What's a good variety to use, and how long do they last?
how do plan on storing them,freeze,jarred,dried or smoked ?
what do you plan on using them for?
I should have been more specific. I've heard that some varieties last as they come, but I'm not sure how long for, what varieties, or how best to keep them. I'm assuming they need to be dry and frost-free. Drying would probably be the easiest alternative.
HSL have a "Garden Peach"... in their collection (not to be confused with the furry skinned synonym) when I grew it in the '90's it would last until March just stored in boxes in the house. It gradually changed to an orange-red (hence peach I suppose). It was OK taste wise... far more than the pale red bullets sold in supermarkets. Towards the end of the storage period you often found some of the seeds had germinated within the tomato... :-\
We grow Spanish hanging tomatoes (Mallorquines) specifically for storing. Harvested in September, they typically last until January in a cool frost free shed hung from the ceiling. There's more info here http://brownenvelopeseeds.blogspot.com/2011/01/de-colgar-tomatoes.html - I've got some spare seeds if you're interested.
Oooh.... now I might be tempted.. :-X
I have grown 'Keepsake' this year and it is still growing and producing fruit, much later than all my other plants which are on their last legs....... ;D
Thanks, Elhuerto, I'd be really interested in the seed. I'm planning to put up a greenhouse over the winter, and the wife uses toms in one form or another every time she cooks, so I'm looking to have them for as long a season as possible.
I think I may have a few Princip Borghese seeds left if you want to try a few. I finally cut my plants down last week and the toms are hanging in the greenhouse hopefully to ripen. The skins are a bit tougher than earlier in the year but I think it was down to me not watering after Spetember.
I'd be grateful, thanks.