Well it depends on what you are looking for. There are always new hybrids in cherry, paste, beefsteak, main crop and colors. etc.

Johnny's seems to get a lot of hybrids. Where do you live up North or down South. Big difference in your choice.

If you want good suggestions you have to tell us more about yourself.

With the exception of varieties like early girl, big boy etc... What's new and promising...

I assume that you are not referring to small fruited types.

Although not new, Big Beef is a reliable and heavy producer of medium-sized red fruits with good, but not exceptional, taste. Good enuf that I always plant a few. Brandy Boy is a somewhat newer large pink-fruited variety which is an absolute must in my patch (more variability in taste from season-to-season than the likes of Big Beef, but usually has better flavor, IMHO). Big Zac I grew for the first time in 2007. Was not impressed by BZ but will probably give it another go.

I have never grown Porterhouse, but it seems to get mostly favorable comments on this forum.

So, from personal experience, two that I think you should consider are BigBeef and BrandyBoy.

Reg

All from Burpee, not really new but not old either
Brandy Boy
Big Beef
Bucks County (derived from Brandywine)
Tomande

Then new from Japan there's

Grandeur

and

Tropic Boy

You'd probably have to test some of the newer hybrids to see how they do for you. People tend to stick with the older hybrids that they like, so it's a kind of find-your-own-way with newer hybrids.

One hybrid I really like is Sunleaper II, an indeterminate, bred to set large fruit in heat, kind of hard to find. It has grown and produced marvellously well for me where I am, just as tasty and productive (and large) as Big Beef or some of the other highly-recommended hybrids.

I have decided to try one hybrid again this year and decided on Country Taste from Totally Tomatoes.In the past I have tried Big Beef,Better Boy,Brandy Boy and Delicious. Never liked any of them.
Jim

Sorry, should give more info.

Sunset 14 - California.

looking for a main crop type tomato and maybe a different cherry type. I always grow sungold but, something different might be nice.

Last year, I really was impressed with the performance of Brandy Boy. Excellent tomato.

Reginald,

I have tried Porterhouse in the past. It was not a very happy tomato for me.

looking for a main crop type tomato and maybe a different cherry type. I always grow sungold but, something different might be nice...

A hybrid cherry tom that I intend to grow in 2008 is Sugar Snack. I have not grown it heretofore, but it seems to right up there with SunGold and SunSugar in some taste tests.

Now Tomande (which I have not grown) does look so very good as depicted in Burpee's cat (of course everything in garden cats looks good, does it not), but it has a det habit and I have not had good success with the few det tom varieties I have grown.

So, for a different cherry, maybe take a chance on Sugar Snack (but definitely still grow some SunGolds and/or SunSugars)

Reg

reginald

I've decided to plant eight indeterminates and ten determinates (some in containers) this year, most of the determinates to test for taste and production.

I am more and more attracted to the determinates because they don't get so huge and unweildy. Indeterminate tomato plants grow wild and big here, probably because of the 7-month season! If I find some of the determinates are delicious, I can always succession-plant them throughout the season for a steady supply. Those first tomatoes from a planting are always so good and healthy, even if they appear in August or September! OTOH, by the end of the season, the indeterminates are a sorry-looking lot, let me tell you, always with some blight or other disease, even if they valiantly continue to produce smaller and smaller tomatoes.

I grow about 15 or so variteis (both hybrid and heirloom) every year. I live in Tennessee and these hybrids do well for me. Better Boy, Celeberties, Beefsteak, Brandyboy and Rutgers. The taste of these (if your used to heirloom) is not near as good but are heavy producers and i wouldnt remove any of them from my table....

1 very good, indeterminate, slicer, with great taste: Glory

Try Dombito, it's one of the best tomatoes I've ever grown.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dombito

Bucks County (derived from Brandywine)

*****

Don't mean to be ultra picky here but Buck's County is the newer name for what Burpee originally introduced as Red Brandywine Hybrid.

