March 1st, 2011
If you had room to grow only one tomato plant, which variety would you choose? Would it be a hearty heirloom slicer like ‘Pink Brandywine’, a sweet pop-in-your-mouth cherry like ‘Sungold’, or a chef favorite like ‘Amish Paste’?
Thank goodness this is just a rhetorical question for me. I have room at home and in the Organic Gardening test garden for dozens of tomato plants, and I devote the space to as many different varieties as possible. At the magazine’s tomato-tasting event last summer, the diversity of tomato flavors was obvious to all. In addition to the basic flavor variables of acidity and sweetness, some varieties add wildcard flavors: smoky, fruity, earthy, zesty. Yum.
Last year, we trialed eight tomato varieties in the test garden. As I selected the test varieties for 2011, I tried to limit myself to eight again. Obviously I was not up to the task; we’ll be growing 12 varieties of tomatoes this year. And there are others that I’m still having second thoughts about. Maybe we could squeeze in a couple more? —Doug Hall
Tags: tomatoes
Recent Comments
- Bill Walker on Toxic Ties
- Joe Farinaccio on Last Mowing of the Year
- Linda Adams on Feeding Birds in Winter
- Jessica on Toxic Ties
- Catherine Smith on Feeding Birds in Winter
Recent Posts
- After-Bloom Care of Amaryllis
- Feeding Birds in Winter
- Last Mowing of the Year
- Rescuing a Storm-Toppled Shrub
- What Makes Fall Colorful
- Intimidated by Latin Names
- When to Dig Dahlias
- Cilantro From Seed
- Nitrogen-Depleting Mulch
- Green + Brown = Compost
Archives
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- October 2010
- August 2010
|
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
|||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||||
 |
|
|||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
|
|||||||
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
 |
|
||||||
 |
|
|||||||
 |
 |
 |
|
|||||
 |
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Comments
Try heirloom Black Zebra.
Jeez – that’s a tough one. It would have to be an heirloom. I’m thinking a cherry – either Sungold Select II, Fox Cherry or Violet Jasper. Those are my best producers, and they are all delicious.
http://parkerpondfarm.com/heirloom-tomato-seeds-%e2%80%93-best-heirloom-tomato-varieties/
Post a comment