Q and A: Tomatomania’s Scott Daigre Shares His Top Tomato Picks and Explains Blue Tomatoes

Scott was so busy this year dealing with the national expansion of Tomatomania that we missed our traditional on-air pre-planting conversation with him. So he kindly consented to participate in a Q and A for us.

How many Tomatomania events do you have now in Southern California?

We’ll have 9 scheduled events in SoCal this year, and a couple surprise pop ups this year too if our greenhouse schedule works the way we hope it will.

I understand you’ve expanded outside of Southern California. Where else do you go over the course of the season?

Total number of seedlings you are putting out this year?

Your top 3-5 can’t miss tomatoes for SoCal. Early, Mid and Late Season

Gardener’s Delight – a red cherry for the earliest harvest ever. A European heirloom that’s great in coastal gardens because it’s quick but it thrives in my hot Ojai fields too.

Jaune Flamee – great early-midseason choice. French heirloom, smallish, orange and very productive

Carmello – Mid season. Perfect mid-sized red that’s multi purpose

Vorlon – a deep dark black cross between Cherokee Purple and Pruden’s Purple. It’s the only large beefsteak I like BETTER than Cherokee Purple so that won’t make this list. Gorgeous, early for a beefsteak and delicious

Gold Medal – A red/yellow bi-color that’s worth waiting for. End of the season.

For more of Scott’s advice and tips, keep reading!

Is there anything new this year?

Who discovered them?

The blue gene that carries more healthy anthocyanins was isolated a few years ago at Oregon State, a leader in tomato hybridization. It came from a wild tomato. Crosses and selection for color resulted in different sizes, shapes and color combinations. Brad Gates, a northern California hybridizer, and several others around the country are now experimenting with this color and genetic line.

Do we need a certain micro-climate to grow the blues?

What else are you excited about?

In terms of other new varieties, look for a new red hybrid called Super Sauce, a two pound sauce tomato. And Sweet Treats, a pink cherry that knocked our socks off in trials last year. Also grafted tomatoes, a good number of varieties, are now gaining favor among gardeners and should help those folks who have some disease problems that have plagued their seasons in the past. These should be more productive and vigorous than their own-root counterparts.

How does a new tomato move from oddity to sensation?

If we want to grow for canning what are some good varieties to choose?

Most abundant? Easiest to grow?

And if you have challenges growing tomatoes given your garden situation, light, heat etc., growing the hybrids may be the best strategy for you. Champion, Celebrity, Sungold, Better Boy. These classics come with some disease resistance that could help make the season easier and more successful.

Can a bush (determinate) plant yield as many tomatoes as a vining (indeterminate) plant?