Red Brandywine and Brandywine are not related in any way at all. ( smile)

Carolyn

Carolyn
Buck's County is the newer name for what Burpee originally introduced as Red Brandywine Hybrid.

Red Brandywine and Brandywine are not related in any way at all.

Thanks for the correction. Does anybody know the parents of Red Brandywine? I know the original Brandywine is a PL, and there are TWO varieties of Red Brandywine, one PL and the other RL.

I really wish the seed companies wouldn't play so damned fast and loose with tomato names. It's confusing and more than a little sneaky, as though they're afraid they can't sell a tomato on its own merits! (Grumpfh...just letting off steam here.)

Anney,

I'm glad you brought up Bucks County. It reminds me that Burpee marketed this tomato as Bucks County for a couple of years, then in 2006, sold it as "Little Brandywine," and now in 2008 catalog it once again is Bucks County. Hahahahahaha. New Coke/Classic Coke/New Coke again!

BTW, on page 121, 2008 Burpee catalog, Bucks County is said to have "old-fashioned flavor derived from Red Brandywine."

When the packets hit the racks next month at Lowes and Wal*Mart, I'm gonna be sure to buy a pack of 2008 Bucks County. Then I'll have a pack of the original Bucks County from 2006, a pack of 2007 Little Brandywine, and a pack of 2008 Bucks County seeds ... an never stuck one in the ground. Hahahahahahaha. Kinda like collecting baseball cards.

Bill

HC
BTW, on page 121, 2008 Burpee catalog, Bucks County is said to have "old-fashioned flavor derived from Red Brandywine."

Yes, that's where I saw it, but it doesn't have the same description online.

I say that's rotten naming and advertising! Bait and switch!

Bill,

Grow one of each in a row and see if any are different--then let the real controversy begin, lol!

T

Thanks for the correction. Does anybody know the parents of Red Brandywine? I know the original Brandywine is a PL, and there are TWO varieties of Red Brandywine, one PL and the other RL.

*****

No one knows the parents of Red Brandywine. it appeared in the late 1800's and was genetically stable at that time. It's the only Brandywine that has a known Amish connection, despite what so may others write about Brandywine and Yellow Brandywine. RB is indet and RL.

There are not two forms of RB as you indicated and that stems from info in the TGS catalog where two of them are listed, one Rl and one PL, and neither one is true RB. What happened is that Linda got those from her then seed supplier and then it was too late to change the names, and couldn't do that anyway b'c no ones knows what they are, b/c there were many folks who liked them despite the fact that neither one is true RB.

I've urged her many times to straighten out the situation there, but so far it hasn't happened'

She also lists a Red Brandywine ( Landis strain) and that one is true RB, but isn't really a strain either, for it just indicates the place she got it from which was the Landis Museum in PA.

Here's what happened. Tom Hauch of Heirloom Seeds was the first to get RB out of the SSE YEarbook and the first to offer it commercially. He sent seeds to Steve Miller of the Landis Museum and it was Steve who got the backgound info about RB.

The same wrong RB's that linda was sent were also sent to other seed places as well, so it becomes important to be sure you're growing the right and true RB.

Good sources for true RB are:

Heirloom Seeds in PA
Sandhill Preservation
Tomato Growers if you get the one with Landis
Victory Seeds initially had the wrong one but I'm sure if they list it now it's OK with new seeds

Those places I know about but other sources I don't if they're listing it.

When Burpee first introduced Red Brandywine Hybrid I bought both plants and seeds and compared them with my own OP RB and saw no difference whatsoever between the so called RB hybrid and my own OP RB.

Carolyn, who thinks maybe you wanted to ask what the parents of Bucks County were but that's proprietary info and will never be told, except we can assume that at least one parent is RB. LOL

Damn! With all the mislabeling and confusion for those of us who aren't involved in heirloom seed sales, there's no way to know what Brandywine you even have, so I give up!

(Somebody needs to do some DNA testing to straighten all this out!)

Thank you everyone! I believe I have my list for 2008.

