Texas probably has more soil types and climates than any other state in the union.
California coming in a very close second if not a tie.
The soil in East Texas in the Piney woods is very acidic.
It would stand to reason that in my strange location you could find acidic soil here and there.
Probably even on my own place.
I've never seen so many soil types in one county as Bastrop county in my life, at least any I have lived in.
Travis too.
It's the escarpment that does it.
To say you can't grow good tomatoes in Texas is a little over the top.
One it isn't considered the south it's the south west.
But it borders the south.
It's farther from Houston to El Paso than El Paso is to San Diego and Houston to Atlanta Georgia.
It's 777 miles from Brownsville to Amarillo.
I have eaten tomatoes of all colors from all over the state.
Even a 12 mile distance to the north makes a huge difference.
Same seed stock same year.
I sit on a hill overlooking Bastrop and my soil is way different than the soil in town.
Some old dude my age and I were just discussing this the other day at the store looking at tomato plants end the difference in flavor due to soil types around town.

Some years I purposely grow different colors. Other years I purposely grow all or mostly the same color to compare them. This year I'm comparing different groups: "black" slicing, oxhearts in general and red paste tomatoes.

5 "black" (4 slicing, 1 oxheart)
6 red (1 slicing, 1 oxheart, 4 paste)
2 pink (2 oxheart)
1 yellow (1 slicing)
3 bicolor (3 oxheart)

Sotw was my favorite in Arkansas for a pink, followed by Cleota Pink.

I do love to have all colors. But I need to take a year off breeding so I don't have to grow 6 or 7 of the same kind. I would just love a year with as many different varieties as I have spaces! Maybe next season.
This year I have a pink-black F8, a brown-black F6, a yellow F5 and its sibling, One F1 that will be red by default. One F2 that will be some combination of 1/4 bicolor, 1/4 black, 2/4 red. No pink... It would be nicer to have a choice red or pink instead of the 'default' reds.
I do agree that pinks are better than reds, or different from. But you do sometimes get a red that's as good as a pink - sweeter, less umami and more fruity notes is what I think about a pink.
Sprouts are up on the tomatoes I'm starting for the farm as well:
1 orange, 1 bicolor, 3 red, 1 pink, 2 black (pink and purple), and a swathe of Sungold.

I didn't see in any answer here in this thread anyone who grow a lot of GWR! Well, it's me! Most of the varieties I grow this year are GWR or bicolor GWR like, as well as striped GWR. Then, I have other bicolor (red yellow), orange, yellow and white. I have some antho-yellow, antho-white. Of course I grow a few reds and pinks (mostly for rest of family). The fewest in number are blacks, one or two.

I always try to have a balance of all the possible colors but somehow manage to have more red. But we love the GWR and dark ones so must include some of those. Yellow and Orange are always included. I avoid white because they tend to be too mild. The rest are various bicolors which cover all the colors! The best thing is a gorgeous plate of sliced mixed colors. Both a pleasure to behold and sample!
Still finalizing my list as must cut back!

swordy wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 3:52 pm I didn't see in any answer here in this thread anyone who grow a lot of GWR! Well, it's me! Most of the varieties I grow this year are GWR or bicolor GWR like, as well as striped GWR. Then, I have other bicolor (red yellow), orange, yellow and white. I have some antho-yellow, antho-white. Of course I grow a few reds and pinks (mostly for rest of family). The fewest in number are blacks, one or two.

I like exactly one GWR, Green Giant. That's because if I close my eyes, it tastes like a pink. About a decade ago, the hot tomato for one year was Absinthe. I haven't heard it mentioned for about the past 5 years. Have you ever tried it?

KateL wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 4:53 am Highest proportion of pinks to date, since participating in the MMMM swap, ha!
Almost three-quarters of these are new-to-me varieties, so will be interesting to see how the proportions compare or settle over the next few years.

Have other peoples’ colour choices evolved over the years?

Red: 15
Dark: 13
Pink: 8
GWR: 2
Orange: 2
Yellow: 1
Bicolour: 1
Stripey:2

Nothing evolved, here.

20 years ago, I went to my first farmer's market, Labor Day weekend. There was one farmer heavily into heirlooms, with samples to taste. He pushed me toward the pinks rather than the reds. My comment was that they looked like pale sickly super market reds in February. The first taste...and I was Captain Hooked.

