From The Vine Seedling Sales
Updated Thursday December 17 - please note that From The Vine seedling sales are no more! You can read all about it on my new website, craiglehoullier.com . Thanks to all for your years of friendship and support!
The seedlings variety lists below were for 2015. Next year will likely see some changes (of course....the lists evolve each year.)
I have of my first book Epic Tomatoes available for sale throughout the year(s) - ask about it when you come to get your seedlings! Of course, I will personalize it however you wish. Soft covers are 20.00 each.
We also have really nice Tomatopalooza T shirts for 15.00 - mostly in Medium and Large, with a few XL and lots of XXL. Various colors (sand, green or blue for the most part).
General information
From The Vine is what we call our annual spring time vegetable seedling business. We are underway in preparation for our 17th (or - I've lost count!) season producing a variety of interesting veggie seedlings in April and May. After reading through the information to follow, if you have any questions, please email me at [email protected].
We know that there are lots more people selling heirloom tomato seedlings these days. So why would you want to get the seedlings from us? I think we've got some pretty good reasons....such as....
Our vegetable seedlings are healthy plants in 4 inch pots which are $3.00 per plant. Since we don't have a greenhouse, we are at the mercy of mother nature. The warmer and sunnier the weather, the bigger our plants will be earlier.
We will likely sell from our driveway on appointment again this year, because my book promotion schedule is going to be very challenging!
IMPORTANT NOTE ON SEEDLING AVAILABILITY:
We strive to have plenty of the well known varieties and those that really do well here - so varieties like Cherokee Purple, Red Brandywine and Sungold. But to be able to carry such a large variety, there are a total of 20 seedlings or so of most of the varieties below - so if you see something you like, be sure to get your plants early in the season.
I tend to update the website with variety availability as the seedling season proceeds, so be sure to check the list below often.7
From The Vine is what we call our annual spring time vegetable seedling business. We are underway in preparation for our 17th (or - I've lost count!) season producing a variety of interesting veggie seedlings in April and May. After reading through the information to follow, if you have any questions, please email me at [email protected].
We know that there are lots more people selling heirloom tomato seedlings these days. So why would you want to get the seedlings from us? I think we've got some pretty good reasons....such as....
- Knowledge and experience - As a member of the Seed Savers Exchange since 1986, I've accumulated many years of experience regarding heirloom tomatoes, regarding both history and culture - in fact, I am the SSE Adviser on tomatoes. I've grown well over 1000 varieties over the years, and work to ensure that only the best varieties are offered that will do well in this challenging climate. Many of the seedlings we sell are started from seeds saved from tomatoes that can be traced all the way back to when they came into my collection - some as far back as 1986.
- Quality and trust - Each seedling is hand transplanted by either my wife (who is just as good at this as I am!) or me. We use top quality ingredients. And most importantly, we know our varieties, and purchasing our plants gives you the very best chance of experiencing what you hoped for. There is a lot of mixed up, mislabled, or misidentified seeds and plants out there. Gardening is hard work and gives great rewards - be sure to give yourself the best opportunity to succeed!
Our vegetable seedlings are healthy plants in 4 inch pots which are $3.00 per plant. Since we don't have a greenhouse, we are at the mercy of mother nature. The warmer and sunnier the weather, the bigger our plants will be earlier.
We will likely sell from our driveway on appointment again this year, because my book promotion schedule is going to be very challenging!
IMPORTANT NOTE ON SEEDLING AVAILABILITY:
We strive to have plenty of the well known varieties and those that really do well here - so varieties like Cherokee Purple, Red Brandywine and Sungold. But to be able to carry such a large variety, there are a total of 20 seedlings or so of most of the varieties below - so if you see something you like, be sure to get your plants early in the season.
I tend to update the website with variety availability as the seedling season proceeds, so be sure to check the list below often.7
2015 Seedling list (the availability info noted in the list is no longer being maintained - the list is for info and reference only)
Definitions:
Hybrid - seed comes from a tomato that forms from a specific cross of two parents. Does not come true from saved seed - hybrids can NOT be heirlooms. Sungold and Better Boy are typical hybrids.
Open pollinated - a variety that comes true from saved seed, so is not a hybrid. Green Zebra is open pollinated, but not an heirloom (it was created in the mid 1970s), whereas Mortgage Lifter, dating from the 1920s, is an open pollinated variety considered to be an heirloom.
Heirloom - an open pollinated variety that pre-dates 1949 (the date that Burpee introduced Big Boy, which revolutionized the seed industry and started the emphasis on the development of hybrid varieties). Heirlooms may be passed on in families for many years, or could be older commercially developed varieties that pre-date 1949, such as Abraham Lincoln, Rutgers and Marglobe.
Tomatoes
Mystery tomatoes - free for the adventurous....these are indeterminate instead of dwarf, or potato leaf instead of regular leaf, or dwarf instead of indeterminate, or grew in a pepper or eggplant cell. Just ask! Many are probably accidental crosses, and will be quite interesting to grow.
Red Fruited Tomatoes
Bisignano #2 (heirloom) - heirloom big paste type with lots of flavor. From Italy in the 1940s, one of my first favorite heirlooms.
Giant Syrian (heirloom) - huge red heart shaped fruit, old variety sent to me in 1990 by Charlotte Mullens, WV.
Mexico Midget (heirloom) - sent by Barney Laman in Florida to me in 1990 - he got it from his truck driver brother, who got it from Mexico (grows wild there). Tiny, pea sized red fruit with a big tomato flavor. As always, probably won't have as many as I wish I (and you!) did.
Rosso Sicilian (heirloom) - red, fluted Costoluto type tomato great for stuffing or sauce.
Sweet Million F1 (hybrid) - really nice flavored super productive hybrid cherry tomato.
The following are sold out - sorry!
Aker's West Virginia (heirloom) - large, classic red beefsteak tomatoes with great flavor, healthy productive plant.
Big Beef (F1 hybrid) - Lots of disease tolerance, size, productivity and flavor. Big tasty fruit and lots of them.
Druzba (heirloom) - thought to be a Bulgarian heirloom, very uniform medium red fruit, productive and delicious.
Lillian's Red Kansas (heirloom) - another of my first favorite heirlooms - medium paste shape, loaded with rich flavor.
Martino's Roma (heirloom) - heirloom Roma type - determinate, a tomato machine, traditional pear shape, great for sauces.
Nepal (heirloom) - my first favorite non-hybrid - a staple in my garden since 1987, medium round red fruit with an intense tomato flavor.
Opalka (heirloom) - heirloom from Poland - the Opalka family near Albany shared with with Carolyn Male, who sent it to me. Long, frying pepper shaped tomatoes taste great fresh as well, but perfect for sauce.
