Tomato reviews likes & dislikes 2015 - 2020

[maverick451]

Fireworks

Medium to large red open polinated variety from Victoriana Nursery, in some ways this variety is unremarkable, it had moderate vigour, a moderate crop and was moderately early but It was healthy trouble free and has a really nice taste.



Health and Vigour 7/10
Taste 8/10
Would I grow again - Yes

[Penellype]

Totem

This is the only bush variety that I know of that has normal sized tomatoes as opposed to cherry ones. The skin is tough and hard to remove even with boiling water, the taste is ok, but nothing special, but the plants are well behaved and only require staking when the fruit becomes too heavy. Decent amounts of fruit on a small plant. A lot of greenback when grown indoors in a very hot summer 2 years ago, but fine outdoors.

Health and vigour 8/10
Taste 5/10
Will I grow again - Yes

[maverick451]

T&M experimental 2016 (for future ref T&M now sell it as mountain magic)

This was the Gardeners World give away, a thick vigorous and rather unruly vine and has quite large spawling branches and doesnt seem to like to grow straight up so quite fun trying to tie it in, the top of mine actually snapped off but that was ok because I had 3 large trusses, I really like the size of the fruit, larger than a cherry but still small to medium, slightly plum shaped and has a nice sweet flavour with a bit of bite, I have a bit of blight in my garden but nothing on this plant so far.

Its a bit late but I didnt get the seeds until late April so Im not expecting anything different.



Health and vigour 9/10
Taste 8/10
Will I grow again - Yes- I was quite impressed, im not sure if they will do it next year so I picked up a packet on ebay for 99p

[Scarlet]

German Lunchbox - vine
Bantam egg shaped tomato, more pink than red. They grow in a "cluster" with about 7/8 per bunch. They would be great in a lunchbox they have a thick skin that doesn't bruise! Although perhaps a little too thick for me, they're like a mini plum tomato and so most have mine have been cooked - there's much better tomatoes for eating fresh than this one. Though it cooks well and has great yields so worth a try.
Health and vigour 10/10
Taste 6/10
Grow Again - Probably but not next year


Gardener’s Delight - vine/cherry
I always save room for this one. Has a lovely flavour, huge number of toms per plant. One of the earlier tomatoes to start to ripen and usually carries on until the first frosts.
Health and vigour 9/10
Taste 9/10
Grow Again - Yes, I grow it every year.


Principe Borghese - bush/cherry
Cherry size toms with a little point on the end. These are supposed to be great for drying, mine haven't ever got that far. I'm growing mine in pots in the GH, this year I haven't had many ripe ones, they were too slow to start.
Health and vigour 7/10
Taste 8/10
Grow Again - Yes but not next year

Black Cherry - vine/cherry
Large sprawling plants, really vigorous with very large cherry toms that are more purple/mahogany red than black . Really tasty with a great bite. Lovely in salad
Health and vigour 9/10
Taste 10/10
Grow Again - definitely

[maverick451]

I think I will have to try black cherry next year scarlet

[Scarlet]

Pantano - vine/beefsteak
Large heirloom Italian, dark red, ribbed tomato with green shoulders. Full of flavour, these are always eaten fresh in my house, with glass of wine and some bread to mop up the juices. It doesn't have huge yields but then beefsteak toms never do. Start them early indoors, and grow on in the GH.
Health and vigour 8/10
Taste 9/10
Grow again - yes.



Cheethams Potato Leaf - vine
Really healthy, vigorous plant, the trusses are huge, some with up to 9 medium size tomatoes on. Really bland. Handy to grow though as they give huge crops and aren't bad in cooking.
Health and vigour 9/10
Taste 5/10
Grow Again - Hmm, never say never

[Scarlet]

I think I will have to try black cherry next year scarlet

Make sure you save seed for the tomato seed circle and you'll sure to find some BC seeds to try in your return parcel

[Tripmeup]

Great thread!

Will post my results when I have time to type a novel

Another fan of Black Cherry here and grow one called Chocolate Cherry too..
I have to thank whoever put Goldkrone in the Seed Swap a few years ago..
Prolific and very tasty... Anyone who has one loves them..

