This is such a hard question to answer! Does yield matter? How much room to grow? Is disease a problem?

Big Beef or Brandy Boy hybrids come to mind. Most greenhouses don't have the greatest selection of open pollinated heirlooms, but maybe you could go a shop them, write down the varieties they offer and post back.

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John - Zone 6

Lowes carries a few heirlooms. I got an Arkansas Traveler there, going to try that out this year. Some feed and seed places have some, too. I bought a Brandywine last year...when they have them, they often are in 4 inch pots and pricy. I never thought about thin skin versus thick. It seems like celebrity had a thinner skin than some.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

Ciao all,

Greetings from sunny California! I'm here visiting my mother for a few weeks. It's so surreal being here and seeing so many people in shorts and open sandals. The plants in people's gardens are so totally different from what I've gotten used to in Toronto over the last 3 years, too.

We went to a few nurseries yesterday because my mother is involved in a non-profit project, donating several plants to a group home for mentally-challenged adults. We're going over there later today to help with the planting. One of the garden centres, Orchard Supply Hardware, had several heirloom tomatoes for sale so I took pictures, lol. What a weirdo, eh? Taking pictures of nursery plants, but I wanted to show my boyfriend when I get back to Toronto that places actually DO carry some heirlooms. John, for your benefit I'll list here what I found: Black Krim, Amish Paste, Big Rainbow, Brandywine (no specific strain listed), Green Zebra, Cherokee Purple, Hawaiian Pineapple, and San Francisco Fog. I was really quite surprised and pleased that they had so many.

Pianolady, if I were you I'd look for a big monster pink heirloom. They're usually full of flavour and reasonably productive. Ask your nursery people for advice and like John says, maybe take notes on the varieties you find and post back here for opinions.

Buona fortuna,
Julianna

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Ciao Ruthie,

Yes, I know, I saw the seed racks. My mother sometimes sends me Renees Garden seeds and I love the seed packs almost as much as the seeds themselves. Duane actually printed off a bunch of her seed packet covers for our 6 year old's garden scrapbook as decorations. I've always been a sucker for watercolours. Anyhow, the seed pack varieties are amazing. I even get excited about nasturtium flowers because I can eat them and they make our salads pretty. So much variety, it makes my head swim.

Cheers,
Julianna

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