Red Brandywine (heirloom) - probably the Brandywine from the 1880s, introduced by Johnston and Stokes. Never diseased, plenty of delicious medium sized red fruit.
Sweet Scarlet Dwarf (open pollinated) - one of the best new Dwarf - medium red fruit on a beautiful potato leaf dwarf plant, superb rich flavor.
Iditarod Red (open pollinated) - one of the new Dwarf varieties - compact plant, medium small round red fruit, prolific.
Pink Fruited Tomatoes
Anna Russian (heirloom) - sent to me in 1990 by Brenda Hillenius, her grand-dad Ken Wilcox got it from a Russian immigrant. Medium sized, delicious hearts, a long time favorite.
Brandywine (heirloom) - Given by the Sudduth family to Ben Quisenberry of Ohio in the 1970s, potato leaf, large, and perhaps the best flavored of all. Can vary in yield year to year, but worth the effort. nearly gone!
Ferris Wheel (heirloom) - from the late 1890s, I rediscovered this old Salzer variety in the USDA seed collection - looks like German Johnson but much better flavor.
German Johnson (heirloom) - most famous NC heirloom, but no one seems to know the history. Tall plant, large oblate pink fruit, very mild, sweet flavor. This year, we are offering the potato leaf version.
Magnus (heirloom) - brought back from the brink by Carolyn Male from USDA seed - potato leaf, medium round tasty pink, Livingston Seed Company, 1900.
Mortgage Lifter, Halladay's (heirloom) - mid 1920s development of M C Byles (Radiator Charlie), huge pink fruit on a monster plant with a meaty texture and great sweet flavor. Saved by James Halladay of PA.
Mortgage Lifter, Mullens (heirloom) - mid 1920s development of M C Byles (Radiator Charlie), huge pink fruit on a monster plant with a meaty texture and great sweet flavor. Saved by Charlotte Mullens of WV.
Mortgage Lifter, Mullens pale leaf mutation - striking chartreuse foliage, same huge pink fruit. just a few - you can spot them from afar!
Yukon Quest (open pollinated) - new variety from our Dwarf project, compact plant, medium sized tasty pink tomatoes.
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Arkansas Traveler (open pollinated) - from the mid 1970s, bred to take the heat of the south - compact plant, round firm fruit with a sweet, mild flavor, and lots of them.
Dester (heirloom) - This is a flavor knock out! Brandywine-like taste in a large pink tomato, on a regular leaf plant. One of the best I've ever tried.
Polish (heirloom) - another superb pink potato leaf type, just like Brandywine but more productive. a few remain - ask!
Stump of the World (heirloom) - think of a very productive, more reliable Brandywine type - potato leaf, large pink fruit, superb flavor.
Rosella Crimson (open pollinated) - a new dwarf for this year; delicious medium sized pink fruit with Brandywine-like flavor
Dwarf Arctic Rose (open pollinated) - one of the latest of our new Dwarf types, medium sweet pink tomatoes on a short, 3 foot tall plant.
Dwarf Pink Passion (open pollinated) - our first heart shaped dwarf - medium sized pink sweet hearts and lots of them!
Sweet Adelaide (open pollinated) - another nice medium large pink dwarf with very good flavor
Brown or Purple Fruited Tomatoes
Black Cherry (open pollinated) - lovely color, like ripe bing cherries - prolific purple fruit, well worth growing. nearly gone
Bundaberg Rumball (open pollinated) - tidy compact plants with medium small tasty brown fruit great for salads or grilling.
Cherokee Chocolate (open pollinated) - yellow skinned mutation of Cherokee Purple that I found in 1995, giving it a brick reddish brown color, absolutely delicious.
Cherokee Purple (heirloom) - J. D. Green sent me thus unnamed tomato in 1990, which his neighbor got from the Cherokee Indians in the 1890s. Large wonderful oblate purple fruit, productive, excels here in NC, superb flavor.
Chocolate Champion (open pollinated) - medium large brown fruit with a nice tomatoey flavor on this newly released Dwarf project tomato.
Dwarf Purple Heart (open pollinated) - another heart shaped dwarf, this time with large purple fruit and a wonderful rich flavor.
Indian Stripe (heirloom)- similar to Cherokee Purple, another fine large purple tomato.
JD Special C Tex (open pollinated) - supposedly stabilized from a cross between Cherokee Purple and Brandywine - large oblate purple fruit, firm texture, great flavor - from a plant sent to me by my friend Darrel. a few remain
Purple Russian (open pollinated) - super productive long frying pepper shaped, intensely flavored purple fruit..wonderful! nearly gone
Sleeping Lady (open pollinated) - yet another new Dwarf release, with medium brown tasty tomatoes, and lots of them!
Tasmanian Chocolate (open pollinated) - yet another of our new dwarfs - fruit the color and shape and nearly the size of Cherokee Chocolate on a compact plant perfect for pots, very tasty.
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Black Krim (heirloom) - came to me in 1990 from a Swedish seed saver; medium large dusky pink, productive, mild sweet flavor.
Black from Tula (heirloom) - fine purple tomato that got into the SSE in the early 1990s - comes on early, very productive, many people love it.
Dwarf Wild Fred (open pollinated) - one of our new Dwarf varieties named for my dad - short growing, large purple fruit, nice flavor. Derived from a cross between Dwarf Champion and Carbon.
Rosella Purple (open pollinated) - large purple fruit, great flavor, on a nice stocky short growing plant - one of our new Dwarf tomato varieties.
Perth Pride (open pollinated) - a big hit at Tomatopalooza a few years ago - medium round purple fruit with a tart, snappy, full flavor - compact, dwarf plant - a new release from our Dwarf project.
Boronia (open pollinated) - another new dwarf release, with medium to large sweet oblate purple fruit.
Green Fruited Tomatoes
Big Green Dwarf (open pollinated) - looks like Cherokee Green, but on a nice tidy dwarf plant! Another of our new releases. nearly gone
Cherokee Green (open pollinated) - showed up as a flesh color mutation of Cherokee Chocolate in my garden in 1997, truly delicious green fruit - think of a green version of Cherokee Purple in all respects.
Dwarf Beryl Beauty (open pollinated) - a Dwarf project tomato, potato leaf, stocky growth, great flavored round medium sized fruit and lots of them. Like all of the green Dwarf project tomatoes listed here, originated from a cross between Golden Dwarf Champion and Green Giant.
Dwarf Emerald Giant (open pollinated) - another Dwarf project tomato, potato leaf, stocky growth, great flavored large pale green oblate fruit
Dwarf Jade Beauty (open pollinated) - A Dwarf project tomato that has medium round green fruit, compact potato leaf plant, very tasty
Dwarf Kelly Green (open pollinated) - another superb green when ripe from our Dwarf project, regular leaf, medium sized, round.
