooms because everyone seemed to enjoy it. I had GREAT success with my first brandywine! So much fruit I was giving it away! Such a huge vine! It produced late summer and most of the fall through the first freeze. Which we all know can be quite late in Texas. :-)

The next couple of years I did not have the same success with Brandywine, and looking back on my gardening journal I then realized that the first year I had planted Brandywine Amish Pink and the next two years I had tried the Red Brandywine. I haven't found the pink to try again. Unlike Yummykaz I'm not very good at starting seeds, so I look for plants in my local garden shops. In San Antonio Fanicks and the Rose Emporium have a good variety of tomato plants.

I noticed you also wrote that your tomato did not produce blooms. This is a common tomato problem, particularly in Texas. There a several things that could be the problem. I copied this from the GW Growing Tomatoes FAQ section:

"Blossom-Drop" is a condition suffered by tomatoes, peppers, snap beans, and some other fruiting vegetables where the plant blooms but fails to set fruit, the blooms die and fall off. It may be caused by the use of excess nitrogen fertilizers or dry windy conditions, but the most common cause is temperature extremes. Tomatoes,
peppers and beans are especially picky about the air temps when it comes time to set fruit. If the night temps fall below 55 or rise above 75 or if the day temps are above 90, the pollen becomes tacky and non-viable. Pollination cannot occur. If the bloom isn't pollinated, the bloom dies and falls off.

Control: Water the plants deeply once a week, mulch heavily to maintain constant soil moisture levels, establish windbreaks as needed, avoid using excessive amounts of nitrogen fertilizers, and wait for temperatures to moderate and stabilize. Earlier timed planting can help attain fruit set prior to the on-set of high temps, and the use of protection can compensate for cool nights. Some recommend attempting hand-pollination with an artist brush or a gentle shaking of the plant/cage/support prior to the hottest part of the day will also help. Fruit set will resume when temperatures moderate. Hormone sprays, such as "Blossom Set", may prevent some blossom drop due to LOW temperatures. However, the resulting fruit are often misshapen. But studies prove that hormone sprays do not prevent blossom drop due to HIGH temperatures.

Hope this helps!

Heather

Thank you Heather, it helps tremendously in becoming aware of how temperatures, fertilizer, irrigation, selection of cultivar, pollination, etc. affect tomato production, as well as the value of keeping a garden journal, which I've never done, but often wish I had.

However, finding old plant tags sometimes jolts my memory of what I've planted that I've completely forgotten about ... LOL.

So I'm glad I have the people on this forum to help me. Anyway, thanks again for the good tips.

jerrytx - I found Porter improved tomato plants at a local nursery today.
They don't have a very good selection yet.

texangal - I bought a pack of Brandywine seeds today.
The description said an Amish heirloom pink beefsteak.
Do you think that's the one that did well for you?

I grow some tomatoes in big plastic patio containers. Do just fine with any size tom. Can move them into shade if is one of those super hot springs.

Have had consistent luck with these op heirlooms , all vineing except as indicated:

*Eva Purple Ball, takes heat - delicious! nice size, falls off vine when ripe as perfect globe.
*Black Cherry, takes heat - prolific
*Blackbrandywine - oh they are superb, will take shade in heat.
*Neuves Azorian - pinkish, same as above. One of best toms ever tasted.
*Flamme - yellow 3 inch - take some heat - will come back in fall. Great taste spicey, good mix in salad with reds, blacks.
*Santorini - Superb little sturdy determinate drying tomato plants. Not much fresh, but the best drying tom. from the Greek isle. Can do in oven, store for long time in mason jars in fridge. Beats those high prices in grocerys.

If big tomatoes can set fruit before heat they just keep growing and ripening. Now, the most trouble i have is with squirrels and bluejays stealing the fruit. Bird netting doesnt work, cats can only do so much, so this year going to try shadecloths to thwart critters and give a bit of cooling.

"On the vine" Dr.Male's and Craig's type of red brandywine will also do well here with the same caveats as above.

Hope you have great tomatoes. It isnt difficult in containers if we have a good year.
sandy

Heather...I have been lukewarm with seeds. But this year I bought something at the Hydroponics place. It is called Rapid Rooters. I think I only bought about 7 plants this year, really just to support my local store/growers. I was so successful with the rapid rooter thing!
I started in late Dec/Early Jan. I have posted link to product, not place I bought at. I bought at local place.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rapid Rooters

First, I think that any tomato grown in your back yard beats the pants off of the storebought varieties. Taste is subjective but I prefer the taste of some heirlooms better than I do the hybrids. I really like the black tomatoes such as Cherokee Purple,Indian Stripe etc. Two of the better hybrids I have grown taste wise are Jet Star and Big Beef. I have also found that it can be hit and miss as far as production goes with both hybrids and heirlooms. One year very productive and the next a little stingy with the fruit. Black Cherry is one that appears to be productive and reliable for me so far. Green Giant wasnt the most productive but gave me a unique taste that I havent been able to compare to any tomato I have tasted in my life. Celebrity is one that many find reliable and productive and it was in my garden as well, but I found the flavor to be average at best compared to some of the others I have grown.

