Category: gardening NC

Seed Starters’ 2025 Tomato Recommendations

On By durhammastergardenersIn gardening NC, taste testing, tomatoes, Uncategorized, vegetable gardening

By Bev Tisci and Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteers of Durham County

Master Gardener volunteers take tomatoes seriously! You may remember our recent series “Tomatoes on Trial” and also caught more info on our social media pages recently about a scientific experiment where over 70 Durham locals rated tomatoes. In this post, we highlight our Extension Master Gardener volunteer growers and get their suggestions based on their blind taste testing.

As we bid farewell to summer, the results are in for our Seed Starters team’s best tomatoes for 2025. You may recall our blog post from 2024 that talked about this Durham County Extension Master Gardener volunteer group who grows, tests, and of course eats the tomatoes we feature in our annual Backyard Treasures Plant Sale each spring. (Mark your calendars now for the 2026 event scheduled on Saturday, April 11. You can also talk in person with members of the Seed Starters team on Saturday, March 28 at the annual Plant Festival.)

Seed Starters team members gathered for another blind taste test in late summer and the results are in! Take some notes in your garden journal now. These varieties were sure bets for our team of gardeners, and you just might want to grow them next season yourself!

A tray of sliced tomatoes, showcasing various types labeled numerically as Slicers 3 to 10. The tomatoes are in hues of red and yellow, with visible seeds and textures.

The contenders in the “slicer” category. Our Extension Master Gardener volunteer growers rate each tomato based on appearance, flavor, and texture. Is your mouth watering yet? Can you spot the winners? (Image credit: Bev Tisci)

Slicer Tomatoes

This year the Seed Starters evaluated 10 slicer tomatoes: Mountain Merit, Wonderstar Red, Green Zebra, Galahad, Defiant, Enrosa, Hot Streak, Big Beef, Marmalade Skies, and Damsel.

Clear plastic cups of sliced tomatoes on a white table, labeled as 'Slicer 4' and 'Slicer 5', with whole tomatoes in the background.

(Left to right) The showy orange Marmalade Skies and Hot Streak, ruby red with yellow stripes. (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

The Winner: Hot Streak. Hot Streak was on a winning streak with the taste testers, who liked its deep flavor, light acidity, juiciness, and attractive appearance – deep red with yellow stripes. One commenter said this yummy tomato passed the ultimate tomato test: being “good on a sandwich.” Bev Tisci, leader of the Seed Starters team, said, “In addition to its outstanding flavor, this tomato has great disease resistance and will definitely be in my garden next year.”

Honorable Mentions: Tied for a close second were 3 tomatoes: Big Beef, Marmalade Skies, and Damsel.

Testers noted that Big Beef was fruity in taste. Several described it as actually tasting like watermelon. While this wasn’t all tasters’ cup of tea, it made a strong showing for its low acid and mildness. Marmalade Skies (a strong finisher in the 2024 testing) was noted for its striking yellow/orange color, medium acid, and texture. Tasters praised Damsel for an interesting flavor profile “bursting with flavor,” interestingly describing both high and low smokey notes.

Small Tomatoes

A table setup featuring a clear container with tomato samples, a single tomato, and a glass holding toothpicks. Signs labeled 'Small 1' and 'Small' indicate the tomato categories. The background shows a kitchen environment.
A plate of small tomatoes with a sign labeled 'Small 2' in the background, indicating the tomato variety being tasted.

(Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

Two petite tomatoes duked it out in the small category: Mountain Magic and Queen of the Night.

The Winner: Mountain Magic. Several Extension Master Gardener volunteers described this tomato as mild in flavor and low in acid. In terms of texture, tasters noted that the skin was thick. From a production standpoint, the grower of this variety noted Mountain Magic was prolific. It’s a great salad tomato that continues to produce late in the season.

The Runner Up: Queen of the Night. The gardener who grew this variety noted they had challenges growing this tomato. Many commented on the smoothness in taste and acidity. The team gave it high marks in the appearance category.

Cherry Tomatoes

Four cherry tomatoes vied for first place this year as the team tested Sungold, Mochi, Honeybee, and Sweet Prince.

An orange cherry tomato labeled 'Cherry 3' on a table, with a plastic container of other cherry tomatoes in the background.

The Winner: Sungold Going for a repeat of its 2024 top-place finish, Sungold again reigned supreme. The team lauded its bright flavor that was the perfect mix of sweet and tart, thinner skin, and superb golden color, hence its name. A feast for both the eyes and the palate.

The Runner Up: Honeybee Only a fraction behind Sungold, the late-season Honeybee impressed the Seed Starters with a mild sweet flavor, though some commented critically on its thick skin.

A group of eight individuals joyfully holding various tomatoes in a kitchen setting, smiling and engaging with each other.

Seed Starters team members putting in a long day to help determine what tomato plants they’ll grow for the spring 2026 Backyard Treasures Plant Sale. (Image credit: Melinda Heigel)

Resources and Additional Information

Basics on growing tomatoes in the home garden: https://extensiongardener.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/04/growing-tomatoes-at-home/

Pro tips on producing tomatoes on our blog, “Achieving Peak Tomato Performance,” by Kathryn Hamilton, Master Gardener volunteer of Durham Co. https://wp.me/p2nIr1-4BD

How to trellis and support tomatoes from the blog: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-2cb

Edited by Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-6ko

To Do in the Garden: September 2025

On By durhammastergardenersIn Durham NC, fall gardening, garden tasks, Gardening calendar, gardening NC

By Gary Crispell, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County


Hey, look! It’s September and for the moment it has cooled off and the relentless humidity has dropped below 185%. How sweet is that? Another drop or two of rain here in Durham would be nice. It got a little dry in the last half of August, but at this time of the year one must be careful what one wishes for. Ask the folks in Asheville.