Green Giant (open pollinated) - an incredibly flavored potato leaf variety - pale green large fruit, meaty, has everything one would want in a tomato! nearly gone
sorry - sold out!
Aunt Ruby's German Green (heirloom) - an heirloom from Ruby Arnold of Tennesssee, large pale green fruit, outstanding flavor
Summertime Green (open pollinated) - one of the best of the Dwarf project tomatoes - stocky growth, large pale green fruit with incredible flavor
Yellow Fruited Tomatoes
Banksia Queen (open pollinated) - nice medium flat bright yellow, sweet and delicious. nearly gone
Dwarf Golden Heart (open pollinated) - another heart - this time deep yellow out, bright yellow in, prolific and sweet. Nearly gone
Egg Yolk (open pollinated) - lovely larger bright yellow cherry tomato, becoming one of our favorites. nearly gone
Hugh's (heirloom) - an all time favorite heirloom - huge bright yellow, nearly white, yummy fruit on a monster plant nearly gone
Lemon Boy F1 (hybrid) - a favorite hybrid - medium yellow fruit, delicious.
Sean's Yellow Dwarf (open pollinated) - another new dwarf with medium bright yellow delicious tomatoes, nice compact plant. nearly gone
Summer Sunrise (open pollinated) - A new potato leaf dwarf, large oblate, smooth bright yellow fruit, super taste.
Summer Sweet Gold (open pollinated) - a reselection of one we released but wasn't quite right. Similar to Summer Sunrise, but different - both superb!
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Lemon Drop (open pollinated) - another favorite new cherry tomato, this time nearly ivory colored and delicious. I found two - ask!
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom (heirloom) - heirloom sent to me by Robert Richardson who received it from Lillian Bruce of Tennessee - pale yellow fruit, potato leaf, meaty - hardly any seeds - one of the best tomatoes I've tasted. a few remain - ask!
Dwarf Sweet Sue (open pollinated) - this could be the best of all of the dwarfs flavor-wise; medium sized, bright yellow, potato leaf.
Summertime Gold (open pollinated) - the original release, similar to Mr. Snow - excellent, pale yellow
White Fruited Tomatoes
Coyote (heirloom) - A gift from Maye Clement to me in 1990 while living in PA - tiny ivory colored fruit, very prolific, very sweet fruit.
Great White (open pollinated, perhaps an heirloom) - A variety introduced by Gleckler Seed Company, the largest, smoothest and best white tomato.
Yellow White (heirloom) - one of the first heirlooms I fell in love with - a wedding present in the early 1900s! Lovely large ivory sweet fruit with a light pink blush.
sorry - the following are sold out!
Dwarf Mr. Snow (open pollinated) - medium to large, oblate white fruit, dwarf growth, great flavor, named for A. C. Snow of the Raleigh N&O - a fine writer and good friend.
Orange Fruited Tomatoes
Dr. Wyche's Yellow (heirloom) - large pale orange meaty fruit, mild and sweet Nearly gone
Jaune Flamme (heirloom) - a really tart one! - golf ball shaped and sized orange fruit, lots of them, from France. Nearly gone
KBX (open pollinated) - a potato leaf mystery from Kellogg's Breakfast - and even better flavored and more productive for me! Nearly gone
Kellogg's Breakfast (heirloom) - huge orange fruit, mild sweet flavor, many people's favorite tomato.
Sun Gold F1 (hybrid) - everyone loves Sungold! A tomato machine, loads of orange cherry tomatoes, unique flavor - nothing else like them!
Uluru Ochre - (open pollinated) - rare, unusual color - combo of orange and green (essentially a "black/orange"!). Nice productivity and flavor in a compact plant. nearly gone
Yellow Brandywine (heirloom) - potato leaf plant, large pale orange fruit, just delicious flavor nearly gone
Yellow Oxheart (heirloom) - wonderful large pale orange hearts, a 1920s Livingston variety and favorite of mine for years
sorry - sold out!
Dwarf Blazing Beauty (open pollinated) - stunning medium sized orange fruit on a potato leaf dwarf, amazing intense, tart flavor - a new Dwarf from our project.
Bicolored Tomatoes
Lucky Cross (open pollinated) - Large fruited sister tomato to Little Lucky; to me, the only bicolor with real flavor - a potato leaf plant with lots of very large yellow tomatoes with red streaks - and it tastes like Brandywine!
Ruby Gold (heirloom) - one of the first heirlooms I grew - huge yellow tomatoes with red swirls, beautiful and as sweet as a peach! nearly gone
sorry - sold out!
Wherokowhai (open pollinated) - We have a bicolored dwarf that tastes great, is of good size and has potato leaf foliage! A stunning new release by our project!
Little Lucky (open pollinated) - one of my own varieties, created from a bee-produced cross between Brandywine and a nearby variety, Tad. potato leaf plant, loads of medium round yellow fruit with red streaks, outstanding flavor
Striped Tomatoes
Green Zebra (open pollinated) - medium round fruit are gold and green striped, green inside, nice tart flavor.
Speckled Roman (open pollinated) - a favorite paste returns - long frying pepper shape, red fleshed, red skinned tomato with jagged gold stripes, very productive.
Tiger Tom (heirloom) - wonderful variety, golf ball sized red fruit with jagged gold stripes, if you like them tart, this one is for you.
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Fred's Tie Dye - from our dwarf project - medium round purple, green and gold stripes, delicious!
Berkeley Tie Dye (open pollinated) - stripes of green and pink, swirls of green and crimson - wild!
Chocolate Lightning (open pollinated) - first striped Dwarf - chocolate colored with green vertical stripes - tasty too!
Don's Double Delight (open pollinated) - Wow! potato leaf vines, large red fruit with vertical gold stripes, rich, sweet flavor.
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye (open pollinated) - pink fruited, striped tomato related to Berkeley Tie Dye. Great new variety.
Mystery tomatoes, peppers and eggplant
There is a selection of leaf shape or growth surprises - regular leaf when should be potato leaf, vice versa, dwarf instead of indeterminate and vice versa - free for the adventurous - just ask! There are mystery peppers and eggplant too.
Last year a few plants of Burgundy Traveler produced very nice, good sized, very smooth purple tomatoes with wonderful flavor. I started seeds from a fruit given to me by a customer, and will have some seedlings for those who wish to give it a try.
Peppers
Hot Peppers
Note - I have limited quantities of some authentic Paprika peppers - ask me for the names....too few of any one to list.
