Talking Tomatoes

Today I will be setting the first of the tomato seeds, 

I have spent a lot of time of winter reading up about different tomatoes there is a lot of variety's out there

Having been at the hands of blight two years running which has severely effected the harvest.

This is what I have settled on 

 Amish Paste

• Cordon (Vine) Tomato.
• Large sized plum tomatoes have deep red skin and a rich dense flesh ideal for pasting.
• Suitable for protected and outdoor growing.
• Open pollinated, heritage (heirloom) variety.

As the name suggests, this is plum or paste tomato. Originally from Wisconsin, USA this is one of the largest fruiting plum tomatoes that we know - and not only are the fruits large but Amish Paster reliably produces a heavy crop of them!
The fruits are virtually core-less and have a really rich and sweet tomato flavour - making them perfect for eating in salad or for making sauces and passata.

Longkeeper

• Cordon (Vine) Tomato.
• A late ripening Beefsteak variety that can be grown in the normal way or the fruits picked green to ripen in storage over the Winter.
• Suitable for protected and outdoor growing.
• Open pollinated heritage (heirloom) variety.

Without doing anything 'out of the ordinary' this meaty beefsteak tomato is possibly the latest variety to ripen naturally with the first fruits being ready to eat late September / early October - even under protection. This makes this the perfect tomato for anyone trying to extend the cropping season

But where this variety really comes into its own is just how well the Autumn picked green fruits store, and can be later brought into warmer conditions to ripen - giving the potential to be eating 'fresh' home grown tomatoes as late as February.

 To make the most of this varieties long keeping we would advise a second sowing around May / June to ensure a large quantity of green fruits hanging on the vine in October. These should be picked complete with calyx (the little green 'spider') and wrapped dry in soft tissue and stored at around 50ºF (10°C).
Throughout December, January and February transfer the green fruits to a fruit bowl as required, take off the tissue and place a ripe banana; at normal room temperature of around or apple amongst a few of the green tomatoes. In a temperature of 70°f - 75°F (21º - 24ºC) will ripen over a period of about two weeks and have the taste of summer tomatoes.

Nepal

• Cordon (Vine) Tomato.
• Large smooth fruits have crimson skin and really sweet flavour.
• A good variety for picking green and storing for ripening later.
• Open pollinated, heritage (heirloom) variety.

Originating from the Himalaya Mountians, this variety produced masses of large fruit - not quite a beefsteak but larger than a 'regular' tomato. The smooth skinned fruits rarely crack and are consistently well rounded. The flesh within is extremely sweet and juicy making it perfect for just about anything!
One real bonus of 'Nepal' is its keeping qualities. Pick the fruits green and store individually wrapped in tissue just as you would apples - and then bring into warmer conditions to ripen as you require; this way you can have fresh home grown tomatoes right up to Christmas and beyond.

Primabella

• Cordon (Vine) Tomato.
• Arguably the most blight resistant variety of tomato currently available.
• Sweet juicy cherry tomatoes hang in bunches like grapes.
• Suitable for both outdoor and protected growing.
• Open pollinated.

Bred in Germany, this new cherry tomato has possibly the highest resistance to tomato blight (Phytophthora infestans) of any variety and is very well suited to outdoor growing where it will thrive - and interestingly the fruit has a better flavour if grown outside than in!
We first trialled this variety in 2013 and found it to be extremely strong growing - out performing all our other outdoor tomatoes with the exception of its cousins from the same breeding program - 'Clou' and 'Primavera'.
The bright red fruits have a crisp texture and a lovely sweet and juicy flavour. Hanging in dense bunches almost like grapes, the fruits are early to mature (early July outside is not unusual).

 All the info and photos have been take from Victoriana Nursery site, So this is what I chosen, to run with I got then all from 

Victoriana Nursery 

I am looking forward to see how well they store and it would be great if they do store to eat fresh into winter

speaking of which I came across this article on preserving tomatoes in wood ash I am going to give that a try as well just as an experiment 

Preserving In Ash  

What are you growing this year and more importantly why have you chosen them.