heirloom tomatoes

[Justaysam]

Anyone grow them? I have picked out 7 and am going to try to get them going from seed. I'm wondering how many plants of each to start and when to get them going in zone 5. These are the varieties Paul Robeson, Marianna's Peace, Purple Calabash, Sunset's Red Horizon, Black from Tula, Cherokee Purple and Brandywine,Suddath's Strain. I have this veggy bed in full sun, all built up and ready to go.

[Old earth dog]

Never did the heirlooms but I always started my seed about the middle of Feb here. That gave me about two changes to larger pots before they went outside. (May 15) Each pot change, they went in to their upper leaves. Lower ones stripped. That way they will grow roots all along the stem. Tomatoes are a tropical plant and won't do a dern thing in the ground till it warms up, OR, I've used the Wall-O-Water thingys and was able to put them in a few weeks earlier. YOu could also put black plastic down a few weeks early to warm up the soil a bit. Also mound up the soil. That will help warm it up a little earlier. Some even plant them horizontal so it's roots are closer to the surface warmth. They will grow normal.

[Pandora]

I have grown Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. Now I cannot live without Brandywine. The number of plants all depends on how many tomatoes you want and do you can, freeze them.

4-6 plants would probably give a family of 4 all the eating tomatoes you need. But, I cannot throw my babies away, so for 2 of us I end up with 12 plants!! I give lots away and make salsa and freeze after putting in a blender.

OED is right, start about mid Feb. It depends how expensive the seeds were, but I usually plant 2-3 times the seeds than I expect in plants.

[Pandora]

Oh, and when I transplant to milk cartons, I plant them deep, like OED. When I put them in the garden, I plant 75% of the stem and lay them horizontally just under a few inches of soil. I have to mark which way the roots are so I don't chop them if I do any hoeing.

[Old earth dog]

The shallow planting gives the roots more warmth early in the season. Just remember, it may require a closer eye on watering because the shallow roots will dry out faster. Just till they get established in the ground though.

[Violet_Skies]

I have grown heirloom tomatoes exclusively. I love Brandywines but they have a very long season. My current favorites are Amish Paste (not just a paste tomato, more of an all around great tomato), and Akers West Virginia. I have a small garden so only grow 3 varieties at a time. I also grew Eva Purple Ball last year, it was incredibly productive and great flavor but had more seeds than I like. It's always fun to try new ones each year. I also loved Arkansas Traveler.

[wishiwere]

Are there any heirloom you'd suggest for canning? Remember I am zone 5 so they can't take too awful long to produce Thanks.

[Squash Blossom]

I'm glad to hear so many others are as impressed with Brandywines as we were last summer.

I'm just curious if your plants got terribly tall or should we have done something to stop all that growth? Our plants never slowed down with blooms and tomatoes and I didn't have the heart to top them...but maybe I should have.

Our plants grew 12-14 ft. tall in big landscape pots. I used everything I could find to stake them, which was quite a sight!! I had to stand on a 6' ladder to reach the top tomatoes! It was interesting that when we discarded everything in the fall the tomato plants all had smaller root systems than I had expected.

Regardless of how tall the tomato plants are when we buy them, we plant everything except the top 2-3 leaves. I've also read that if you have particularly leggy plants to start with you can plant them horizontally and still get healthy, upright plants.

Ann

[LucyGoose]

I'm writing more names down.....Man, I DO need to move..........I hope someone around here has just ONE of theses names....

[wishiwere]

Lucygoose, I found brandywine heirloom seeds at Meijers grocery yesterday

[LucyGoose]

Seeds? I want the plants....

Thanks, I will check it out tomorrow!!

[wishiwere]

Actually I have so many seeds started as I said before I was hoping for plants, but it's a couple weeks earlier for them to have veggies. Only onions and taters thus far

[party_music50]

I had to search to find this old thread -- but am wondering if there are other heirloom tomato growers out there?

I've grown my veggie gardens from seed since 'forever' -- and tried my first heirlooms sometime in the early 90s. I still grow one of those: 'Gold Nugget'. It's extra early, very prolific, and looks beautiful in salads, though I wish it had more vibrant flavor. I guess it's a sentimental favorite now. lol.

Z5 is tough for growing long-season tomatoes, but I try to grow a bit of everything. This year my seedlings consist of: Pink Brandywine, Oxheart, Cherokee Chocolate (I like it better than C. Purple, but I grew both this year), for the more normal big ones. For color interest: White Wonder (amazing texture), Green Zebra (love the look and spicey flavor), Black Krim, Gold Nugget, Black Cherry, ... For extra-early tomatoes, I'm going with Stupice and Sophie's Choice. I have a few others that I don't recall at the moment, and I'll admit to growing one hybrid: 'Sun Gold'. It's the ultimate in sweet cherry tomato flavor and has a beautiful orange color -- everyone loves it.

I like to try at least one new one each year, and this year that will be 'Kellogg's Breakfast' and 'Matt's Wild Cherry'. I get a lot of my tomato seeds in trades, so I've suffered zero-germination at times (like last year's Green Grape), and occasionally get incorrect seed (like the Aunt Ruby's German Green that was red. lol!) This year the germination on everything was too good (my seed), and I've already given away more than 3 dozen tomato plants, with other extras being held for later.

Anyway, if there are other heirloom tomato lovers out there, let me know your favorites and why!

[Justaysam]

I'm doing the brandywine and cherokee purple again, wish i knew about the cherokee choc. before, i would have tried that one!

[wishiwere]

I'm only doing the brandywine this year as the heirloom. I was so late getting anythign as it was, didn't want to chance more I didn't have time for!

We'll be expecting reports on those heirlooms! Sounds like fun just testing them all as they ripen!

[notherdigger]

I also like the amish paste but have only grown them last year and it was a bad year. Saved some seed from them and I also grew belgiam giant/bekgian giant. It is a great tomato but a long season one. The plant got bout six feet high and one to three lb. maters with a great taste. There are many others, for hybrid I like better boy, grew them many times and made more than we could give away. There are many other heirloom/open pollinated maters available and many great places to get them. Seed savers exchange is an excellant source for all things heirloom as is Baker creek. I have a pile of catalogs as I am a catalog collecter year to year.
Twelve to fourteen ft. tomatoes, I'm jealous, would love to grow something like that once. If you are not familiar with the belgian giant one will do a family for just eating but for canning I wouldn't be shy about planting em.

[newtohosta-no more]

I don't know if my DH grows any Heirloom Tomatoes. I'm usually happy if he produces at least some that , when sliced, cover an entire sandwich. I do know that he's never had a tomato plant as tall as some of you are talking about!! It's hard for me to imagine one that size!! I do know that there is nothing like the taste of a homegrown tomato right from the vine. The flavor is delicious.