Bird (ripens gold) - Habanero relative, loads of pea sized super hot fruit go lime green to golden yellow
Bulgarian Carrot - prolific, Jalapeno shaped fruit deep green to deep orange, quite hot.
Early Jalapeno - name says it all - a pepper machine!
NuMex Heritage - sent to me by my friend Mike as an outstanding strain of the Anaheim type. nearly gone
NuMex Vacquero - an outstanding Jalapeno type, prolific, slightly larger, green ripening to red nearly gone
Padron - small pepper used for stuffing (tapas) that ripens from green to red. just a couple remain
Pretty Purple - great ornamental; black purple plant, leaves, flowers, and marble size and shape round, hot fruit turn deep red. nearly gone
Takanotsume - amazing plant - clusters of upward slender Thai type green peppers ripen red, just amazing yield, dry well, very hot.
Trinidad Perfume - green ripening to yellow, Hab shape, Hab aroma, sweet flavor nearly gone
sorry - the following are sold out!
Ancho - large heart shaped relleno type, medium heat, for stuffing - deep green to maroon. These always go fast!
NuMex Big Jim - another wonderful mild Anaheim type for rellenos. Low germination
Serrano - slender dark green peppers on a tall plant ripen red, very prolific, great for salsas.
Fish - tall plant, Jalapeno shape and size fruit are green with white stripes ripening to deep red, plant foliage is bicolor green and white, just beautiful, very hot.
NuMex Pinata - Lovery pale yellow Japapeno type ripens to orange, then red.
Vietnamese Multicolor - similar to Chinese Five Color except fruit are more slender and bullet shaped - beautiful
Sweet Peppers
Chervena - long green pepper ripens red, very sweet, tall and prolific.
Chocolate Bell - blocky deep green bells ripen a rich chocolate brown, sweet taste. My own selection from my favorite green to brown chocolate colored bell hybrid (I dehybridized and selected it myself). nearly gone
Corno di Toro - long green fruit turn red - could have some heat! just a few
Fire Opal - blocky ivory bell ripens to lavender, then to gold - unique! My own selection from the Blue Jay dehybrization project.
Italia - nice long deep green sweet frying pepper ripens deep red, prolific nearly gone
Jimmy Nardello - very long and slender green to red sweet pepper, prolific nearly gone
Lipstick - nice medium long, somewhat cone shaped green ripens red, very sweet just added
Marconi Red - large dark green frying pepper shaped, ripen deep red, very sweet, prolific. nearly gone
Orange Bell - Large dark green bells ripen deep orange, extra sweet. nearly gone
Royal Purple - blocky green bell ripens black purple, then red - my own selection out of the Blue Jay dehybridization project. nearly gone
White Gold - same comment as for Orange Bell (whew). . Out of the Blue Jay dehybridization project, these cream colored bell peppers ripen golden yellow - quite unique! nearly gone
The following are sold out - sorry!
Gypsy F1 - a pepper machine, lime green to orange to red, very sweet.
Red Belgium - very compact and early, long bell, cream to orange red, sweet
Amethyst - ivory bell ripens to lavender, then red - lovely! Another out of my Blue Jay dehybridization project - this one is just like the hybrid itself!
Kalman Hungarian Tomato pepper - squat pale green tomato shaped peppers ripen deep red, thick walled, sweet, prolific
World Beater - one of the few heirloom bell peppers, blocky green ripens to red.
Eggplant
Antigua - beautiful long fruit that are white with purple stripes - very productive, fruit are best at 6 inches long by 2 inches wide. Just stunning! Sweet white flesh, few seeds.
Green Ghost - lovely pale green tear drop shaped. just a few!
Listada di Gandia - large, fat fruit are purple with white stripes, striking.
Mardi Gras - another new one, this time green tear drops overlaid with pale purple - unique and striking!
Midnight Lightning - very early, purple shaded leaves, very long slender black fruit, mild pale green flesh, my own selection. nearly gone
New York Improved - very old pre-1970s variety, fat black bell type, perfect for slicing - if you like the big shiny black purple eggplant you see in the grocery store, y30u will find it easy to grow it yourself - and when fresh picked, is far superior than those bitter store bought versions! Our favorite variety for Eggplant Parmesan!
Prosperosa - classic Italian heirloom, nearly round medium purple fruit that are very beautiful - can be lobed and a bit irregular. Another perfect eggplant for large slices. just a few left
Rosa Bianca - nearly round medium lavender fruit with some white shading, nice for cutting big slabs for grilling, nice old variety.
Rosita - tear drop shaped lovely medium lavender fruit, snow white sweet flesh
Skinny Twilight - another selection from Orient Express - this time very slender and a deep, not black, purple
Snow Globe - my selection from the hybrid Cloud 9 - nice, nearly round pure white fruit in and out, sweet and productive.
Twilight Lightning - another of my selections, early, long slender deep lavender fruit, sweet and tender.
Ground Cherry
Goldie (essentially equivalent to Cossack Pineapple) - small golden fruit in husks that turn brown and drop off of the plant, sweet complex flavor like kiwi, strawberry, pineapple - hard to stop eating!
Hybrid - seed comes from a tomato that forms from a specific cross of two parents. Does not come true from saved seed - hybrids can NOT be heirlooms. Sungold and Better Boy are typical hybrids.
Open pollinated - a variety that comes true from saved seed, so is not a hybrid. Green Zebra is open pollinated, but not an heirloom (it was created in the mid 1970s), whereas Mortgage Lifter, dating from the 1920s, is an open pollinated variety considered to be an heirloom.
Heirloom - an open pollinated variety that pre-dates 1949 (the date that Burpee introduced Big Boy, which revolutionized the seed industry and started the emphasis on the development of hybrid varieties). Heirlooms may be passed on in families for many years, or could be older commercially developed varieties that pre-date 1949, such as Abraham Lincoln, Rutgers and Marglobe.
Tomatoes
Mystery tomatoes - free for the adventurous....these are indeterminate instead of dwarf, or potato leaf instead of regular leaf, or dwarf instead of indeterminate, or grew in a pepper or eggplant cell. Just ask! Many are probably accidental crosses, and will be quite interesting to grow.
Red Fruited Tomatoes
Bisignano #2 (heirloom) - heirloom big paste type with lots of flavor. From Italy in the 1940s, one of my first favorite heirlooms.
Giant Syrian (heirloom) - huge red heart shaped fruit, old variety sent to me in 1990 by Charlotte Mullens, WV.
Mexico Midget (heirloom) - sent by Barney Laman in Florida to me in 1990 - he got it from his truck driver brother, who got it from Mexico (grows wild there). Tiny, pea sized red fruit with a big tomato flavor. As always, probably won't have as many as I wish I (and you!) did.
