Keeper tomatoes

Was wondering what varieties you guys grow for keepers.We've grown several,none have a great taste but still better than the crap available in winter at least they're grown on healthy soil.Last year we grew Winter Gold ,they kept well,the last ones will survive until the end of the month.

Wow, I'm very interested in how you are storing your tomatoes so they keep so long! We haven't really tried keeping them fresh for long period, as we can them all at the end of season.

My grandma used to wrap green tomatoes individually in newspaper and put them in a single layer in a shallow box. Put the box in the coolest and darkest place in the house. Check them weekly. You should be able to keep them past Christmas. I have never done it, but I really hate the tasteless tomatoes this time of year and just may try it granny's way.

Most of the paste type ones keep a reasonable amount of time. I started off with a roma type, added a tomatoe I found growing at the Crik Bridge, and then a sub artic maxi from vessey's, I think. Some years I tore out the anthers the night before the flower opened and let the bees mix them up. They are definately paste type based, thick and meaty, but round and larger. Anybody else grow mostly paste type for keepers?

Ya, blah. I had several varieties of tomatoes that I grew this last season and was not pleased with any of them. Well, one that I liked and will probably grow again, that was Sasha's Pride. I saved seed from that. They were all heirloom and the catalogue said they were wonderful. Nope. But Sasha's was pretty good. I need to really get on to one or two other nice varieties that are good tasting, low acid and meaty...My Sister did grow one, no clue what the type was cause her seedlings fell down and got mixed up. But it was incredible. Almost tear dropped shape and big...I am certainly planting that one this year, so good....ya, so on for a search of a good sized, meaty and delicious tomato, if anyone has any good ideas. I am thinking of going back to planting a few of the Brandywine, although I do prefer a RED tomato. Have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

For storage we put them in cardboard boxes not touching ,you can layer them with paper between layers,good advice to check regularily.Paste toms.also work well,we grow cigar shaped paste toms,with the thick hide they last quite well and as they can be picked a little more ripe the flavour is improved.As a sidenote a buddy hauled produce from southern U.S. to Toronto and when he hauled toms.they loaded his truck with green rocks with a conveyer,then they went to the gas chamber and by the time he got to TO.they were mostly red mostly soft and "edible",he refuses to eat a tom he didn't grow.He said he threw one of these rocks against a brick wall and barely put a dent in it.

Try Mortgage lifter large meaty tasty red tomato, heritage breed, as well as them I grow a few others and most are great.

Nice to see you on here Pops Coops, smiling. I have heard of mortgage lifter variety (actually my Sister grew it last year, I will have to ask her what her favourite variety was), she had many, many, and my Cousin grows about 32 varieties. I do have knowledgeable family to lean on, just haven't bothered. But yes, will get seed for the mortgage lifter from her for sure. I think the one called tiger something or other, think it might be a green striped type (not sure, can't quite pull that from my memory cobwebs) was super, super sweet....I am seeing both these gals soon and I will pull stuff from their mind to mine, smiling again. Cute, birish, a cigar shaped tomato, now that is interesting.....I grew one called Willow Pond, from Saltspring Island seeds. It was (all my tomatoes are heirloom always) evidently a beefstake variety, was very disappointed in that one, it was small and not even good tasting. I was surprised, because I order lots of stuff through that company. And I did not like the Amish paste, too small and I did not like Cheesmani (a little yellow one that they said was piercing sweet, nope, awful). Yes, getting that gardening itch for surely. Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

Oh ya, forgot to mention this. A couple of days ago my Sister texted me a picture of one of her heart shaped tomatoes. This type had saved since fall in a cardboard box in dark place, did not ripen though, blick....said it tasted OK. She was going to take a few out and put in the windowsill to see if that might ripen them. Anyways, she cut one open and two seeds had germinated and had the first cotyledon leaves growing. The strangest thing ever. Well, we know that seeds can germinate in the dark (mostly I don't cover most of my seeds, just a whisp of soil to keep them in place). Guess that was a warm and humid environment for seed germination, but how strange is that eh? Time sensitive when kept moist, who knows...have a wonderful day, CynthiaM.

Was hoping these Winter Gold would make it to my wifes b'day which is today 4 are still good 3 we'll eat,the last one we'll see how long it can last.Wasn't able to save seeds because of isolation distance but still have some seeds that I would share with someone willing to put in time to save seed,this var.isn't available in Seeds of Div. and I'd hate to lose it,pm if interested

Bowker Acres wrote:My grandma used to wrap green tomatoes individually in newspaper and put them in a single layer in a shallow box.  Put the box in the coolest and darkest place in the house.  Check them weekly.  You should be able to keep them past Christmas.  I have never done it, but I really hate the tasteless tomatoes this time of year and just may try it granny's way.

I may have to try this just before the first frost.

I agree Mortgage Broker is a good Keeper I also found the Black Krims to be good Keepers The Black Krims ar a nice sweet Tomato alittle different color but great slicers and salad tomatoes

Happy to hear black kris is a good one. I'm trying it out this year.