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Heirloom tomatoes vs. Hybrids


Smokefree

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What do you think is the best tasting just to eat on a sandwich? Or does it matter that much? I never paid much attention to it and I usually just tried to buy healthy looking plants that are fairly cheap but I have been reading opinions on the internet that make it sound so much better to plant heirloom varieties for good flavor. A greenhouse near Brookville is having a half-price sale and there were some nice looking heirlooms so I bought one of each that they had. They had 6-packs too but not heirlooms. I already have planted many other types this year. What kind do you like?

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It all depends on what you are looking for. A lot of the hybrids are supposedly not as acidic as the heirlooms. The hybrids also tend to be sweeter as they are bred to suit modern tastes. I think, and this is just my opinion, that a lot of the heirloom tomatoes are not as meaty as the hybrids.

I think that the heirlooms are mostly harder to grow. They are more susceptible to disease and, unless they are tomatoes that have been grown for generations in the same area, there might be problems with climate. I've had Cherokee Purple sun scald so badly that they were unusable. Hybrids are selected genetically to grow in a wider range of conditions and have been bred to be disease resistant.

I've grown lots of different tomatoes and I think that the hybrids are just more consistent. Not to say that there are not a lot of good open pollinated tomatoes out there that are not sold as "heirlooms". Roma isn't a hybrid but no one gets excited about it being a "heirloom" despite its popularity as a sauce tomato.

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I think the heirlooms are over rated. I agree with lavender on them being harder to grow, especially with any consistency.

 

And maybe it is just my taste buds, but  for taste I'll take a Big Boy or Supersteak on my tomato sandwich over any heirloom I've ever tasted.

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It all depends on your own tastebuds and what you want to use a tomato for.  For flavor, the heirlooms are usually better, but some of the new hybrids are good too.  They're popular for a reason.  Romas are a good example that will probably never go out of demand.

 

Some gardeners want that "Campbell" tomato that looks perfect.  For that one, check the Celebrity.

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I am trying a lot of different varieties for the first time this year. Before I always just bought "tomato plants" without much thought about the name of them. I was thinking it might be fun to have a "tomato tasting" party with my family this summer and have different types sliced up to serve with a buffet of bacon, miracle whip, lettuce, salt etc. and have a vote! LOL I could even write down comments on shape, attractiveness, size, etc. Of course, they all won't ripen at the same time, but some of them will. We could have hotdogs and stuff for those few in the family who don't love tomatoes as much as the rest of us.

 

Brenda

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I forgot about German Green. It is one of the best tasting heirlooms that I have ever come across if you don't mind that it stays green. I tried starting it from seed this year but the plants aren't doing much. I found it a bad year for tomato plants. I've got a new setup and haven't ironed out all of the wrinkles yet.

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My neighbor gave me my 2 plants that he grew from seed and I don't really know much about the different breeds. I noticed I have some blossoms on them today and all I know is I want a good tasting homegrown tomatoe NOW! ;D

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Has anyone used Farfard Canadian Growing Mix #2 for flowers or tomatoes? I asked the owner of a nice greenhouse what he used and this is it. Then I asked where I could buy it and he had it for sale so I splurged and bought a bag. It is very expensive. He charges $30 for a 3.8 cubic foot bag. The bags are huge though and I have been using it all night after work to repot some plants and still have a ton of it left. It's ingredients include: Canadian sphagnum peat moss, Perlite, Vermiculite, Starter nutrients, Wetting agent, and Dolomitic Limestone. I added some relatively cheap mushroom compost and a little aged manure. The dirt and compost that I was using didn't seem to be helping my plants so far.I didn't just put tomatoes in it. I also transplanted some flowers. Do you think things will grow well in it? Can you reuse it next year if you add amendments? I never used soilless mix before.

Will it affect the taste of my tomatoes? I don't really care how big my tomatoes get as long as they taste good and I get a lot! LOL

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It sounds like a good composite for potting, loose and well draining yet able to hold water. It would also be sterile so your seedlings would not dampen off or contract other bacterial diseases. The nutrients are limited to those added by the manufacturer.

When you put in the mushroom compost and manure you are adding nutrients but destroying the sterility of the soil. This is OK for transplanting or use in pots but you wouldn't want to put small seedlings in it or use it as a starting mixture for seeds.

I think your plants in pots will grow well in it but you may need to do some fertilizing as the plants get larger. Go ahead and use it next year for potting but don't use the stuff you have added the amendments to for starting seeds or potting up seedlings. I'd add some slow release fertilizer to it to rejuvenate the nutrients.

It will not affect the taste of your tomatoes.

A mixture of dirt and compost in a pot is probably a bit too heavy and doesn't drain well enough to grow plants well unless the dirt is better than what we usually have around here.  You could add some sand or perlite to it for drainage and some peat moss for texture. It's a good mix for outdoor plants but would probably be too full of various organisms to use in indoor pots.

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A friend who had a greenhouse said that was all they used to start plants in.  Truthfully what I got this year in "Seed Starter" was OK but if you don't know how to wet it, it's a bugger!

 

We're splitting a bale of that mix next year and apparently it comes from Agway here in DuBois.

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I did have a little trouble with the wetting last night but the plants are all on my deck and after this rain today I'm sure that that made up for my lack of knowledge on wetting! LOL I swear that the plants I transplanted into it last night looked bigger and fresher already this morning. They were really perky.

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To wet it  just put it in a wide container.  Spray lightly and stir, spray again and stir.  Repeat till you can pick up a handfull anywhere in the mix and it seems damp.  Cover and use the next day.  No problem.  No contamination.

 

However, other than for seeds or cuttings I wouldn't use it for transplanting.  It's not necessary.  Then just use something like Miracle Grow potting soil.

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I didn't use it plain for the transplanting. I mixed it with the soil/compost/manure/Miracle Grow Organic soil combination that I already was using so I could stretch it further (expensive stuff) and still get some of the benefits. The soil from my yard is not so good. when I put it plain into pots it hardens up like concrete. LOL

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I didn't use it plain for the transplanting. I mixed it with the soil/compost/manure/Miracle Grow Organic soil combination that I already was using so I could stretch it further (expensive stuff) and still get some of the benefits. The soil from my yard is not so good. when I put it plain into pots it hardens up like concrete. LOL

I have the same type of soil, high in clay. It can be used for transplanting and in outdoor containers if you mix it with peat moss and sand. I used to mix up batches of this combination and then sterilize it in the oven for starting seeds. It worked perfectly well but it got to be too time consuming.

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Get one of the huge bales of Peat Moss and mix it with the soil in your beds.  That and adding Gypsum available in boxes from any local nursery such as Hanzeleys or Alvetros will amend your planting soil well.   The first application will be the only major cost.  After that just use compost and your planting soil will stay softer.  Clay soil also has more nutrients and will hold water through dry spells better.

 

If you have a method of beating it into usable chunks, you can use old dry wall to add to your beds or to the compost bin.  We added it to the planting bed at the corner of Long and Brady, and the soil was pretty good after that.  Then I see that a lot of compost was added so the soil which should be beautiful to plant in.

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