I had 7 to 8 months to research heirlooms before starting time, next year. Brandywine Sudduth constantly came up as THE tomato. A few others, Like Aunt Ginny's Purple, Rose, Caspian Pink, and Mortgage Lifter we're mentioned by a few "experts" as better than BS. They are all pinks. I've never looked back, other than in taking over a year to locate Caspian Pink and Mortgage Lifter (Radiator Charlie's), many people dropped those 2 from their lists of great tomatoes. 20 years later, and I still haven't trialed them.

swordy wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 3:52 pm I didn't see in any answer here in this thread anyone who grow a lot of GWR! Well, it's me! Most of the varieties I grow this year are GWR or bicolor GWR like, as well as striped GWR. Then, I have other bicolor (red yellow), orange, yellow and white. I have some antho-yellow, antho-white. Of course I grow a few reds and pinks (mostly for rest of family). The fewest in number are blacks, one or two.

I like your style. Green Giant is one of my favorites ever. I keep telling myself that one year I’ll do zero reds or pinks, just a whole garden full of oddball green and orange and stripes. Not this year though, maybe 2023

I'll grow just about any color or size. I like to experiment. My favorites tend to be the darks and pinks. My husband likes red acidic.

Bower wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 12:19 pm I do love to have all colors. But I need to take a year off breeding so I don't have to grow 6 or 7 of the same kind. I would just love a year with as many different varieties as I have spaces! Maybe next season.
This year I have a pink-black F8, a brown-black F6, a yellow F5 and its sibling, One F1 that will be red by default. One F2 that will be some combination of 1/4 bicolor, 1/4 black, 2/4 red. No pink... It would be nicer to have a choice red or pink instead of the 'default' reds.
I do agree that pinks are better than reds, or different from. But you do sometimes get a red that's as good as a pink - sweeter, less umami and more fruity notes is what I think about a pink.
Sprouts are up on the tomatoes I'm starting for the farm as well:


1 orange, 1 bicolor, 3 red, 1 pink, 2 black (pink and purple), and a swathe of Sungold.

You're welcome to throw your year off, my way. Just as long as it doesn't included lots of green gel. As for the F5's, 6's, 8s , etc...do you still have F2's from any of those crosses? Any potential extra early selections without getting...

If squeamish about greens try lime green salad first.
In Texas look no farther than Aunt Gurty's German Green.
AKA AGGG.
Mortgage lifter sets fruit a little later in the heat.
New big dwarf is a good one.
Black plum is fantastic.
Stripped roman.
San marzano.
Orange Russian 117.
Red rocket.
Not a total pro but I have tried colse to a hundred different varieties at one time or another and these are but a few that stand out in Texas.
On a good year I have counted close to 70 tomatoes on one Cherokee purple.

My most favorite tomato ever is SOTW. I like pinks, GWR, and purples (as long as there are no smoke flavors which to me, those show up the closer to black something gets). I think bicolors are beautiful but i have never actually grown one i like. I always try to trial or repeat grow a good one of at least one of each color or most colors. This year will be the same.

Currently caucasian >,< Thanks to @Tormato and the amazing selection he sent me, I had to scrap my original plans and start over!! Still working on it <3

If I stick to the plan (chances about 50/50 on that) I'll be starting

3 red
2 pink
2 dark
2 orange
1 bi-color

I'll likely add 1 or 2 more before I'm done.

Also starting some Black Cherry for a friend, but don't plan to grow that out this year.

Tormato wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 9:47 pm I like exactly one GWR, Green Giant. That's because if I close my eyes, it tastes like a pink. About a decade ago, the hot tomato for one year was Absinthe. I haven't heard it mentioned for about the past 5 years. Have you ever tried it?

No, I haven't tried either Green Giant or Absinth but surely soon enough I will add them to my collection. I have other GWRs which come frequently in my garden, like Green Modovan. I also grow a line yet not stable. It's in 6th generation and with no name. I have Cherokee Lime, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Reinhard Craft, Green Pineapple, and many more GWRs bicolors and striped ones

Mark_Thompson wrote: ↑Sat Mar 12, 2022 11:02 pm....

I haven't tried Green Giant but since you both suggest me it's that special I will def try it next year!