Rosso Sicilian (heirloom) - red, fluted Costoluto type tomato great for stuffing or sauce.
Sweet Million F1 (hybrid) - really nice flavored super productive hybrid cherry tomato.
The following are sold out - sorry!
Aker's West Virginia (heirloom) - large, classic red beefsteak tomatoes with great flavor, healthy productive plant.
Big Beef (F1 hybrid) - Lots of disease tolerance, size, productivity and flavor. Big tasty fruit and lots of them.
Druzba (heirloom) - thought to be a Bulgarian heirloom, very uniform medium red fruit, productive and delicious.
Lillian's Red Kansas (heirloom) - another of my first favorite heirlooms - medium paste shape, loaded with rich flavor.
Martino's Roma (heirloom) - heirloom Roma type - determinate, a tomato machine, traditional pear shape, great for sauces.
Nepal (heirloom) - my first favorite non-hybrid - a staple in my garden since 1987, medium round red fruit with an intense tomato flavor.
Opalka (heirloom) - heirloom from Poland - the Opalka family near Albany shared with with Carolyn Male, who sent it to me. Long, frying pepper shaped tomatoes taste great fresh as well, but perfect for sauce.
Red Brandywine (heirloom) - probably the Brandywine from the 1880s, introduced by Johnston and Stokes. Never diseased, plenty of delicious medium sized red fruit.
Sweet Scarlet Dwarf (open pollinated) - one of the best new Dwarf - medium red fruit on a beautiful potato leaf dwarf plant, superb rich flavor.
Iditarod Red (open pollinated) - one of the new Dwarf varieties - compact plant, medium small round red fruit, prolific.
Pink Fruited Tomatoes
Anna Russian (heirloom) - sent to me in 1990 by Brenda Hillenius, her grand-dad Ken Wilcox got it from a Russian immigrant. Medium sized, delicious hearts, a long time favorite.
Brandywine (heirloom) - Given by the Sudduth family to Ben Quisenberry of Ohio in the 1970s, potato leaf, large, and perhaps the best flavored of all. Can vary in yield year to year, but worth the effort. nearly gone!
Ferris Wheel (heirloom) - from the late 1890s, I rediscovered this old Salzer variety in the USDA seed collection - looks like German Johnson but much better flavor.
German Johnson (heirloom) - most famous NC heirloom, but no one seems to know the history. Tall plant, large oblate pink fruit, very mild, sweet flavor. This year, we are offering the potato leaf version.
Magnus (heirloom) - brought back from the brink by Carolyn Male from USDA seed - potato leaf, medium round tasty pink, Livingston Seed Company, 1900.
Mortgage Lifter, Halladay's (heirloom) - mid 1920s development of M C Byles (Radiator Charlie), huge pink fruit on a monster plant with a meaty texture and great sweet flavor. Saved by James Halladay of PA.
Mortgage Lifter, Mullens (heirloom) - mid 1920s development of M C Byles (Radiator Charlie), huge pink fruit on a monster plant with a meaty texture and great sweet flavor. Saved by Charlotte Mullens of WV.
Mortgage Lifter, Mullens pale leaf mutation - striking chartreuse foliage, same huge pink fruit. just a few - you can spot them from afar!
Yukon Quest (open pollinated) - new variety from our Dwarf project, compact plant, medium sized tasty pink tomatoes.
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Arkansas Traveler (open pollinated) - from the mid 1970s, bred to take the heat of the south - compact plant, round firm fruit with a sweet, mild flavor, and lots of them.
Dester (heirloom) - This is a flavor knock out! Brandywine-like taste in a large pink tomato, on a regular leaf plant. One of the best I've ever tried.
Polish (heirloom) - another superb pink potato leaf type, just like Brandywine but more productive. a few remain - ask!
Stump of the World (heirloom) - think of a very productive, more reliable Brandywine type - potato leaf, large pink fruit, superb flavor.
Rosella Crimson (open pollinated) - a new dwarf for this year; delicious medium sized pink fruit with Brandywine-like flavor
Dwarf Arctic Rose (open pollinated) - one of the latest of our new Dwarf types, medium sweet pink tomatoes on a short, 3 foot tall plant.
Dwarf Pink Passion (open pollinated) - our first heart shaped dwarf - medium sized pink sweet hearts and lots of them!
Sweet Adelaide (open pollinated) - another nice medium large pink dwarf with very good flavor
Brown or Purple Fruited Tomatoes
Black Cherry (open pollinated) - lovely color, like ripe bing cherries - prolific purple fruit, well worth growing. nearly gone
Bundaberg Rumball (open pollinated) - tidy compact plants with medium small tasty brown fruit great for salads or grilling.
Cherokee Chocolate (open pollinated) - yellow skinned mutation of Cherokee Purple that I found in 1995, giving it a brick reddish brown color, absolutely delicious.
Cherokee Purple (heirloom) - J. D. Green sent me thus unnamed tomato in 1990, which his neighbor got from the Cherokee Indians in the 1890s. Large wonderful oblate purple fruit, productive, excels here in NC, superb flavor.
Chocolate Champion (open pollinated) - medium large brown fruit with a nice tomatoey flavor on this newly released Dwarf project tomato.
Dwarf Purple Heart (open pollinated) - another heart shaped dwarf, this time with large purple fruit and a wonderful rich flavor.
Indian Stripe (heirloom)- similar to Cherokee Purple, another fine large purple tomato.
JD Special C Tex (open pollinated) - supposedly stabilized from a cross between Cherokee Purple and Brandywine - large oblate purple fruit, firm texture, great flavor - from a plant sent to me by my friend Darrel. a few remain
Purple Russian (open pollinated) - super productive long frying pepper shaped, intensely flavored purple fruit..wonderful! nearly gone
Sleeping Lady (open pollinated) - yet another new Dwarf release, with medium brown tasty tomatoes, and lots of them!
Tasmanian Chocolate (open pollinated) - yet another of our new dwarfs - fruit the color and shape and nearly the size of Cherokee Chocolate on a compact plant perfect for pots, very tasty.
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Black Krim (heirloom) - came to me in 1990 from a Swedish seed saver; medium large dusky pink, productive, mild sweet flavor.
Black from Tula (heirloom) - fine purple tomato that got into the SSE in the early 1990s - comes on early, very productive, many people love it.
Dwarf Wild Fred (open pollinated) - one of our new Dwarf varieties named for my dad - short growing, large purple fruit, nice flavor. Derived from a cross between Dwarf Champion and Carbon.
Rosella Purple (open pollinated) - large purple fruit, great flavor, on a nice stocky short growing plant - one of our new Dwarf tomato varieties.
