Thanks for a great article. I have been planting heirloom tomatoes for 2 yrs now and they are superb!

Yes, thanks for the article...

Shoe ("heirloomist" since 1986, always searching for more!)

Hi Tami & Shoe (fellow heirloom growers),

Tami, glad you are enjoying growing them; have you tried saving seeds yet?

Shoe, nice to meet you! Wow, you must have some really good favorites to recommend after 25 years growing them.

Thank you both.
Christine

No I haven't saved any of the seeds yet. I hope to next year.

Heirloom tomatoes can't be beat! I always grow Cherokee Purple, Black Krim, Rutgers, Marglobe and any one of the pinks, but this year added Mortgage LIfter and Mountain Pride, which I'm not sure is an heirloom, but it sort of literally flopped in my garden. No production whatsoever, so I won't try it again. I've tried Oxheart, but did not like it, plus the plant practically ate my garden and the roots were unbelievable. When I tried to pull it out in the fall, I had to resort to digging them out. A monster of a plant it was and not worth the effort. When I retire and can have a proper garden, it will be all heirloom plants!

I've tried growing heirloom tomatoes a few times...with disastrous results. I end up with maybe 3 tomatoes out of half a dozen plants. I've had to go back to "regular" tomatoes just so I can get some to eat! The ones I have now I'm going to get a bushel or so from 6 plants.

Lee Anne,

Maybe you need to try a variety that produces well in your climate. I know there are a few cold climate varieties - I'd have to research to come up with some. I say this because your yield can depend a lot on the weather. This year we've experienced so much heat, the severe drought has caused the flowers to all drop before they can even make any fruit. I've pulled most of them. Cool temps and excessive rain will also hold them back. Plus, tomatoes are heavy feeders, so good, rich soil can often correct many deficiencies.

It is true of course that some of the heirlooms just don't produce much- but there are folks that think it's worth the effort to get the flavor.

There are some very prolific varieties out there, Abraham Lincoln comes to mind, it yields lots of red fruits that are very tasty and produces up until frost, for a long growing season! Stupice has always done quite well. Black cherry is another that grows lots of cherry sized (actually a little larger) fruits - they are at the top of my list of favorites - they will also give you fruit up until frost.

What "regular" tomato are you growing, if it has a name?

I remember "Stupice" as being one of them that flopped.

Right now I'm growing a "beefsteak" tomato. My growing season is very short....last frost was June 5th this year....first frost will be sometime the first week of Sept.

Hot (high 80's) days and cool nights (60's or 70's). Lack of rain is never an issue.

Shucks. And bummer that you are not getting a good supply of tomatoes, Lee Anne. I agree with wildflowers about Abe Lincoln...it's been a good producer for me, oftentimes getting first fruit about 60 days or so (although touted to be 75 day maturity.)

Smaller tomatoes often times produce more fruit per plant so maybe that is an area to pursue. I'd recommend Heidi.

The cherry types often produce like gangbusters but go with a reputable source for the true "heirloom" cherry. By the way, "Black Cherry" is often listed as an heirloom but it definitely is not, having not come into being until the late '90s and not released until the early 2000's. (Shame on those seed companies stating the misinformation just to make a sale.) It's a great producer though and is OP.

I sure hope you get a good harvest, at least enough to carry you through the winter!

Shoe (back to fermenting tomato seeds...)

Heidi is one that I haven't tried, yet. The recommendation is appreciated.

Lately I've been hearing chatter about Jagodka tomato being very early, doing well in cool climates. It's another one that I will be looking forward to trying as an early tomato.

Good to know about the Black cherry tomato. It's still my favorite cherry tomato.

Also fermenting seeds.