Best Performing Tomatoes from the 2011 High Tunnel Tomato Trials

Round Red Slicers
Arbason: This variety was easily the high yielder of the season. The fruit are dark red, firm and taste good. Definitely worth looking at again next season.

Big Beef: We included Big Beef in the trial because many high tunnel growers in Virginia consider this variety important. The flavor is excellent, the yields good, susceptibility to yellow shoulders moderate, but the fruit is very soft. An excellent alternative to Fabulous.

Fabulous: This is probably the best all-around red slicer that's come through this program. The worst thing about Fabulous is that it is too soft for a 25-pound box, but will pack into #10 flats. The large size is good for slicing, the texture is good, the flavor is good with that traditional balance between acid and sweet. We've never had any success growing this one in the field, but it meets many grower's high tunnel requirements. A better year was 2010 for this variety, as we harvested more #2's and culls in 2011 than in the past.

BHN 826: Unusually even, high marks from our entire tasting panel. Good looking, good flavor, very firm, yet juicy. This variety has excellent flavor balance between tart and sweet. Performance was consistent between 2010 and 2011 with respectable yields and reasonable packout.

BHN 589: This variety remains our trials program favorite due to the combination of good yield, high packout, and good flavor. If you can only grow one variety of round red, this is the one. Of all of the slicer varieties in this year's program, BHN 589 had the greatest percentage of #1's and fewest culls.

BHN 189: Slightly more compact than BHN 589, but otherwise very similar in appearance, packout and flavor. Until the extreme heat of the last two seasons, this variety seemed to be slightly earlier than 589, but in both 2010 and 2011 the heat seemed to delay the first harvest.

BHN 1021: Good yields and good packout, along with excellent flavor and appearance characterize this tomato. BHN 1021 responded well in the high heat of 2011. Worthy of consideration for high tunnel growers and will definitely be repeated in our trial for 2012.

Big Dena: This variety had the lowest yield of the trial and the packout was poor as well. Colleagues report that this variety was better last season. It is scheduled to be repeated in 2012.

Charger: The color was not great and the flavor did not impress our judges, but the yields are okay and size good.

Defiant: Very dark red, smallish fruit on plants that are supposed to be resistant to late blight characterize this variety. The flavor was good and very tomatoey, but the fruit run on the small size. We did not have any late blight in our trials this year to rate its resistance.

Finishline: Dark red fruit with a good flavor that pack well. We've had this variety in our program for a few years. While it doesn't place at the top, it has never placed near the bottom either. It seems widely adapted, has good flavor and has been reliable under our changeable seasons.

Rocky Top: Last year, this variety handled the hot season better than most and produced a higher percentage of #1 fruit than most others in the trial. This past season both the yield and packout were off. Good flavor for a firm tomato.

SX-605: This variety was provided by our friends at Seedway Seeds. It should have been labeled 'AX 605'.  It is a German tomato that is popular in protected culture in Europe. The flavor was good, but the fruit size a little small. Reports were that it responded better to the growing conditions of 2010.

Tribeca: This variety seemed well-adapted to tunnel production with moderate yields of firm fruit that packed out well. Very typical, good tomato flavor.

Tribute: While the yields weren't bad, this variety did not pack well as it was more yellow shoulder susceptible than most others in this year's program. Also, the fruit were a little light in color when compared to others in the trial. It may be worth a second look, but it certainly did not enjoy this past seasons growing conditions.

Heritage Slicers
Brandy Boy: Dark pink and very uniform with a meaty flesh. Sweet, rich and spicy with a great balance in the flavor. Easily the top tasting tomato now several years in a row. Reasonable yields even in the extreme heat of the high tunnel during the 2010 growing season. Many small commercial growers have made this one their heritage tomato of choice.

Delicious: High Brix levels and excellent yields make this variety one to consider if marketing "ugly" fruit. As with most of the varieties in this class, Delicious is on the softer side, but the dark red color is very attractive.

Grandma's Pick: Specific portions of the consumer market respond well to "lumpy" tomatoes. Grandma's Pick has a great appearance with good yields, but fares poorly against Brandy Boy in our tasting trials. Like Brandy Boy and Conestoga, it is very soft.

The complete report with the table yield table is available either from the author or will be available from the Pennsylvania Vegetable Growers Association (PVGA). PVGA provided the funding for this project.