If your life depended on it, which Tomato variety would you grow?

[AshitabaDave]

Thanks, high yield, reliability and getting the most out of the space I've got is what I want, I'm putting both your suggestions on my shortlist, I will be growing more than 1 variety,

Regards, Dave

[AshitabaDave]

Thanks Scarlet,

I will be growing more than one variety, I just phrased my initial question that way to narrow down the varieties suggested.

The link you put in your first reply has been a great help, the ratings system is excellent!

Regards, Dave

[Nicos]

Thanks Nicos, I think I'll use raised beds and change the soil every year as you've suggested,

Regards, Dave

Have you room to rotate?
it'd be cheaper!

[bario1]

If it was only one tomato mine would be black cherry

Scarlet, I was really excited to grow these this year, after all the recommendations I'd read... but mine were more like 'dirty brown cherry' with unappealing matt skin, a mealy texture, and watery taste. On top of that, only about 10 of the hundreds of fruit ever ripened. I know it's been a bad year for toms (especially in Scotland), but my Tumbler and Sungold came good in the end. Maybe I'm just too far North to expect anything bigger than a regular cherry to ripen? I'm sure all the fuss can't be about nothing, I was really looking forward to the taste sensation!

I wonder where the OP is located? Might have a bearing on the varieties they choose?

[Nicos]

Good thought bario

[AshitabaDave]

Hello Nicos,

Great idea! It would save money and work

I might have room to rotate, would it need to 4 areas or could I get away with only 3?

Regards, Dave(I'm near Northampton)

[AshitabaDave]

Scarlet, I was really excited to grow these this year, after all the recommendations I'd read... but mine were more like 'dirty brown cherry' with unappealing matt skin, a mealy texture, and watery taste. On top of that, only about 10 of the hundreds of fruit ever ripened. I know it's been a bad year for toms (especially in Scotland), but my Tumbler and Sungold came good in the end. Maybe I'm just too far North to expect anything bigger than a regular cherry to ripen? I'm sure all the fuss can't be about nothing, I was really looking forward to the taste sensation!

I wonder where the OP is located? Might have a bearing on the varieties they choose?

Hello bario1, I'm near Northampton

[skeggijon]

I've been incredibly impressed by sweet million this year. They started ripening quite early and I've still got two plants chugging away in the large polytunnel, though I think I'm going to be taking a couple of armpits from them and pulling them up this weekend.

[Scarlet]

Scarlet, I was really excited to grow these this year, after all the recommendations I'd read... but mine were more like 'dirty brown cherry' with unappealing matt skin, a mealy texture, and watery taste. On top of that, only about 10 of the hundreds of fruit ever ripened. I know it's been a bad year for toms (especially in Scotland), but my Tumbler and Sungold came good in the end. Maybe I'm just too far North to expect anything bigger than a regular cherry to ripen? I'm sure all the fuss can't be about nothing, I was really looking forward to the taste sensation!

They aren't really black like the dancing with smurfs blue "anthocyanin" colours. Black cherry has a deep purple- ish/mahogany/brown colour, so not as pretty as some other black/blue toms that you can get but I think if yours were mealy you left them too long before tasting! Try them again, it may well be location, I'm in sunny Wilts and my tomatoes were poor this year to others, we had a very slow start. so much so that I cut my losses early on and sacrificed some of the larger fruiting toms for cherry varieties.

[Bigmallly]

I f you want a large, tasty, high productive fruit, my choice would be Black Icicle............

[AshitabaDave]

I f you want a large, tasty, high productive fruit, my choice would be Black Icicle............

Thanks for your input, I shall look it up,

Regards, Dave

[Scarlet]

I f you want a large, tasty, high productive fruit, my choice would be Black Icicle............

Another one of my favourites,

I didn't take a photo of mine this year, can I steal this BM and put in the tomato likes thread?

[Bigmallly]

You know you don't need to ask Scarlet.

[seasprout]

I'd grow sungold.

[jackarmy]

Nieghbour of mine grows( shirley ? ) , it looks an awesome producer in his greenhouse but ive never tried it, any good ?
why is it only when you post you realize you coulda looked at the reccomendations thread

And Mal, their not gorilla plums are they ?