Ruthz, If you are just now starting seeds you can probably expect minimal production from whatever you grow. With the extreme heat that we face down here I think it is very important to get the plants in the ground as early as possible having to possibly protect them from a frost or two. I would probably go with store bought plants at this point and plan on starting your seeds at the proper time next year. Maybe you have a supplier in your area that has some heirlooms available and you can try a few along with some hybrids

Ruth, I agree with Darrell, that seeds should be started around early January, to get in the ground as early as possible. (He's in deep south Texas, whereas I'm in DFW.) This allows the plant to get its roots going early on and get established. I started my seeds in early January, and I've got them now at about 6'8", the same size as most nursery starts are right now. I don't normally plant this early, but the weather looks really great for the next week, so I am planning on putting them in the ground this weekend. I have back ups in case some tragedy befall them. :(

I usually start my seeds close to the first of year as well, aiming for around 6 week old or so plants when they go in the ground. Timing is so important and is usually one of the culprits when someone has little or no success. Of course mother nature has to cooperate and you have to be prepared to protect the plants or have backups as sfmathes suggested. I planted out last year on Feb 18th, the year before on Feb 28th and this year on Mar 3rd. Last year I had to cover and protect my plants 3 times, the year before 2, so there isnt an exact science to it. But having well established plants ready to go when the weather is cooperative is advantageous. We have such a short window for fruit set most years that the timing can determine whether or not we have a successful year. Of course there are other factors such as drought etc. The local nurseries dont always have plants that are as ready as what you can start on your own inside under lights.
I have neighbors that struggle with production period every year because they just start too late. We have a short growing season concerning tomatoes because the temps just get too hot too quick most years. Hybrid or Heirloom, your success can be greatly improved by the timing of starting seeds and getting them in the ground. It just improves the chances of your overall success in my opinion. And good cultural practices make a big difference as well

Duane, and I agree with Darrel as well

Okay, went back to the nursery today and they had a much wider selection. I just got a few and none that I've tried before.

Arkansas Traveler
Box Car Willie
Black Krim
Mortgage Lifter
Pink Brandy Wine
Rutgers
I think I'll still try a few seeds. Maybe I'll get some fall tomatoes.
All the ones I tried last year (plants bought at nursery) didn't really do anything until late September anyway.

I'm about 45 NE of Houston in Liberty County, and I've been growing Brandywines for the last 6 years in earthboxes on my driveway and have had excellent luck. I'm not a knowledgable gardener by any means, but I can search the internet! About 8 years ago when I moved into this house there was a huge garden in the backyard (1 reason why I bought!). The next year we put in several varieties of tomatoes, 8 rows 5 plants each. If memory serves, Big Boy, Better Boy, Early Girl and some others. The nursery had 3 Brandywine heirlooms so I stuck those in the ground too. Well, the taste test chose Brandywines and I've been growing them ever since. The next year I switched to earthboxes because the birds and squirrels were a big problem (I have peach trees, muscadine grapes, figs, pecan trees and something like a kumquat). Also I'm in my late 50's and work full time so it was pretty much a full time job! The Brandywines aren't very pretty but my mother (late 70's)comes down from Southern Oklahoma every July 4th week so she can eat my tomotoes! The only time I had a poor crop was when I planted too late last year. But we all know the weather down here has been abnormal since Hurricane Ike. I look out for blossom end rot and feed hydrated lime (from the hardware store) midway in the first fruiting and I'm good to go. Today I had to treat (for the first time) for leaf footed bugs (junvenile stink bugs), also my bell peppers and Anaheim peppers. I also planted early (mid March)and had to protect from cold snaps, but I just harvested several tomatoes that weigh over a pound. We'll see how the rest of the year goes. Sorry this is so long, it's the first time I've posted.

One other thought. Twice I've tried plantings for the fall, Brandywines and Arkansas Travelers, but never got any fruit, plants got tall & blossomed but spindly. This was about 3 or 4 years ago. Haven't tried since. Is it too hot & humid in Gulf Coast Texas for fall tomatoes? If memory serves, Neil Sperry says we can grow tomatoes here until first frost by planting in mid July. But I'm pretty tired by mid July myself!

I just posted a new blog post about unusual heirlooms. I am having great luck with all my seeds from Baker Creek Heirlooms!

Here is a link that might be useful: Food And Wildlife in My Backyard

Jerry...wanted to follow up and tell you I grew Porter Pride based on your suggestion. It has been amazing! Thanks so much