I think I have a new favorite tomato

[WaterWitchin]

Originally Posted by JScott

I love chocolate cherry. It's hard to find around here tho. That's another one I'd probably have to start from seed under my lights in the winter to have them ready to plant in March.

I usually just have volunteers come up from previous year's on chocolate cherry. Wish my Purple Cherokee were that way...

[hypostatic]

Not to go on too much of a tangent, but have any of you had cape gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)? They taste like savory tomato candy! I figured all you tomato lovers might enjoy them

[JScott]

Originally Posted by hypostatic

Not to go on too much of a tangent, but have any of you had cape gooseberries (Physalis peruviana)? They taste like savory tomato candy! I figured all you tomato lovers might enjoy them

Is that also used as an ornamental tree? If it is, I think I've seen them, but I had no idea you could eat them.

No, I googled, and it isn't what I was thinking of. Can you get starter plants, or do you have to start from seed? I have artificial lights, I could start the seeds in the winter and have nice plants to plant in the garden in March. Or can you sow them directly into the garden? (we have a long growing season in Texas).

They look just adorable, and I want them haha.

[hypostatic]

I'm sure if you look hard enough on the internet, you can find some plants/seedlings to buy. That image actually comes from a site that sells seeds.
Cape Gooseberry – Truelove Seeds

I've actually been able to find these in the supermarkets here in NJ in the last few years, so they might already be at your local supermarket as well!

[SouthPark]

My current favourite is kumato. But I definitely lke grape tomatoes too, or any nice and sweet ones.

[JScott]

I just found a website Best Pepper Plants, Tomato Plants & Eggplants - ChilePlants.com that has an excellent variety of heirloom tomato plants (they don't have any plants now, as they are out of season), but they have most of the ones we have discussed in this thread. Next spring I am for sure going to order some of these plants. I could certainly start seeds under my lights, but my lights are so crowded with orchids that I'd have trouble finding room haha, so it would be better for me to buy plants. Next spring I'll order from them, and let you guys know how they turn out, if they're good plants or not.

Or, have any of you guys ordered from them? They have some really cool stuff.

---------- Post added at 06:41 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:33 PM ----------

BTW if you have never tried Arkansas Traveler, that's another great one. The size is a little awkward. They are too small to get more than one good slice out of the middle, yet they are too big to eat whole, but the flavor is fantastic and they hold up well to the heat. They are often the only ones still producing in the hottest part of the summer when the rest of my tomatoes have crapped out.

[DirtyCoconuts]

I love gooseberries but heads up, they are no bueno for dogs.

[estación seca]

Ground cherry, husk cherry, husk tomato, cape gooseberry, poha berry in Hawaiian, Physalis peruviana: Very easy from seed, but needs to be a little warmer to sprout than tomatoes. When I was a kid in Milwaukee family members always bought them at the farmer's market, so I know they can be grown almost everywhere in the US.

And those of you shopping for tomato plants... What are you thinking? They're easy to grow from seed, you can find many more varieties as seed than as plantlets, you can have many more varieties for the same money, and plants from seed you start will have far better root systems than ones you buy and transplant when they're sold to you in outgrown containers.

[JScott]

Originally Posted by DirtyCoconuts

oooh now you guys are talking...the big tomatoes get destroyed here and there is too small a window for me to pursue them but i do love the minis.

my favorite are the Chocolate cherry, yellow pear, and the tumbling tom (made for containers but really flavorful) and of course the everglades tomato

there is also sun sugar which is a yellow that has good texture and flavor

I found this article Hot Tomato! 4 Heat-Tolerant, Heirloom Tomato Varieties | Organic Gardening Blog
– Grow Organic

that may interest you, as they were looking for the best performing tomatoes in Florida, and Cherokee Purple made the list.

[DirtyCoconuts]

I thank you, sir. Good resource indeed