What are your favourite spitters and why ?
I like some tart anyway …. but

I like 1) Silvery fir ….because it has the unique fern like leaf (ornamental value)
and It produces in the worst of years …(I call it bomb proof).
I have always marveled at a successful crop of Silvery fir
beats a failed crop of Brandywine ….lol

2) Venus : it is small easy to grow and orange and also so vigorous it volunteers like crazy. Great for under
grow lights in winter.

We once grew Costoluto Genovese. It was quite productive and beautiful and my mother & I couldn't stand it. I know it's generally well-thought-of, but Mum refused to even give them away.

Not sure I understand the premise, lol. If its a spitter, why would you grow it and how can you have a favorite one?

Sue_CT wrote: ↑Wed Mar 18, 2020 10:40 pm Not sure I understand the premise, lol. If its a spitter, why would you grow it and how can you have a favorite one?

Various reasons to have a favorite spitter :

…..like highly productive ...dependable no matter how bad a season

ornamental leaves … ornamental consideration ...adaptability to indoor culture …..

but yet ...still not quite as outstanding flavor ...as a Brandywine.....but still of value.

Other reasons as well could be considered to value a spitter.

"So many Tomatoes...……..so little Time !" So little time, so little space, so no use for a spitter.

The only true spitter I have ever grown was copia.
I literally spit it out.
Tasted like a soured wash rag.
Won't waste my time growing something I won't eat.

I love Silvery Fir tree for it's leaves, hate the taste, but it does get better later in the season. I don't mind acidity as such, but it had an indescribable blech note as well.

I'm looking forward to trialing some of Dan Follett's micro creations that use SF as a parent. If we could get some good tasting carrot leafed micros for patios and window sill growing, that would be fantastic!

I think it was violet jasper that had beautiful fruit and tasted awful.

Purple Calabash was pretty, productive, and tasted just nasty!

Cluj - a nasty tasting yellow cheery that I got from Carolyn.

Worth: Green Copia actually tastes good. I agree on plain Copia. Straight to the compost after one bite.

MikeInCypress

DDSack "I'm looking forward to trialing some of Dan Follett's micro creations that use SF as a parent. If we could get some good tasting carrot leafed micros for patios and window sill growing, that would be fantastic!"

I am growing out one that just fits your bill. Just planted another generation. Carrot leaf and big tomato taste. Stay tuned!

Cole_Robbie wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 3:28 pm I think it was violet jasper that had beautiful fruit and tasted awful.

I saw someone retch after trying this tomato. The texture is grainy though the flavour is not bad. It was fine in mixed sauces. I grew it only once. Never again.

MissS wrote: ↑Thu Mar 19, 2020 7:36 am "So many Tomatoes...……..so little Time !" So little time, so little space, so no use for a spitter.

My thoughts, exactly!

I don't need ornamental tomatoes - they are all ornamental to me, and I want something flavorful. Same with the peppers - once they start ripening, they are my ornamental plants, out front. Though many people, if they tried some of those, would immediately consider them spitters!

ha ha ...thanks all for all your reflection
I still like Silvery fir as a spitter and grow it every grow season …

back to the drawing board ...lol

Way back when...at the Mid-West Tomato Taste gathering attendees all looked for Purple Calabash because it was voted worst tomato many times in a row. If nobody brought PC another much better variety would have to be given the title. It was fun to watch the reaction of the new people who had never had the chance to try it.

I have several favorite splitters. Most of them are from the Russian black family. But, if I have to just mention one-- it would be Black Krim. A close second would be Cherokee Purple. Throw in Paul Robeson, and you got 3 that will place high in any blind taste test. After that I would start listing maters in the Brandywine family, they are splitters also. None of the Brandywines, or blackened tomatoes, are heavy producers. And they are ALL bad to split. But, they will always finish at the top in blind taste tests. So if you got more maters than you can use--Why not grow a few just to WoW a guest with taste ? Cut the top 1/3 of the mater off, without anyone seeing it. Then tell a guest its your own secret flawless tomato. Jerk um around guessing as to what it is. LOL

Lol, but the topic is spitters, not splitters. I know, I don't get it either, lol.

Thanks Sue--I got a good laugh at myself. I thought the poster's spelling was kinda like mine. LOL

lol real funny.... actually in the " splitter " category I would include the tomato "Black bear "

as I am keeping it ..as it is prolific and long producing of large black purple fruit …. but it can split … :+D

Some time in the early 1990s when hearts were my passion, everything with the name "heart" or "oxheart" got a try, Craig LeHollier sent some seeds from one called Yellow-Orange Heart to try. When it grew out the plant was medium sized with absolutely beautiful fruit colored perfectly to fit the variety name. The interior was solid, with few seeds and juicy at the same time. The smell was citrusy and very pleasant. The first bite hit the taste buds with a distinct flavor of a combination of kerosene and dog poop.

All you who have tried to call this thread a S-P-L-I-T-T-E-R thread, try the Orange-Yellow Heart to get the true meaning of S-P-I-T-T-E-R. Just the words Orange-Yellow Heart make my tongue hurt. Pittui!