On Tue, 02 Jan 2007 11:41:52 GMT, "Grave Yard Guy"
wrote:

Five years ago, I purchased some oxheart tomatoes from an old farmer at a
local flea market. They were, unquestionably, the best tasting tomatoes I
have ever "experienced". They were VERY dark red, almost burgundy, in
color...very meaty with little juice and only a few seeds. I went back the
next week for more, but it was the end of the season and there were none
left.

The next spring, I decided to grow my own. However, it took contacting over
20 nurseries before I could find one that had oxhearts for sale. I
purchased and planted 3 dozen plants, nurtured and cared for them on my
hands and knees every morning, pinched suckers and watered and fertilized
properly.

By mid July, about 75 days later, I had magnificent plants about 6-7 feet
tall with 5 or 6 tomatoes on each plant. I figured the low yeild might be
the price I had to pay for these jewels. They ripened from the bottom up,
but by the time the tops were almost ripe, the bottoms began to get soft and
mushy, so I began to harvest a little sooner, however, the tops of these
weren't edible. Of the 36 plants, I probably had a dozen or more tomatoes
that weighed in at 2 pounds or more, the rest being a half pound or larger!
But the taste was nothing near what I had experienced the previous year and
the color never got any darker than medium pink.

It sounds like blossom end rot. Check out this site for answer to
tomato problems.
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/t...ver/index.html

Also have a soil test done. And talk to your county extension agent.
They have information about what grows well in your part of the
country and can help solve problems. If you cannot locate the
extension service for your area, try a good nursery. BTW, where do
you live?



All summer long I tried to locate the old guy who had sold me the originals.
I wanted to know what I was doing wrong. He was no where to be found, but
some other old timers told me that there were both Pink and Red oxhearts. I
had planted the wrong thing.

For the last 3 years, I have planted only what has been lableled Red
oxhearts, but each year I get the same results, large, pink, half ripened,
not so tasty tomatoes.

Tomatoes that have not completely ripened will not have full flavor.



Can anyone with some "oxheart" experience point me in another direction? Is
there a Burgundy oxheart? I've found white and purple.

I think you need to see why your plants are not producing good
tomatoes before you go looking for another variety.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974