Perth Pride (open pollinated) - a big hit at Tomatopalooza a few years ago - medium round purple fruit with a tart, snappy, full flavor - compact, dwarf plant - a new release from our Dwarf project.
Boronia (open pollinated) - another new dwarf release, with medium to large sweet oblate purple fruit.
Green Fruited Tomatoes
Big Green Dwarf (open pollinated) - looks like Cherokee Green, but on a nice tidy dwarf plant! Another of our new releases. nearly gone
Cherokee Green (open pollinated) - showed up as a flesh color mutation of Cherokee Chocolate in my garden in 1997, truly delicious green fruit - think of a green version of Cherokee Purple in all respects.
Dwarf Beryl Beauty (open pollinated) - a Dwarf project tomato, potato leaf, stocky growth, great flavored round medium sized fruit and lots of them. Like all of the green Dwarf project tomatoes listed here, originated from a cross between Golden Dwarf Champion and Green Giant.
Dwarf Emerald Giant (open pollinated) - another Dwarf project tomato, potato leaf, stocky growth, great flavored large pale green oblate fruit
Dwarf Jade Beauty (open pollinated) - A Dwarf project tomato that has medium round green fruit, compact potato leaf plant, very tasty
Dwarf Kelly Green (open pollinated) - another superb green when ripe from our Dwarf project, regular leaf, medium sized, round.
Green Giant (open pollinated) - an incredibly flavored potato leaf variety - pale green large fruit, meaty, has everything one would want in a tomato! nearly gone
sorry - sold out!
Aunt Ruby's German Green (heirloom) - an heirloom from Ruby Arnold of Tennesssee, large pale green fruit, outstanding flavor
Summertime Green (open pollinated) - one of the best of the Dwarf project tomatoes - stocky growth, large pale green fruit with incredible flavor
Yellow Fruited Tomatoes
Banksia Queen (open pollinated) - nice medium flat bright yellow, sweet and delicious. nearly gone
Dwarf Golden Heart (open pollinated) - another heart - this time deep yellow out, bright yellow in, prolific and sweet. Nearly gone
Egg Yolk (open pollinated) - lovely larger bright yellow cherry tomato, becoming one of our favorites. nearly gone
Hugh's (heirloom) - an all time favorite heirloom - huge bright yellow, nearly white, yummy fruit on a monster plant nearly gone
Lemon Boy F1 (hybrid) - a favorite hybrid - medium yellow fruit, delicious.
Sean's Yellow Dwarf (open pollinated) - another new dwarf with medium bright yellow delicious tomatoes, nice compact plant. nearly gone
Summer Sunrise (open pollinated) - A new potato leaf dwarf, large oblate, smooth bright yellow fruit, super taste.
Summer Sweet Gold (open pollinated) - a reselection of one we released but wasn't quite right. Similar to Summer Sunrise, but different - both superb!
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Lemon Drop (open pollinated) - another favorite new cherry tomato, this time nearly ivory colored and delicious. I found two - ask!
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom (heirloom) - heirloom sent to me by Robert Richardson who received it from Lillian Bruce of Tennessee - pale yellow fruit, potato leaf, meaty - hardly any seeds - one of the best tomatoes I've tasted. a few remain - ask!
Dwarf Sweet Sue (open pollinated) - this could be the best of all of the dwarfs flavor-wise; medium sized, bright yellow, potato leaf.
Summertime Gold (open pollinated) - the original release, similar to Mr. Snow - excellent, pale yellow
White Fruited Tomatoes
Coyote (heirloom) - A gift from Maye Clement to me in 1990 while living in PA - tiny ivory colored fruit, very prolific, very sweet fruit.
Great White (open pollinated, perhaps an heirloom) - A variety introduced by Gleckler Seed Company, the largest, smoothest and best white tomato.
Yellow White (heirloom) - one of the first heirlooms I fell in love with - a wedding present in the early 1900s! Lovely large ivory sweet fruit with a light pink blush.
sorry - the following are sold out!
Dwarf Mr. Snow (open pollinated) - medium to large, oblate white fruit, dwarf growth, great flavor, named for A. C. Snow of the Raleigh N&O - a fine writer and good friend.
Orange Fruited Tomatoes
Dr. Wyche's Yellow (heirloom) - large pale orange meaty fruit, mild and sweet Nearly gone
Jaune Flamme (heirloom) - a really tart one! - golf ball shaped and sized orange fruit, lots of them, from France. Nearly gone
KBX (open pollinated) - a potato leaf mystery from Kellogg's Breakfast - and even better flavored and more productive for me! Nearly gone
Kellogg's Breakfast (heirloom) - huge orange fruit, mild sweet flavor, many people's favorite tomato.
Sun Gold F1 (hybrid) - everyone loves Sungold! A tomato machine, loads of orange cherry tomatoes, unique flavor - nothing else like them!
Uluru Ochre - (open pollinated) - rare, unusual color - combo of orange and green (essentially a "black/orange"!). Nice productivity and flavor in a compact plant. nearly gone
Yellow Brandywine (heirloom) - potato leaf plant, large pale orange fruit, just delicious flavor nearly gone
Yellow Oxheart (heirloom) - wonderful large pale orange hearts, a 1920s Livingston variety and favorite of mine for years
sorry - sold out!
Dwarf Blazing Beauty (open pollinated) - stunning medium sized orange fruit on a potato leaf dwarf, amazing intense, tart flavor - a new Dwarf from our project.
Bicolored Tomatoes
Lucky Cross (open pollinated) - Large fruited sister tomato to Little Lucky; to me, the only bicolor with real flavor - a potato leaf plant with lots of very large yellow tomatoes with red streaks - and it tastes like Brandywine!
Ruby Gold (heirloom) - one of the first heirlooms I grew - huge yellow tomatoes with red swirls, beautiful and as sweet as a peach! nearly gone
sorry - sold out!
Wherokowhai (open pollinated) - We have a bicolored dwarf that tastes great, is of good size and has potato leaf foliage! A stunning new release by our project!
Little Lucky (open pollinated) - one of my own varieties, created from a bee-produced cross between Brandywine and a nearby variety, Tad. potato leaf plant, loads of medium round yellow fruit with red streaks, outstanding flavor
Striped Tomatoes
Green Zebra (open pollinated) - medium round fruit are gold and green striped, green inside, nice tart flavor.
Speckled Roman (open pollinated) - a favorite paste returns - long frying pepper shape, red fleshed, red skinned tomato with jagged gold stripes, very productive.
Tiger Tom (heirloom) - wonderful variety, golf ball sized red fruit with jagged gold stripes, if you like them tart, this one is for you.
Sorry - the following are sold out!