Anney

Grandeur looks interesting. I have had very good luck with Momotaro as it is THE most disease resistant tomato I have ever grown. And very productive as well

Thanks again.

Damn! With all the mislabeling and confusion for those of us who aren't involved in heirloom seed sales, there's no way to know what Brandywine you even have, so I give up!
(Somebody needs to do some DNA testing to straighten all this out!)

*****

Whoa now, not so fast. LOL It isn't as bad as you suggest. I've given info for where to get true Red Brandywine, and that's the only one that's been a confusing issue.

Yellow Brandywine and Brandywine, whatever, as well as OTV Brandywine and Marizol Bratka, nee Purple Brandywine and Black Brandywine are fairly well understood, although I will say that the new listing for Black Brandywine in the Baker Seed catalog I have big problems with.

As for DNA testing, it's very expensive so far and has been used only as an adjunct to IDing certain commercial hybrids when questions arise.

Finally, you said hard to understand for those in seed sales, well, I think it's more of a problem for the retail buyer of seeds than it is for those selling tomato seed.

At least I'm trying to help out here. Sigh.

Carolyn

Carolyn

The confusions aren't your fault! I agree that the problem is for the buyer of retail seeds. It can also be a problem for those who participate in informal seed swaps. People pass along seeds under the names they wore when THEY received them, so name-mistakes can become widespread! I guess seed packagers do the same thing.

When I said "With all the mislabeling and confusion for those of us who aren't involved in heirloom seed sales..." I just meant that those of us who aren't involved in raising or producing Brandywine seeds (of any persuasion) for sale are hard-pressed to know what we've actually got in some cases. Your list of vendors who correctly label their seeds is very helpful.

try tomatogrowers.com for a good selsction and descriptions of Hybrids and Heirlooms

Bill,

Too bad you DIDN'T grow Bucks County. 2 years straight I grew it alongside Red BW and it blew it out of the water for flavor and productivity. Both are very late, I would call a 90 day tomato.

This year I tried some seed that was bought from the Amish called "Red from Amish". It had been dried on the skins as is typical with the Amish. I was very much like Red BW except on a determinate/semi-determinate plant.

Just so happens I grew exactly 4 hybrids last year out of 36 varieties, all of which I've grown before. Of course, my climate, though also low humidity, is probably nothing like California sunset 14. ;-)

The F1 hybrids I grow:

Ramapo
Momotaro
Big Zac
Bucks County

Well, Bark, that does it. I'll try the Bucks County in 2008. You, in Vermont, and Gimme3 in Georgia both speak highly of it. So ... that's good enough for me.

Bill

"although I will say that the new listing for Black Brandywine in the Baker Seed catalog I have big problems with."

Carolyn, I wondered about this because it seemed to have a long elaborate story (I'm into the 'stories')- one that I had not heard before... something about a dentist and passing it down... Is this a different black brandywine?? They're calling it 'true black brandywine'... what's up with that?

"I say that's rotten naming and advertising! Bait and switch!"

Anney - I completely agree! I am finding this with Burpee too - I've been trying to get FLOWER seed from them for 2 years and they finally listed it 'in stock'... well I ordered it - and several other things to make it worth my while for the S&H - and they didn't send it! I went on line, still listed 'in stock'... so I contacted them! all they said was ooops! I feel totally taken for and annoyed by Burpee! I wouldn't have ordered from them if I thought for a second I wouldn't get the flowers I wanted! Booooh Booooh Burpee! NOT impressed!

Tom-

Next year I will have a pretty good comparison growout. I'll be growing Red Brandywine (TGSC-Reg), Red Brandywine (TGSC-Pot), Red Brandywine (Landis), Bucks County, Little Brandywine and yet one more source of Red Brandywine. Should be interesting.

Jay

I grew Buck's County two years ago in a 5 gallon container and was extremely pleased with this hybrid. I am going to grow it again this year but not sure whether or not I want to grow it in a container or try growing it in the ground.