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Tomato Varieties

RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,057
in Fruit & veg
I'm curious, what are your current ''best' tomato varieties?

I've grown tomatoes for over 40 years and a firm favourite in the past was always Gardener's Delight, but it's gone off.  It lost its AGM a few year ago as it no longer comes true and I'm struggling to find anything that is as good.  I've experimented with lots of varieties but nothing compares to the old Gardener's Delight in terms of both taste, yield and a long season.  Some taste good but have a poor yield, others have various disease problems, others not very tasty, some large but finish too soon and so on. This year I'm growing Costaluto Fiorintino, Golden Sunrise, an orange plum variety (whose name I've forgotten), Big Rainbow and Orange Paruche.

I'm thinking ahead to next year.  Any recommendations? 
Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
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  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,057
    Anyone? 
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 7,887
    edited August 2021
    Like you, I grew GD for many years, but there are so many varieties to chooses from nowadays.
    My fave is Rose de Berne - about 50% larger than a standard size tomato, but the texture and flavour are really good and with very few seeds too.
    Rosella is the closest I now grow to the old fashioned GD, a good tomato flavour and a nice balance of sweet and tangy.
    Stupice is another really good one. The first to be ready in June and last year I picked the last fruit in October, so a really long season.
    I always grow Shirley too - so easy and a really good tomato.

    I know there is a new version of Gardener's Delight which is called Gardener's ???? - I'll post an update when I remember :)

    Just remembered - Gardener's Ecstasy - I've not yet tried growing them

    PS - there was this thread from last year-
    https://forum.gardenersworld.com/discussion/1045039/tomatoes-the-wisdom-of-the-masses/p1
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,057
    Thanks Pete. I'll look for seeds of Rose de Berne and Stupice for next year.  I tried Rosella for a few years but found them disappointingly small, good taste though. Useful link to old thread also.  
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Billericay, EssexPosts: 7,887
    I got my seeds from Simpson's Seeds - they don't appear to have Rose de Berne this year, but do have a huge choice on offer
    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 1,256
    Depends what you are mainly growing them for - cooking or eating raw in salads/just picking and eating straight away or a combination.

    I usually grow Sungold and either Chocolate or Black cherry for eating raw.  Black krim or similar for grilling or raw or for making tom sauce.  Rosada for sauce.  Even some of the tumbler varieties can be tasty enough to use in salads.

    Looking back through my notes, I see I grew Rainbow some 7 or 8 years ago but obviously it wasn't to my taste for some reason as I never tried them again.

    So much is down to personal tastes, it's difficult to suggest specifics.
  • StephenSouthwestStephenSouthwest Southwest EnglandPosts: 298
    I'm growing sungold and gardener's ecstacy this year. I'm really enjoying the sungold, but finding the gardeners ecstacy a little too tart with tough skins...
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Leicestershire, UKPosts: 11,266
    After trying hundreds of varieties over the years, I keep coming back to Marmande & Country Taste (F1) for large toms and Suncherry Premium F1 for cherry types.  I'm growing some new types as usual too this year but none are ripe yet, so can't comment on those.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Allotment BoyAllotment Boy North London Posts: 4,548
    In the greenhouse you can't beat Shirley IMO, outdoors its more difficult. I am trying a number of the blight resistant ones but they tend to have much thicker skins, and not so good flavour as the old varieties like Money maker, and Alisa Craig but these suffer blight.  I agree Gardeners delight has gone off.
    AB Still learning

  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,057
    philippasmith2 said:
    Depends what you are mainly growing them for - cooking or eating raw in salads/just picking and eating straight away or a combination.

    I usually grow Sungold and either Chocolate or Black cherry for eating raw.  Black krim or similar for grilling or raw or for making tom sauce.  Rosada for sauce.  Even some of the tumbler varieties can be tasty enough to use in salads.

    Looking back through my notes, I see I grew Rainbow some 7 or 8 years ago but obviously it wasn't to my taste for some reason as I never tried them again.

    So much is down to personal tastes, it's difficult to suggest specifics.
    Thanks P.  I grow tomatoes for all of those reasons.  Sungold keeps coming up a a good one; not tried it yet, hopefully next year.
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
  • RedwingRedwing Posts: 1,057

    Allotment Boy said:
    In the greenhouse you can't beat Shirley IMO, outdoors its more difficult. I am trying a number of the blight resistant ones but they tend to have much thicker skins, and not so good flavour as the old varieties like Money maker, and Alisa Craig but these suffer blight.  I agree Gardeners delight has gone off.
    Never did like Moneymaker; too bland for me.  Such a shame about Gardeners Delight.
    Based in Sussex, I garden to encourage as many birds to my garden as possible.
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