[nellie-m]

Aranyalma

This year's surprise and instant favourite. Plant happily growing to be one of the tallest of all in spite of being in a comparatively small pot, good yield of really great tasting round yellow tomatoes.
Recommended!

Cyril's Choice

Another favourite. Ever since I got my first seeds from a Vine swap I have grown this lovely tomato in my greenhouse. This year I tried them outdoors for the first time. They are determinate so stop growing in height at some point. Sturdy plants that nearly don't need staking except that the fruit weight would make them fall over. Nice red round toms with a lovely fruity taste. They do great in large pots, and next year I'll return to growing them that way - I found that outdoors, the mice are delighted to find tomatoes so close to the ground, and are eating them up more quickly than I can pick them!
Recommended!

I have quite a few more varieties, not all of them ready to pick yet so will report more over time. Thank you, Scarlet, for a great thread!

[greenishfing]

Some of this years are:

CRIMSON CRUSH. The one that is supposed to be fully blight resistant.
No blight around this year that I know of so I can't comment on this but the plants gave fruit early (just after the cherry tomatoes) are very green and healthy still and giving a constant supply of wonderful tomatoes.

Health and vigour 9/10
Taste 9/10
Grow Again - Definitely

LOSETTO. A Cherry tomato I got free in the blight trial from Gardeners World. The little terrier from next door thinks these are wonderful and they are exactly the right size for her mouth. She steals them whenever she gets the opportunity.

Health and vigour 9/10
Taste 8/10
Grow Again - Yes but not as many next year. They have given hundreds of tomatoes and are only now beginning to slow down.

FANDANGO. Another from the blight trial. Germination was very poor. Very large tomatoes.

Health and vigour 7/10
Taste 7/10
Grow Again - Probably not

GOURMET. A medium sized tomato.

Health and vigour 7/10
Taste 7/10
Grow Again - maybe

[Scarlet]

Orange Banana - vine
Large, bright orange, short sausage shaped tomato with a nipple on the end. Heavy crop on a large, vigorous plant. Great tasting tomato, they have a lovely bite to them. I love to eat these fresh but they are a fantastic cooking tomato and make a lovely pasta sauce. I've tried these in pots and I've had blossom end rot, I now grow them in my GH border without any problems.
Health and vigour 8/10
Taste 8/10
Grow again - yes


Dancing with Smurfs - vine/cherry
Healthy plants with a blue/black tint to the stems and edges of the leaves. Cherry tomato that has dark blue/black skin that ripens with a deep purple red in the shade. Though the shoulders and sides that are in direct sunlight stay blue black. Heavy crops with a really sweet taste. On a taste test my No1 son choose this over GD and principe B. It's a fun one to grow
Health and vigour 8/10
Taste 8/10
Grow Again - yes

[nellie-m]

LOSETTO. A Cherry tomato I got free in the blight trial from Gardeners World. The little terrier from next door thinks these are wonderful and they are exactly the right size for her mouth. She steals them whenever she gets the opportunity.

Health and vigour 9/10
Taste 8/10
Grow Again - Yes but not as many next year.

GF, congrats on your great harvest. If I remember correctly, Losetto are an F1 so don't be surprised if what you grow from their seeds is not exactly the same next year. If you want to be sure, buy a fresh packet.

[jackarmy]

Dissapointed with tumbling tom, wont bother again, had a lot sweeter cherries.
moneymaker.........why my FIL loves these is beyond me, so bland.
Mamande....Although not gorgeous to nibble on , awesome sliced on top of toast or anything else tbh .

And onto the new Crimson Crush,,,,,,,,,,,,, hmmmmmm, tasty ( the few ive been able to taste ) very beefcake like but not very productive, outside mamande wiped the floor with them.

[Penellype]

I grew tumbling tom last year and they were dire.

[maverick451]

Just a little update

The T&M exp 2016 (gardeners would giveaway) is definitely showing some good blight resistant, if you look at the pic below the plant nearest the camera (outdoor girl) has been hit hard by blight whereas the exp 2016 (circled) still looks very healthy.