Terrible Tomato Review by IndianaGardener
Overall Rating
These seeds came free with my order. They responded very well to seed starting and grew quickly indoors, but once they were placed outside in the garden, the plants never got very big. We had a terrible tomato growing season statewide with too much rain at the wrong time followed by too dry conditions during the normal rainy season, so this contributed to the problem. However, the other tomato varieties that I planted, even though the plants were also small, still set lots of tomatoes. This variety only set 1-2 tomatoes per plant. They also got very buggy, with bites around the top and bottom of the tomato. As far as flavor, the sections of the fruit that I actually salvaged were mealey and had no flavor at all. I will not waste valuable garden space on these ever again!.
(Posted on 8/6/10)
Worst Freebie Ever Review by Unknown
Overall Rating
I got these as free seeds with this years purchase and (unfortunately) I grew two plants. the plants grew well, large and fast and the tomatoes were the first to ripen. But so far every one has been dry and pithy..
(Posted on 8/19/10)
First Time Grow Review by Gro Guy
Overall Rating
Also received seeds of these as a freebie, and put out 4 plants in the garden. Only 2 of the 4 plants produced anything meaningful- 3-4 plump, pink&green softball sized tomatoes that turned deep pink/red. These were some of my first to turn this season. They tasted great but the yield was pretty low. Will try again next year..
(Posted on 9/9/10)
not for Central FL Review by Parker
Overall Rating
The plant is vigorous and is loaded with delicious looking tomatoes. It is also loaded with bugs. The neighboring plants of different varieties are having less problems. It does not seem particularly well suited to Central Florida's swampy humidity and voracious bugs. I think this plant would do wonders in a cooler, drier climate..
(Posted on 6/13/10)
tasty but buggy Review by Idaca
Overall Rating
I received this as a freebie, and planted it since I'm still trying to figure out what I can grow down here. I planted it in February and it really doesn't seem to like our South Texas heat too much (not many tomatoes do).
It's a really flavorful slicer, but man does it ever attract the bugs. I'll probably try it again this winter (no frost here), but mainly to drag the critters away from the other plants..
(Posted on 7/14/10)
Bugs sure love it Review by White Deer
Overall Rating
Received as freebie. Germinated well, plants grew rapidly and are quite vigorous. Each is producing well, but the bugs just swarm these! We've had an exceptionally wet summer, bugs are bad anyway, but they're destroying these tomatoes. The ones I've salvaged were tasty, perhaps best for those who use pesticides or who are in a dryer climate?.
(Posted on 7/19/10)
Yummiest Review by Unknown
Overall Rating
These seeds were a freebie. I didn't have a bug problem like the other posters and I live in hot, humid east Texas. My husband and I liked these the best, they were full of real old time tomato flavor. They have produced well, are slowing down a bit now (end of July), and we definately will plant these again. Some nights, we had "tomato supper" a plate of tomatoes, salted and nothing else. I already can't wait until next summer..
(Posted on 7/24/10)
best tomatoes I've grown Review by Unknown
Overall Rating
Like the others, I got these seeds free with my order. They do take slightly longer than average to produce, but once they do they are excellent! The vines got so large the cages I had bought started to collapse, and had to be reinforced with rebar to hold them up. They embarrassed the much more heard about Cherokee purple tomatoes in terms of production, and tasted just as good. I didn't see any real bug problems, just a few caterpillars that were wiped out easily..
(Posted on 8/9/10)
Not Bad for Free Seed Review by Unknown
Overall Rating
I got these for free and just direct seeded them in mid April and they did pretty well here. I did have problems with bugs, but no more than my other tomatoes. The yield was not great but the fruit I was able to eat was tasted great, I'm going to try these again next year to see if I can improve the yield. These were by far my biggest and prettiest tomatoes..
(Posted on 8/12/10)
A Pleasant Surprise - Review by Captain Failmore
Overall Rating
Like many of the other reviewers here, I received these seeds for free with my order and they were greatly enjoyed. Imagine my surprise when I arrived here to read that so many other growers had so much trouble! My experience with this plant was outstanding.
Now, I consider myself an amateur grower, and I have no idea if I'll be able to replicate my success with this breed next year. As for this year, however, the Henderson's Pink Ponderosa was actually my most generous producer. Like with the rest of my tomatoes I started the plants in containers and transplanted them into the garden as soon as the threat of frost had fully passed. They took well to the new soil and grew vigorously, and by the end of the season they had easily reached (and perhaps exceeded) five feet in height. I had no pest problems with these or my other tomatoes; I did not use pesticides, but I did surround my garden with onions and marigolds, which are said to have repellent qualities. Yields were abundant even in times of heat stress and the plant's production only slowed after the beginning of September with the shortening days. When ripe these tomatoes store well for two weeks or more if kept in a dark place, and green tomatoes picked at the end of October have kept and ripened to a fine quality indoors. The last of them have finally turned here in the middle of December.
My tomatoes were an attractive shade of pinkish red, just slightly pale and very uniform. Early in the season the plants produced several entire clusters of very large tomatoes but I believe the excessive heat may have put a stop to that, as after the beginning of July (when a lingering heat-wave arrived) the size of the tomatoes decreased somewhat. Nonetheless, few were less than three inches wide. The fruits were meaty and mild, and lacked the acidic tang more typical of red tomatoes. They instead carried a suitably rich and savory tomato flavor that made them excellent for sandwiches or eating alone. They were delicious bread-and-butter tomatoes.
