Tomatoes for eating and canning

[Meowmie]

I love heirloom tomatoes as well, I have had a couple of varieties that the taste is just so goodI haven't been able to go back to the grocery store variety because they taste like nothing to me! I would suggest going to any heirloom seed company online and growing a test garden to see which one works best for you. You can raise them organically and keep the seeds to have your own organic variety if need be but I think you should be able to find both heirloom and organic. I had a crop one summer and got the varieties mixed up and lost the name of the one that was the best I've ever eaten, make sure you don't do that! Please update us on what you find out.

I had to laugh at this response (not at you, just the response..) you see, trying different heirloom tomatoes each year is exactly what I have been doing. With limited space I can only grown 2 to 3 varieties each year, and then I don't always know if a plant is successful or not because of unusual weather conditions. This past year was so bad I have not given any thought to what I learned about the 3 varieties I planted.

I was hoping to take a short cut borrowing on other gardeners findings.

If, however, I am able to find that best tomato, I'll share what I find on here.

 

[Chuck]

I had to laugh at this response (not at you, just the response..) you see, trying different heirloom tomatoes each year is exactly what I have been doing. With limited space I can only grown 2 to 3 varieties each year, and then I don't always know if a plant is successful or not because of unusual weather conditions. This past year was so bad I have not given any thought to what I learned about the 3 varieties I planted.

I was hoping to take a short cut borrowing on other gardeners findings.

If, however, I am able to find that best tomato, I'll share what I find on here.

Now see? If you were to move to Texas instead of Belize I could be of a little help

 

[Meowmie]

Actually, our plans have changed drastically. One of the major reasons I set my eye on Belize has crumbled (not going to get into the details here) and the advantage of living there has gone away.

So, our plan is... to move to Texas! We are thinking the northeast corner. Around the Tyler area, maybe a little further out from the city. Hope to head down there next spring to do some looking around.

It's also another reason I was hoping someone had some good suggestions, I will only be gardening in the frigid north 2 more summers.

 

[robinjopo]

I've been experimenting and have yet to hit the just right tomato for my needs. I would like to be able to grow just one variety of tomato since I will be harvesting the seeds, but want tomatoes that are good for eating AND canning (large crop ready at same time).

Organic is a must, prefer an heirloom variety. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? What is your favorite?

I've had good luck with the heirloom Pink Brandywine. I can about 60 quarts per year.

 

[Durgan]

I grow several types and all are acceptable. But now grow two for canning and slicing. Black Krim or any of the dark ones are my favorites. I grow Lemon Boy since they are always perfect and both slice and juice them. I grow around 30 plants each year. I usually grow three plants of grape small tomatoes.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XDMYT 23 May 2015 Tomatoes planted 37 plants
Thirty seven tomato plants were placed in the outdoor garden. Types are Bonny Best 8, Black Krim 7, Paul Robeson 1, Morado 1, Beef Steak 3, Better Boy 4, Old German 1, Lemon boy 3, Grape 4. The others are no name. Most of them will be made into juice, the others will be slicers.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?XZHCV 16 September 2012 . 214 pounds of tomatoes picked 2,5,9,16 September
A total of 513 pounds of tomatoes was picked from about 32 plants over the season. Average 16 pounds per plant. There are probably another 100 or so pounds remaining if the weather holds with no frost. This is my best year ever for tomatoes.

http://www.durgan.org/URL/?HNDWJ 11 July 2012 Tomatoes
Fourteen pounds of tomatoes picked today. One Lemon boy is isolated to determine the production over the season. Lemon boy produces blemish free yellow fruit of an ideal size.Since 9 July this plant has produced 5 pounds of fruit.Total from the garden, since 3 July has been 52 pounds of fruit.

http://www.durgan.org/2015/August%202015/24%20August%202015%20Tomato%20Juice/HTML/index.htm 24 August 2015 Tomato Juice
Forty pounds of tomatoes were made into 14 liters of juice. No water was added. Some available basil, egg plant and sweet pepper was used. Tomatoes were washed, quartered, cooked until soft, hand blended into a slurry, strained, then pressure canned at 15 PSI for 15 minutes. Pictures depict the process.

 

[Esther Knapicius]

even though I do not partake of the canning of veggies. I do recall in the catalog of John Scheepers --Kitchen garden seeds, a list of tomatoes, and within the list designates canning types and eating types. so check it out.