Spear’s TN Green?

[PlainJane]

I’m looking for another GWR for next season and would like to hear any comments about taste, production and health for Spear’s TN Green.
TIA!

[Shule]

I haven't grown it, yet, but here are some links about it on other sites:

Databases:
* http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Spea ... ssee_Green
* https://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/119565/#b

General sites:
* https://www.cookinglight.com/food/in-se ... 853#168853

Forum posts:
* Houzz
* ProBoards
* Tomatoville

Summary of Tomatoville discussions:
* Shelleybean and Lee on Tomatoville mentioned in 2013 that they favored it, and Suze in 2009 (for taste).
* daylilydude considered it a new mainstay in 2008, and mentioned it positively again in 2017.
* gill_s had trouble with fruit set with it in greenhouse conditions in 2010.
* zipcode said, in 2019, "… Spears Tennessee Green is very good, balanced, fantastic rich gwr taste, not as consistently good [as Tizebra?] however. Cracks a lot. …" and in 2021, "… Spears Tennessee Green has been good for me, balanced taste, strong flavor, good production every year."
* ScottinAtlanta considered it remarkably dependable and tasty (but ranked a few others higher than it, in that regard).
* Icelord in 2010 said it was earlier and more prolific than Aunt Ruby's German Green, but both were excellent.
* Lee preferred it to Green Giant (but liked Green Giant, too), and it beat Cherokee Green and Green Giant in a Tomatopalooza tomato tasting. [Cherokee Green is supposed to be awesome, FTR (Carolyn also mentioned that she liked CG more than Aunt Ruby's German Green)].
* …

[mama_lor]

It's one of mys staples. It does well year after year and the taste is top 3. Likes fertilizer, you get the best taste if you have those thick stems. It does have crazy shoulder cracks, definitely not one to grow in rainy weather.

[bobrarian]

Hi PlainJane,

I'm growing Spear's for the first time. We just tasted our first one - it's on the late side for us. It's probably the best tomato we've ever had. Sweet, fruity, very juicy but the taste was not watered down. Great texture.

Disclaimer: I haven't tried that many yet. My taste buds lean strongly toward sweeter tomatoes. Other favorites include Ananas Noire and Momotaro.

Spear's is in a 13-gallon container. It's having some issues with low fruit set. After initially setting a nice truss or two, almost all the new flowers have shriveled up and died. Most of the other tomatoes are setting fruit just fine. The weather has been great. Overall, it's growing okay, not great, with some (minimal) foliage issues.

However, based on the taste of the first tomato alone, it's a definite regrow next year. I'm going to take the suggestions here and try to get better fruit set next year. I'd recommend growing this!

Bobby

[PlainJane]

[mention]bobrarian[/mention], thanks for that feedback!

[PlainJane]

It's one of mys staples. It does well year after year and the taste is top 3. Likes fertilizer, you get the best taste if you have those thick stems. It does have crazy shoulder cracks, definitely not one to grow in rainy weather.

That’s what I’m battling now with Cherokee Green [mention]mama_lor[/mention]. I’ve had to slice off the top third of almost every fruit. Annoying!