Fred's Tie Dye - from our dwarf project - medium round purple, green and gold stripes, delicious!
Berkeley Tie Dye (open pollinated) - stripes of green and pink, swirls of green and crimson - wild!
Chocolate Lightning (open pollinated) - first striped Dwarf - chocolate colored with green vertical stripes - tasty too!
Don's Double Delight (open pollinated) - Wow! potato leaf vines, large red fruit with vertical gold stripes, rich, sweet flavor.
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye (open pollinated) - pink fruited, striped tomato related to Berkeley Tie Dye. Great new variety.
Mystery tomatoes, peppers and eggplant
There is a selection of leaf shape or growth surprises - regular leaf when should be potato leaf, vice versa, dwarf instead of indeterminate and vice versa - free for the adventurous - just ask! There are mystery peppers and eggplant too.
Last year a few plants of Burgundy Traveler produced very nice, good sized, very smooth purple tomatoes with wonderful flavor. I started seeds from a fruit given to me by a customer, and will have some seedlings for those who wish to give it a try.
Peppers
Hot Peppers
Note - I have limited quantities of some authentic Paprika peppers - ask me for the names....too few of any one to list.
Bird (ripens gold) - Habanero relative, loads of pea sized super hot fruit go lime green to golden yellow
Bulgarian Carrot - prolific, Jalapeno shaped fruit deep green to deep orange, quite hot.
Early Jalapeno - name says it all - a pepper machine!
NuMex Heritage - sent to me by my friend Mike as an outstanding strain of the Anaheim type. nearly gone
NuMex Vacquero - an outstanding Jalapeno type, prolific, slightly larger, green ripening to red nearly gone
Padron - small pepper used for stuffing (tapas) that ripens from green to red. just a couple remain
Pretty Purple - great ornamental; black purple plant, leaves, flowers, and marble size and shape round, hot fruit turn deep red. nearly gone
Takanotsume - amazing plant - clusters of upward slender Thai type green peppers ripen red, just amazing yield, dry well, very hot.
Trinidad Perfume - green ripening to yellow, Hab shape, Hab aroma, sweet flavor nearly gone
sorry - the following are sold out!
Ancho - large heart shaped relleno type, medium heat, for stuffing - deep green to maroon. These always go fast!
NuMex Big Jim - another wonderful mild Anaheim type for rellenos. Low germination
Serrano - slender dark green peppers on a tall plant ripen red, very prolific, great for salsas.
Fish - tall plant, Jalapeno shape and size fruit are green with white stripes ripening to deep red, plant foliage is bicolor green and white, just beautiful, very hot.
NuMex Pinata - Lovery pale yellow Japapeno type ripens to orange, then red.
Vietnamese Multicolor - similar to Chinese Five Color except fruit are more slender and bullet shaped - beautiful
Sweet Peppers
Chervena - long green pepper ripens red, very sweet, tall and prolific.
Chocolate Bell - blocky deep green bells ripen a rich chocolate brown, sweet taste. My own selection from my favorite green to brown chocolate colored bell hybrid (I dehybridized and selected it myself). nearly gone
Corno di Toro - long green fruit turn red - could have some heat! just a few
Fire Opal - blocky ivory bell ripens to lavender, then to gold - unique! My own selection from the Blue Jay dehybrization project.
Italia - nice long deep green sweet frying pepper ripens deep red, prolific nearly gone
Jimmy Nardello - very long and slender green to red sweet pepper, prolific nearly gone
Lipstick - nice medium long, somewhat cone shaped green ripens red, very sweet just added
Marconi Red - large dark green frying pepper shaped, ripen deep red, very sweet, prolific. nearly gone
Orange Bell - Large dark green bells ripen deep orange, extra sweet. nearly gone
Royal Purple - blocky green bell ripens black purple, then red - my own selection out of the Blue Jay dehybridization project. nearly gone
White Gold - same comment as for Orange Bell (whew). . Out of the Blue Jay dehybridization project, these cream colored bell peppers ripen golden yellow - quite unique! nearly gone
The following are sold out - sorry!
Gypsy F1 - a pepper machine, lime green to orange to red, very sweet.
Red Belgium - very compact and early, long bell, cream to orange red, sweet
Amethyst - ivory bell ripens to lavender, then red - lovely! Another out of my Blue Jay dehybridization project - this one is just like the hybrid itself!
Kalman Hungarian Tomato pepper - squat pale green tomato shaped peppers ripen deep red, thick walled, sweet, prolific
World Beater - one of the few heirloom bell peppers, blocky green ripens to red.
Eggplant
Antigua - beautiful long fruit that are white with purple stripes - very productive, fruit are best at 6 inches long by 2 inches wide. Just stunning! Sweet white flesh, few seeds.
Green Ghost - lovely pale green tear drop shaped. just a few!
Listada di Gandia - large, fat fruit are purple with white stripes, striking.
Mardi Gras - another new one, this time green tear drops overlaid with pale purple - unique and striking!
Midnight Lightning - very early, purple shaded leaves, very long slender black fruit, mild pale green flesh, my own selection. nearly gone
New York Improved - very old pre-1970s variety, fat black bell type, perfect for slicing - if you like the big shiny black purple eggplant you see in the grocery store, y30u will find it easy to grow it yourself - and when fresh picked, is far superior than those bitter store bought versions! Our favorite variety for Eggplant Parmesan!
Prosperosa - classic Italian heirloom, nearly round medium purple fruit that are very beautiful - can be lobed and a bit irregular. Another perfect eggplant for large slices. just a few left
Rosa Bianca - nearly round medium lavender fruit with some white shading, nice for cutting big slabs for grilling, nice old variety.
Rosita - tear drop shaped lovely medium lavender fruit, snow white sweet flesh
Skinny Twilight - another selection from Orient Express - this time very slender and a deep, not black, purple
Snow Globe - my selection from the hybrid Cloud 9 - nice, nearly round pure white fruit in and out, sweet and productive.
Twilight Lightning - another of my selections, early, long slender deep lavender fruit, sweet and tender.
Ground Cherry
Goldie (essentially equivalent to Cossack Pineapple) - small golden fruit in husks that turn brown and drop off of the plant, sweet complex flavor like kiwi, strawberry, pineapple - hard to stop eating!
