Interesting concept. I wonder what conditions you anticipate in 2018 or 2019 that cause you to shift those varieties to those years?

"They're tasty, but not the best, if anything I consider Brandywine the bare minimum for acceptable flavor in a home grown tomato. I'm curious what criteria other gardeners on this forum use to determine permanent favorites?"

I've never used taste as a permanent criteria because it can vary so much year-to-year and is such a personal, subjective criteria. Unless it is spitter bad that is but even then many will disagree. But I would be interested in what varieties you find consistently beat Brandywine in flavor.

My primary criteria for most is trouble-free high production. High quality flavor only really plays a role for me when selecting a cherry variety as they are all basically high production.

Dave

@Barrie it's not any particular conditions I'm anticipating. They are shifted into the future because I am limiting myself to a certain number of tomato plants per season. The slots are reserved for favorites as well as a third left open for new varieties to try. As the years progress, I plan to whittle the list down to favorites only and rotating the varieties by growing a third of the list any given year. I shifted Paul Robeson to 2019 because I prefer Brad's Black Heart and felt it was redundant to have two blacks with similar characteristics. However, PR is a better grower with more beautiful looking fruit and would be a good alternative in case BBH suddenly decides to hate my conditions. Rotating the growlist also keeps my seed stock fresher for better germination.

@Dave thanks for a differing perspective. At this point, high production is not a priority for me because I have no space or market constraints. Last year I trialed 50 tomato plants and gave away 85% of the crop because I couldn't eat it all. If I were to sell them at a market stand, it would be different. However, I do expect at least 25 fruits from even the stingiest vine, or it's a waste of effort.

Having grown Brandywine for four years now, its flavor profile has been consistent for me with my growing conditions. What has differed is the productivity and vigor of individual plants. I've noticed that if the start doesn't take off and form a large vine quickly, it's a dud and won't fruit in that location. It is better to plant a new one than nurse the runt. Since we're dealing with open pollinated seeds, there is still a chance of variability. I have grown it own root & grafted, as well as labeled Sudduth's or generic pink potato leaved BW. I will no longer pay $10 for a grafted Sudduth's start because I get acceptable performance from an own root plant. The graft's increased vigor and 15% higher productivity isn't worth the extra money to me.

I like the sweet flavor and fragrance of Brandywine, I just wish it was more concentrated. My fertile clay fields have lain fallow for ten years, and my tomatoes barely get watered, if any, so it's not that. I'm not a huge fan of BW's creamy texture, I prefer a meatier flesh. The size of the fruits are too big, any bigger than 14oz and it's wasted on me or the sandwich.

In terms of flavor, I don't think it's really fair to compare blacks and reds to pinks. Last year Rose de Berne edged out BW in flavor and texture, so I'm growing it again to make sure it wasn't a fluke. Caspian Pink, Pruden's Purple, and Eva Purple Ball were very bland & disappointing growers. But then again, maybe those varieties hated being dry-cultured? I was looking forward to comparing German Pink, German Head, and Marianna's Peace to BW, but they either had bland winter fruits or gophers ate the entire plant. I have a nagging suspicion that all these big late heirloom pinks are basically the same thing with slightly different flavor due to human selection. I just have to find the one I like best.

You and I kind of do the same as far as having our mainstay varieties and then trialing new ones every year. I grow a total of about 70 tomatoes, of which maybe 25 are my mainstays and the rest are trials. I usually keep three or four of the trials for successive years. If after three seasons, they are still consistent producers, then they become a mainstay. Last year, my trials were mainly Oxhearts and this year my trials are mainly Bi - Colors.

I figure by the time I am long gone, my son and daughter will have a tried and true tested list of good plants to grow in this area.

@ncrealestateguy which ones are your mainstay varieties?

One could say I trialed black tomatoes last year and am continuing BW-like pinks this year. I just picked up a Rose and Momotaro start yesterday while at the hardware store even though my growlist is already set.

Which oxhearts did you like? I really love Brad's Black Heart, but find certain others too dry. I want to try Orange Strawberry again, and am curious about White Oxheart. I'm hoping the WO will have more flavor than the usual bland white tomato.

I hope you get a chance to include Copper River and Mary Robinson's German Bicolor in your trial, they are excellent flavor bombs as well as productive and easy to grow!