Somewhere on teh intarwebs "Bob Hobden" typed:
"Charlie Pridham" wrote
"Charlie Pridham" wrote
I saw the news item and to me it looked just like one I grew this
year and last called 'Black Russian' not a good cropper but very
tasty :~) (I notice they did not try eating any - they must have
been very sure it
was safe to eat!!)

Did you grow it outside or under glass?


in our little 8x6 greenhouse with the doors open

Must admit to having looked at that variety for some while but never
done anything about it, think I'll try a few out on the allotment
next year and see what happens.
Most Tomatoes seem to have little taste just sweetness these days,
probably me getting old.

I'm in New Zealand but have some young "Black Russin", "Purple Russian" or
"Black Plum" plants in and just flowering. They're actually from Ukraine (I
call them Ukrainian Plum but have a question in with a friend who's retired
gardening parents hail from Ukraine as to whether it has a local name) and
made it to the US in 1981, then spread from there. In those days the whole
of the Eastern Block was "Russia" to the average US citizen so "Russian"
they were called. They're supposed to be quite temperature and disease
tolerant.

Although the climate here is different onviously I'll report back about
flavour later in the season. Also I'm going to attempt a late crop this year
and a very early one next year. I'm hoping this variety might extend my
growing season. (I'm experimenting with a couple others too but this is my
sentimental favourite cultivar.) My main summer crop looks like it'll be San
Marzano.

If you want a variety that crops in cold weather there's one that was
supposedly developed by US people at a US government base in Greenland
that's called "Sub-arctic" that's supposed to do well in a cold, short
season. I actually have some seed of it (internet 'heirloom' seed supplier)
and will try a mid-winter crop here.

Cheers,
--
Shaun.

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