I’m growing some competition-size tomatoes this year, including Hercegovac, Portugese Monster, Mega Marv, Big Zac F1, AH Scorpii, Epstein’s Potato Leaf and Gildo Pietroboni. While it isn’t the usual way, I’m growing them all grafted (DRO141TX rootstock) and single stem which is how I grow all my indeterminates. It should be an interesting project, plus if I get something huge at the right time I’ll put it in our county fair. Of my usual varieties KBX usually gives me my largest tomatoes, although 1884 Pink has had some big one as well. I’ll have to see how these varieties do compared to those. Anyone else growing monsters?
We grew them last year, but our garden was overrun by weeds, so we really didn’t get much of a sample size. I was working at the time in a big tomato greenhouse actually, and since it was so hot in there, the last thing I wanted to do after sweating it out in the greenhouse for 7 hours was weed my garden! But, I’m not there anymore, so I’ll have more time to tend to the gardens and fruit trees and plants.
Giant Belgium is a large to very large flattened oblate beefsteak tomato with good to very good flavor. I prefer a few other large pink tomatoes such as Daniels and Prudens Purple though admittedly the difference is slight. I’m looking forward to hearing what Cherokee Giant does for subdood.
Yes, Cherokee Jumbo. I was doing 3 things at once and didn’t pay attention while typing. Daniels is more productive than Brandywine Sudduth, but it does not like intense heat any more than most pink PL varieties.
I am not aware of a relationship between Daniels and BW Sudduth other than in the timeframe 100 years ago when lots of potato leaf tomatoes proliferated in the trade. Daniels is a very good flavored tomato for me and regularly earns a spot in my garden.
BW Sudduth is a shy bearer except if you set it out as early as possible in the spring and cover it to keep it from getting hit by frost. I’ve had 50 to 70 fruits per plant if properly set out and fertilized. You just have to know its quirks and give it appropriate care.
My favorite this year is Black Cherry, I don’t think Sun Gold is all it’s cracked up to be, they are too small for me, fruit size.
But so far I like Buffalo Steak and Heirloom Marriage Cherokee Carbon.
Beautiful @Marta ! My tomatoes also seem slow this year, but I put them out about 10 days later than usual. Technically San Francisco Bay area, but more of a central valley climate.
This is how they look in June in Northern California in Earthboxes . Sometimes, before the plants are full sized (@4 feet)) I use shade cloth There are some peppers, and a “Turkish Orange Eggplant” as well.
Mine are finally starting to ripen and I’m getting some nice harvests, although mostly smaller fruiting types so far. I did get a couple Grightmire’s Pride hearts, which are some of my favorite hearts.
@Shrinkrap I have gotten a few of those delicious maglia rosa tomatoes, but unfortunatley they are on the edge of my community garden plot and my neighbor sprayed some type of herbicide and they seem to have suffered from some drift. Ugh.
