Heirloom Tomatoes

[rogers]

friends,
The Heirloom tomatoes that are also known as heritage tomatoes are open-pollinated (non-hybrid) cultivar of tomato. These tomatoes have become increasingly popular and are more readily available in recent years. The seeds of the Heirloom tomatoes are being saved for years and passed from one generation to the next. Today most of the tomatoes purchased from grocery stores are hybrids. These hybrid tomatoes are being bred to produce higher yields and for uniformity in colors and shapes. But its flavor is not up to the mark.
The Heirloom tomatoes (http://www.rogersgardens.com/lp/Heirloom-Tomatoes.asp) are quite better in comparison to hybrid tomatoes. The Heirloom tomatoes are first known for their amazing flavor. In addition these tomatoes are available in distinctive shapes and in various ranges of colors like purple, green, orange and many more.

[samsam]

I liked the San Marino (?) which did well in dry conditions, and the Tigarella. I was totally underwhelmed by that short season tomato bred for rapid growth in Alaska and other chilly places. Of all the watery, tasteless... But they maybe don't get the grey days over summer. It could do a lot better under clear skies, perhaps. Well, couldn't we all?!

[Paul Narramore]

After reading 'The 1,000 Mile Garden' many years ago and re-reading it earlier this year, I finally bought three Brandywine tomatoes whilst visiting one of Sarah Raven's open days. Sadly through both ignorance and a touch of neglect, they have not been very good. This are what I did wrong -

1. I grew them in pots which are too small. I shall use at least 12" pots next year.

2. The size of the pots mean't that the compost dried out far too quickly and this led to the tomatoes splitting.

3. I used short canes of about 4ft - 5ft so they quickly reached this height then bent over kinking the stems. Much longer bamboo canes next year.

4. I should have visited the greenhouse each and every day as the tomatoes developed side shoots which I failed to see.

5. The toms on the lowest parts drooped onto the damp composts where slugs(?) ate into the toms.

I recently visited the West Dean gardens in Sussex and saw how they grow heritage tomatoes in their Victorian green houses, large pots, lots of airy space around them, long canes (7ft) and no side shoots. Lessons learned.:(

[Bluebell]

I ordered some Heirloom Brandywine tomato seeds off the internet but never received them in the post! Did you get to taste any of yours Paul, if so what were they like.

[Paul Narramore]

Those which ripened were got at before I could taste them. Others have still to ripen. I shall save some seed from them and you are welcome to some of them for next year, Bluebell.

[samsam]

10L buckets are about the minimum size - and, even then, they dry out badly. A glasshouse-blessed friend tried buckets one year - then went to growing directly in the ground in the glasshouse the following year and got much better results.

Earwigs can be great nibblers, too. I think the slugs are more opportunist once the skin has been broken.

[Bluebell]

I'd love some seeds, thanks Paul! :D

[blackfingers]

A few weeks ago I got some tomato seeds from
http://www.realseeds.co.uk/
I was a bit surprised when I opened the parcel and found the leaflet which says
"In the EU,there is now a list of "official"vegetable varieties.Other varieties cannot be sold to the public(but it's legal to grow them).Hundreds of old varieties are being lost forever due to the EU legislation"
If the statement above is true(which might be if you think about cucumber length regulations and the other rubbish as well)then no wonder that we end up with tomatoes being sold in the shop as 57-62 mm.Who cares about the size if they don't have any taste at all?