Since I didn't use all of my seed this year, and since I had such a great success with this breed, I fully intend to plant again next year. I most definitely recommend it..
(Posted on 12/19/10)
Stole My Heart Review by Millineryman
Overall Rating
I received these seeds as freebie and by the middle of August they had stolen my heart. They grew so well, produced a solid quantity of fruit, and they were a gorgeous shade of pink. Great flavor, and people who I shared them with raved about the taste.
It was a challenging growing season in southern NJ and they did very well. I will grow them again and again..
(Posted on 1/16/11)
pleasnt surprise Review by krok
Overall Rating
I also got these as a freebie and put one plant in the garden. This yielded very well for me and tasted good. We had a very hot dry summer this year in SE PA and though I have heavy soil I had to water my tomatoes every day as the ground got so dry in mid summer and all of my various plants would start to wilt if I didn't get out there everyday with the hose. This plant didn't grow as large as the others but it still yielded a good crop and kept producing and didn't seem to be as affected by the hot dry conditions. Didn't have any bug problems. We had a huge stinkbug problem in our region last summer and fall and they seemed to prefer my purple russians which were next to this one. Will plant another this year..
(Posted on 1/16/11)
Awesome! Review by radish
Overall Rating
great sauce tomato. I grew these in the full sun and in part shade. Oddly enogh the plants that I grew in part shade did very very well, better than the ones in full sun! They were in a spot where they got the morning sun and shade in the afternoon. They took a little longer to ripen than the other tomatoes (probably because of being shaded)but produced more. Will grow every year from here out..
(Posted on 2/6/11)
Okay Review by S.R.
Overall Rating
These tomatoes did okay for me in a somewhat dreary summer (2010, in NW Oregon). I only got a few tomatoes per plant, but they had good flavor. .
(Posted on 3/15/11)
Amazing Freebie! Review by Debra
Overall Rating
I also received these seeds as a freebie with my order. I started indoors, gave the seedlings much TLC and planted 2 in my garden. These were the best tomatoes we had last summer! Fruits were large and sooooo delicious!! I'm happy that I have some seeds left for this years garden...I will always plant this variety! Thanks, Baker Creek, for the best tomato seeds ever!.
(Posted on 3/25/11)
was afraid i couldn't find them again! Review by mrsrangerdoc
Overall Rating
And so glad i found them! We live in the ozarks, not far from baker's creek. These tomatoes were awesome! Very productive, big fruit and very flavorful. I definitely will be planting these again this year..
(Posted on 5/4/11)
fantastic flavor Review by NY gardener
Overall Rating
I grew these as a freebie in 2010 and they were incredible tasting. I gave some to my niece who eats only organic foods and she and her husband were blown away by thesedelicious tomatoes! I had no problems growing these. Unfortunately last summer a friend gave me a different variety of tomato plants she propagated from seeds so I didn't bother with the Ponderosa Pinks. I was so disappointed and wished I planted the Ponderosas!.
(Posted on 12/26/11)
Idaho fantastic/ California falure Review by Patiruth
Overall Rating
These tomatoes are the best! We eat them like apples, besides on sandwiches and in salads. Our neighbors and friends loved them too and ask for more. 2012 was a rather short growing season up here in Northern Idaho, but we started them inside and put them in our little Community Garden Plot. where the did well. I am going to start my seeds for the season here shortly and these will be among the first I do! We were in central California the year before and the plants came up and grow to be good size bushes, but only got a couple blossoms and not one plant. They were right beside my Roma plants that did well. Guess they like a little cooler climate! Try them....You WILL love them!!.
(Posted on 1/20/12)
Great slicing tomato Review by FootDoc
Overall Rating
Grew these in northern Penna in dusty ditch dirt with lots of small stones mixed with a dark thick clay soil in spots. The first year growing it was cold and wet all summer. These did amazing. We harvested some of the largest best tasting tomatoes I've ever grown. Great on a sandwich with a little mayo. The second year was cool and wet in the spring, hot and super dry all summer, then wet in the fall. This time they were not as well spaced as the year before. They were noticeably smaller this year, and they had a tendency to split when ripe, but given the other tomatoes I grew this was common last year. Small yield, but still great flavor. Would I grow these again? It's in my cart right now. Try these if you like good old fashioned tomato taste like grandmas were like or if you want a big, juicy, meaty slicer for your sandwich....this is your tomato. .
(Posted on 1/29/12)
Don't bother Review by Tina, zone WI
Overall Rating
These aren't any better in flavor than any of the other big sweet slicers like Brandywine, Caspian pink, Ananas Noire, and many more...in fact, I like the flavor of those better. These are Bug Magnets!!! I have never had a bit of trouble with ANY of my other tomatoes concerning bugs, but these were just crawling with them, many different kinds! Not worth it when you can grow some others that are perfectly comparable!.
(Posted on 2/15/12)
Tasty but not as large as expected Review by bostongrower
Overall Rating
I started these indoors, and they grew very quickly. They survived transplanting and turned into large healthy plants. I did not have any problems with bugs. However, each plant only produced a few tomatoes, which was disappointing. I also expected to see large softball-sized tomatoes, but even the biggest tomatoes were small to medium sized. I live in a Northern climate (near Boston, MA), so this might be because of our shorter season. The flavor is very good and what you would expect from an heirloom tomato. The shape is also attractive with lots of wrinkles. I would say that these are worth trying for the look and flavor, but they are not my favorite. .
(Posted on 3/25/12)
