Tuesday Tomato Review

Now that all of my tomato plants are in full production I thought it was a good time to review the varieties that I tried this year and think about what I'm going to do next year.

This is one day's harvest. I don't get this much EVERY DAY, usually it takes 2-3 days to build up to this. Is that a humble enough brag? These were picked the day after we got an inch of rain - notice the splitting.

First up: Baby Boomer

Plant

Tomato

This plant was the first to produce fruit. The early fruit didn't have a strong flavor (not like grocery store tomatoes, bland compared to some of my other plants) but they've improved over the summer. They've continued to produce a large amount of fruit with no signs of diseases. I will probably plant this one again next year.

Next: Brandy Boy

Plant

[can you tell I spent the morning chopping up and freezing tomatoes? And that I hadn't gotten to work in the garden yet (no dirt under the nails? horror!)]

Tomato

This is supposed to be an improved version of Brandywine, with more disease resistance and more fruit (I grew Brandywine one year and got ONE tomato off the plant. I think it needs longer summers than we get here in New England, all my choices this year were listed as "short season" plants)

I didn't have any ripe ones when I took these pictures (I had harvested already and froze down that day's Brandy Boys). They do have some disease issues and the tomatoes go over quickly. The taste is excellent but they don't produce much so I have mixed feelings about this one. First tomato: Aug. 1.

Next: Fresh Salsa

Plant

Tomato

Reject. Lots of meat in the fruit but late starting and very bland. Might as well buy canned tomatoes. Definitely not planting again.

Next: Honey Bunch

Plant

Tomato

Relatively early fruiter, very productive, good taste. Will plant again.

Next: Magic Mountain

Plant

Tomato

Good taste, solid performer, prolific. First fruit Aug 1. Will plant again next year.

Next: Napa Grape

Plant

Tomato

EXCELLENT. Early fruit and prolific. Great Taste. I prefer the taste of the smaller tomatoes to most medium and large sizes. These are great to snack on while I'm working in the garden. Definitely will plant again.

Next: Patio Princess

Plant

Tomato

First fruit July 22. Not strongly flavored but a nice compact plant that produces plentiful fruit. Not high on my list for next year but if I wanted a tomato for a pot this would be a good choice.

Next: Summer Girl

Plant

Tomato

First fruit July 22, acidic but good taste. The lower leaves are dying back now, I don't think that's a sign of anything other than that it's late summer and The Husband failed to water the week I was gone. It's a maybe for replanting.

Last Up: Sunchocola

Plant

Tomato

FANTASTIC flavor in a brownish tomato. Prolific. First fruit July 22. A must for replanting.

In Summary. I planted 9 plants on May 3 (gasp! So early for north of Boston! My neighbors gossip about me because of this. I'm actually serious. They don't plant until after Memorial Day. In the 5 years I've lived here we haven't had a May frost in my yard but they remember when May frosts were common. Yet another sign of global climate change.). I ordered the plants as starts from Burpee and was pleased with the quality when they arrived.

I planted in a raised bed with purchased garden soil, purchased compost (some cow manure, some mushroom), and composted leaf mold (self composted). I watered on an as needed basis with a soaker hose. The plants were fertilized when planted with Neptune's Harvest Fish Fertilizer and have not been fed since. 

I dug extra large holes, filled them with water, let them drain then filled then with the diluted fish fertilizer and let them drain again before planting.

Next year I will most likely order plants from Burpee again. Specifically Brandy Boy, Honeybunch, Mt. Magic, Napa Grape and Sunchocola. Since the 9 plants did so well despite the crowding I will probably try three of four new varieties to bring me back up to 8 or 9 plants. We'll see if my freezer supply lasts all winter or not.

I have to say I am QUITE PLEASED with my garden this year.

Got any recommended varieties?