Helooooooooooooooo fellow Tomatohlics

Would like to pick on your brains and experience for suggestions on MUST GROW tomatoes… I am inclined towards

1) medium-large sized and/or heart tomatoes - no hybrids please
2) and how many seeds do you usually sow for each variety for your own personal use

I have a huge inventory now and almost in a state of panic of what to grow next year - too many to choose from - heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp! S.O.S!

Oh... once again… I am soooooooooooooooooooo loving our forum! Thank you again

Maybe it would help if you made a list of the varieties that you have and think you would like.

Do you like sweet ones or tart ones?

Another suggestion would be to go to Tania's Tomato Base tatianastomatobase.com to see her reviews.

For hearts, I like Anna Russian and Fishlake Oxheart.

Carbon, Green Bee and Solar Flare.

Dotson's Lebanese Heart is a good all-around largish tomato that produces well and tastes good. It yields blunt hearts. Post Office Spoonful makes a vast amount of tomato-ey tasting small cherries. Dr. Carolyn is a very good white cherry.

My must grows are Estler's Mortgage Lifter (the Estler's strain is important), Stump of the World, Girl Girl's Weird Thing (see Marsha if you need seeds), Brandywine Sudduth (again, the Sudduth strain is important) and for hearts Reif Red Heart, and Fish Lake Oxheart. I also love Kelloggs Breakfast if you don't mind orange tomatoes, and Box Car Willie if you like the medium to large perfect round tomatoes that look like store tomatoes but taste a lot better.

It would really help if you gave some indication of where you live and garden. I live in the Northeast, and tomatoes that do well for me might not like Southern climates. Brandywine, for example, does not seem to like high heat, and if you live in Maine you probably don't have a long enough season to grow a 90+ day tomato. So you might get a little better recommendations if you gave a little more information.

Another clarification, are we talking about growing in ground or in containers?

Sue, they are in Germany, which is 7a-8b zones

MegaMarv. Grew it first time last season, it's becoming my favorite beefsteak variety along with Green Giant. Need a big trellis. Fruits are 1.5 and typically 2lbs+ with good soil and fertilizing.

I like Marion. It's prolific, early (in my garden), sizeable, all-season, vigorous, red, and tasty!

I haven't grown tons, but my "must grows" include Girl Girl's Weird Thing and Old German.

Wow! Thank you for all the input and suggestions so far. Keep them coming

I have grown my meager selection of tomatoes both in the polytunnel, outdoors in the soil and in containers over the last few years. Sungold F1 was our staple tomato, but got bored and tired of it. Having grown Ananas Noire and a few others this year got me hooked now.

Our summer months usually begins from June to mid September, not sure how similar we are in which state of the US climatewise and weatherwise.

I have a confession to make, I started this thread because I am really beginning to panic. I didn´t do myself a big favour getting over 2000 varieties . I know I have gone absolutely mad. I just couldn´t stop myself. I am embarrassed

Am hoping to get some input and insight from everyone regardless how many or little you have grown and that you have a must grow tomato/tomatoes in their garden.

I honestly have no idea if I like tart tomatoes, can´t say if I have tried any. Am game to try.

I got seeds for all that has been suggested so far except for 4 varieties.

Thank you in advance for indulging in my insanity

@maxjohnson
Wowee! those are impressive! I got seeds for Mega Marv and Green Giant too. Nice pics! Thank you for sharing

If you like the "dark" tomatoes I'd suggest Big Cheef. For me at least that's the one I judge all of the other dark maters against.

patihum wrote: ↑Wed Dec 18, 2019 4:13 am If you like the "dark" tomatoes I'd suggest Big Cheef. For me at least that's the one I judge all of the other dark maters against.

Ditto, and always Margaret Curtain too, both purple, I wouldn't dream of having a garden without them.

My must have, never be without pink beefs are :Wild Thyme Pink, Elgin Pink, Pruden's Purple, Olive Hill, African Queen, Pink Pioneer
My always dwarfs are:Dwarf Beauty King, Dwarf Mr.Snow
My must for striped: Red Lithium, Girl Girl's Weird Thing, Marsha's Starfighter Beefsteak
Must green when ripe: Green Gables, Cherokee Green or Lime(interchangeable)
Must cherries:SunGoldF1, Sunorange F1, Sungreen F1, Candy Sweet Icicle, Garnet, Brad's Atomic Grape, the entire KARMA series, honorable mention for Iva's Red Berry
Must Hearts: Jewish, Curtis Cheek, Grightmire's Pride, Heart of Ashgabat
Must orange: KBX

German Queen & Indian Stripe are must grows for me.

My must grow list includes KBX, Girl Girl's Weird Thing, Pink Ping Pong, and Sungold. I also must have multiple pink beefsteaks but there are several that I really love so I rotate them from year to year. Still searching for a black/purple that is a must grow. I just decided that I'm going to give Big Cheef a trial this year based on the Patihum's and Marsha's post.
Now I need to decide what black I'm dropping off my list. Paul Robeson or Chyornyl Tarasenko?

Brad's Atomic Grape, as mentioned by Marsh above, is unique in looks and flavour which is all sweet and savory. Thank-You! Marsha.

Sue_CT wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 6:15 pm My must grows are Estler's Mortgage Lifter (the Estler's strain is important), Stump of the World, Girl Girl's Weird Thing (see Marsha if you need seeds), Brandywine Sudduth (again, the Sudduth strain is important) and for hearts Reif Red Heart, and Fish Lake Oxheart.

I have always done a drive by of the Mortgage Lifters but have never partaken. Am I missing out?

What makes the Estler's the one?

I have tried Brandywine Sudduth several times now, and I only get a few ripe tomatoes. It doesn't produce much for me. Is this to be expected? I think I got five fruits on my EB plant this year.

Nan6b wrote: ↑Tue Dec 17, 2019 5:34 pm Dotson's Lebanese Heart is a good all-around largish tomato that produces well and tastes good. It yields blunt hearts. Post Office Spoonful makes a vast amount of tomato-ey tasting small cherries. Dr. Carolyn is a very good white cherry.

I can second this. I grew it two seasons ago right next to Neves Azorian red and loved both.

Dotson's was a heavy producer for me, tasted great and had a great texture without a thick skin, which is important for me.

My must-haves are Jaune Flamme, Paul Robeson, Ananas Noire and Black from Tula. Earl's Faux would be must-have if it were earlier, a little warmer here, or if I had a tunnel. For cherries I have to have Rosella and Chocolate Pear. Also, I haven't grown it yet thinking it wouldn't produce enough here, but I ate a Cherokee Green tomato 5 years ago and have been dreaming of it ever since, so there's that. I finally decided it's on the 2020 grow list, I don't care if I only get one!