[Garden] Results of the Big Tomato Variety Test for Juicers

[Todd]

I posted a thread some month's ago that I was doing a variety test to find a good juicing tomato. I looked at over 400 varieties and chose 17 in additio to Early Girl. EG has been our standard fresh eating variety for years.

I tried the following:

Early Girl
Parks Fabulous
Parks Whopper
Polish Giant
Campbels 1327
Double Rich
Crimson Carmello
Abraham Lincoln Improved
Creole*
Taos*
Heinz 1439
Sausalito
Oregon Spring Bush
Stupice
Barndywine
Super Lakota (Super Sioux)
Ark Canning/Catsup
Ark Heirloom
*We got the seed from friends who got the seed from friends so we don't know what the varieties really are. The Taos can from some people in Taos who grow it at 6,000 feet; the Creole came from other friends of theirs in LA.

And the results...

The clear winnner was Double Rich (Seeds of Change). Fantastic flavor, color and solids. It is a semi-determinent that grows to 2-4 feet. I don't know whether it is OP or hybrid. I have an email in to Seeds of Change to find out but I haven't heard from them. Incidentally, Double REich is so named because it has twice the vitamin C as regular tomatoes.

The runner up was Taos. GTood flavor but not nearly as good as Double Rich. It is a determinent variety. I am saving seed from it and can send you some if you PM me with an address.

I'll probably grow both of them next year. I hate to grow just one variety of something that we plan on canning in case som kind of a problem develops and I end up without any crop.

Many of the rejected varieties were too sweet for my wife's and my taste. While a few had a "grassy" flavor we didn't like. And, a couple were just plain watery.

One important thing to keep in mind if you try a similar tes; heating, as you do for canning, changes the flavor. Therefore, don't bas any decisions on raw, unheated juice or the way a fresh tomato tastes.

Todd

 

[Gingergirl]

Todd,

Thanks for the test results. I put up several cases of juice every year, but find little helpful info on the web or in catalogs for juice tomatoes.

I've heard of Double Rich, but I'm not familiar with its disease resitance. What was your experience? The size of the plant would be real plus with my limited garden space.


From Seeds of Change web site:


Double Rich Tomato
Lycopersicon esculentum 5-7 oz. Tender Annual
With twice the Vitamin C of other tomatoes, as much as oranges, these rich, full-bodied, four-to-eight ounce fruits grow well in a variety of conditions. 2-4 ft. plant, 3-4 in. sweet, slightly tart fruits. A mid-season tomato that is blight and wilt resistant. Indeterminate. (65-70 days)
Planting Depth: 1/4" Soil Temp. for Germ.: 70-85°F Days to Germ.: 6-8 Plant Spacing: 2-3' Days to Maturity: 65-70 Full Sun Moderate to Heavy Water

 

[Todd]

Gingergirl,

Well, I got disconnected and lost my somewhat long reply. I don't have time to do it again. All I can say is that Double Rich was no problem.

Todd

 

[TerriHaute]

I grew Double Rich as an afterthought this year. I happened to pick it up at a local Farmer's Market from "the Chile Woman," the lady who specializes in peppers but also grows heirloom tomatoes. I thought the flavor was outstanding too and have already collected some seeds from it to plant next year.

Terri in Indiana

 

[Gingergirl]

Thanks Todd,

Looks like Double Rich is on my MUST try list for next summer. Let us know if you ever find out if it is a hybrid or not.

 

[Laurie the Mom]

Thanks, Todd! I've just about given up on tomatoes for this area, but I always like to hear about your experiments.

Laurie