Revised Tomato Lists for 2015 - Recommendations, favorites, categories
All 36 newly developed and released Dwarf Project tomatoes are available - see red text in the tomato lists above
Most intensely flavored tomatoes (according to my tastebuds!) -
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Brandywine
Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Green
Cherokee Purple
Dester
Green Giant
Indian Stripe
JD Special C Tex
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom
Little Lucky
Lucky Cross
Nepal
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye
Polish
Stump of the World
Sungold
Yellow Brandywine
Ferris Wheel
Cherry Tomatoes
Black Cherry - purple
Coyote - white
Jaune Flamme - orange, large cherry
Mexico Midget - red
Sungold - orange
Sweet Million - red
Tiger Tom - red, gold stripes, large cherry
Egg Yolk - yellow
Lemon Drop - yellow
Paste Tomatoes
Martino's Roma - red
Opalka - red
Purple Russian - purple
Speckled Roman - red, gold stripes
Potential for largest size (ability to go well over one pound)
Mullen's Mortgage Lifter
Halladay's Mortgage Lifter
Ruby Gold
Hugh's
(Note that many of the varieties can reach one pound or so - just ask)
Best Performance in Raleigh in my experience (dealing with diseases)
Arkansas Traveler
Black Cherry
Black Krim
Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Green
Cherokee Purple
Coyote
Druzba
Dr. Wyche's Yellow
Green Giant
JD Special C Tex
Jaune Flamme
Lemon Boy
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom
Little Lucky
Martino's Roma
Mexico Midget
Nepal
Purple Russian
Red Brandywine
Speckled Roman
Stump of the World
Sungold
Sweet Million
Tiger Tom
Most unusual - either plant or fruit (for bragging or curiosity!)
Berkeley Tie Dye - multicolored stripes
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye - multicolored stripes
Speckled Roman - distinctly striped long paste
Don's Double Delight - large, distinctly striped tomatoes, potato leaf plant
A few of the varieties named by/developed by/introduced by nctomatoman
Anna Russian - sent to me by Brenda Hillenius from Oregon
Cherokee Chocolate - showed up in my garden in 1995, mutation of Cherokee Purple
Cherokee Green - showed up in my garden in 1997, mutation of Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Purple - sent to me unnamed in 1990 by J D Green of Sevierville TN - named by me
Coyote - given to me by Maye Clement of PA, wild Mexican variety
Dr. Wyche's Yellow - sent to me by J D Green of TN
All of the new Dwarf varieties (see links to Dwarf Project for background)
Green Giant - sent to me by R Kraft of Germany
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom and Lillian's Red Kansas Paste - sent to me by Robert Richardson, NY
Little Lucky - developed by me from a cross between Brandywine and Tad
Lucky Cross - developed by me from a cross between Brandywine and Tad
Tomatoes on the sweet side (to my taste buds!) - but NOT low acid (there is no such thing as a low acid tomato...some have more sugar, which masks the acid flavor)
Halladay's Mortgage Lifter
Mullen's Mortgage Lifter
Dwarf Sweet Sue
Anna Russian
Arkansas Traveler
Great White
Dr. Wyche's Yellow
Kellogg's Breakfast
German Johnson
Coyote
Sungold (especially when very ripe!)
Don's Double Delight
Yellow White
Ruby Gold
Hugh's
Tomatoes on the tart side (to my taste buds!) - but NOT high acid...these just have lower sugar levels.
Jaune Flamme
Sungold (when slightly underripe and pale orange)
Green Zebra
Black Krim
Yellow Brandywine
Tiger Tom
Perth Pride
Sleeping Lady
Dwarf Blazing Beauty
Livingston's Favorite
Most intensely flavored tomatoes (according to my tastebuds!) -
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Brandywine
Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Green
Cherokee Purple
Dester
Green Giant
Indian Stripe
JD Special C Tex
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom
Little Lucky
Lucky Cross
Nepal
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye
Polish
Stump of the World
Sungold
Yellow Brandywine
Ferris Wheel
Cherry Tomatoes
Black Cherry - purple
Coyote - white
Jaune Flamme - orange, large cherry
Mexico Midget - red
Sungold - orange
Sweet Million - red
Tiger Tom - red, gold stripes, large cherry
Egg Yolk - yellow
Lemon Drop - yellow
Paste Tomatoes
Martino's Roma - red
Opalka - red
Purple Russian - purple
Speckled Roman - red, gold stripes
Potential for largest size (ability to go well over one pound)
Mullen's Mortgage Lifter
Halladay's Mortgage Lifter
Ruby Gold
Hugh's
(Note that many of the varieties can reach one pound or so - just ask)
Best Performance in Raleigh in my experience (dealing with diseases)
Arkansas Traveler
Black Cherry
Black Krim
Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Green
Cherokee Purple
Coyote
Druzba
Dr. Wyche's Yellow
Green Giant
JD Special C Tex
Jaune Flamme
Lemon Boy
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom
Little Lucky
Martino's Roma
Mexico Midget
Nepal
Purple Russian
Red Brandywine
Speckled Roman
Stump of the World
Sungold
Sweet Million
Tiger Tom
Most unusual - either plant or fruit (for bragging or curiosity!)
Berkeley Tie Dye - multicolored stripes
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye - multicolored stripes
Speckled Roman - distinctly striped long paste
Don's Double Delight - large, distinctly striped tomatoes, potato leaf plant
A few of the varieties named by/developed by/introduced by nctomatoman
Anna Russian - sent to me by Brenda Hillenius from Oregon
Cherokee Chocolate - showed up in my garden in 1995, mutation of Cherokee Purple
Cherokee Green - showed up in my garden in 1997, mutation of Cherokee Chocolate
Cherokee Purple - sent to me unnamed in 1990 by J D Green of Sevierville TN - named by me
Coyote - given to me by Maye Clement of PA, wild Mexican variety
Dr. Wyche's Yellow - sent to me by J D Green of TN
All of the new Dwarf varieties (see links to Dwarf Project for background)
Green Giant - sent to me by R Kraft of Germany
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom and Lillian's Red Kansas Paste - sent to me by Robert Richardson, NY
Little Lucky - developed by me from a cross between Brandywine and Tad
Lucky Cross - developed by me from a cross between Brandywine and Tad
Tomatoes on the sweet side (to my taste buds!) - but NOT low acid (there is no such thing as a low acid tomato...some have more sugar, which masks the acid flavor)
Halladay's Mortgage Lifter
Mullen's Mortgage Lifter
Dwarf Sweet Sue
Anna Russian
Arkansas Traveler
Great White
Dr. Wyche's Yellow
Kellogg's Breakfast
German Johnson
Coyote
Sungold (especially when very ripe!)
Don's Double Delight
Yellow White
Ruby Gold
Hugh's
Tomatoes on the tart side (to my taste buds!) - but NOT high acid...these just have lower sugar levels.
Jaune Flamme
Sungold (when slightly underripe and pale orange)
Green Zebra
Black Krim
Yellow Brandywine
Tiger Tom
Perth Pride
Sleeping Lady
Dwarf Blazing Beauty
Livingston's Favorite