Close-up of pink purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) in a garden, displaying delicate petals and a brown central cone.
A goldfinch perched on a purple coneflower, surrounded by green foliage.
A close-up of a Gaillardia flower surrounded by green foliage and other blooming plants in a garden.

(Left to right) Resilient purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) continue to enliven the ACG. Let your coneflowers go to seed and leave the seed heads and stalks. Goldfinches and other small birds feed on them in the fall and throughout the winter months. Blanket flowers (Gaillardia pulchella), are long, reliable, no-fuss bloomers even in heat and drought conditions. Their seed heads are also enjoyed by a host of songbirds. (Image credit: Javin Griffin; iStock.com/ABDESIGN from NC State Extension)

The Accidental Cottage Garden (ACG) looks, well, pathetic. I eschewed using city water for anything except the tomatoes and peppers, and the rain barrels have gotten down to the bottom of the (Dare I say it?) barrel. The butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) looks weird with new blooms and nearly ripe seed pods. Looks like an “oops” late-pregnancy sort of thing. The purple coneflowers (Echinacea purpurea) are barely hanging on, but the goldfinches (Spinus tristis) are loving the seeds, and we had a bumper crop.

Gaillardia (Gaillardia pulchella) are really drought resistant. They keep their spot in the garden colorful for months with absolutely no care whatsoever. The spreading garden mum (Chrysanthemum “I-don’t- have-a-clue”) is reblooming as usual. It, too, requires very little attention other than deadheading the first blooms.

The other hangers-on are evening primrose (Primula vulgaris) (What possessed me to plant those?), False vervain (Verbena carnea), Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus), African marigold (Tagetes erecta), Zinnias (Zinnia elegans), Black eyed susans (Rudbeckia fulgida), and sun flowers (Helianthus annuus). And climbing all over everything, Cypress vine (Ipomoea quamochit). I love the red flowers, but the vine is a bit much.

Close-up of a purple balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus) with intricate veining and a softly blurred background.
A butterfly rests on vibrant orange flowers of an African marigold(Tagetes erecta) in a garden with a purple coneflower and greenery, set against a light blue house.
Close-up of an evening primrose (Primula vulgaris), a flowering plant with yellow blooms. A green beetle rests on a yellow bloom, surrounded by green foliage.

(Left to right) Summer-to-fall flowers still going strong in the ACG are the vibrant purple balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus), African marigold (Tagetes erecta), and the assertive self-seeding evening primrose (Primula vulgaris). (Image credit: Jimmi Lazuli; Javin Griffin)

Now if we could get an inch of rain a week through September the rest of this article will be relevant.

Lawn Care

If your fescue lawn looks like mine, September is the time for rejuvenation
(reseed/overseed). Loosen the soil in bare areas (or till up the whole yard) before sowing seed. A major key in sowing a successful lawn in the seed/soil contact—the more the better. If your bare spots are larger than 1 square foot a light layer of wheat straw will help maintain moisture and keep the birds from finding all of your grass seed.

Apply lime and fertilizer per your SOIL TEST recommendations. (I just know you got a FREE soil test this summer. If not, it’s free now through the end of November!) Resist the urge to fertilize any warm season lawns (Bermuda grass, Zoysia, centipede) now. It will encourage too much new growth just when they should be getting ready for dormancy.

You may treat lawns for grubs up until the middle of the month. After that the grubs will have “settled down for a long winter’s nap.”

Pruning

Still not allowed. Wait until Thanksgiving. Since you are going to do all your shopping online you will have time to prune on Black Friday. You need to work off the extra slice of pumpkin pie anyway. Otherwise, sharpen the equipment and hang up on the wall for now.

Spraying

Look for the same usual suspects as you did in August (i.e. wooly adelgid on hemlock, spider mites on all coniferous evergreens, tea scale on euonymus and camellia and lace bugs on azaleas and pyracantha. FYI: azaleas grown in the sun will be more susceptible to lace bugs than those grown in shadier conditions.) Perpetuate your perpetual rose program. Keep an eye out for other insects and diseases. They like fall as much as Homo sapiens do.

Propagation

It is time to dig and divide spring-flowering bulbs. Daffodils in particular will be appreciative of the attention and reward you in the spring. It is also, time to transplant peonies. Oversize the new planting hole and the root ball and avoid planting too deeply. Cut back any old stems. Mulch well.

IF SEPTEMBER TURNS OUT TO BE MYTHICALLY GORGEOUS…

  • Go outside just to be outside.
  • Mulch your plant beds if your OCD/ADHD won’t let you kick back and relax.
  • Clean up and put up all the equipment you won’t need until next year.
  • Plant a fall garden. Beyond that, fall is an excellent time to plant perennials, trees and shrubs. “Fall is for planting!”
  • Clean up the summer garden, but consider leaving it a bit untidy to give a boost to birds and insects during cold months.
  • Take a kid or a dog or a kid and a dog to a park and enjoy their enjoyment.
  • Stay hydrated, stay healthy, and get your fall vaccines so that you can garden through the fall and winter without interruption.

Savor September, Y’all.

Edited by Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Resources and Additional Information

Make your home landscape more bird-friendly: https://caldwell.ces.ncsu.edu/2021/12/feed-the-birds/

Helpful information on grub control for turf grass: https://www.turffiles.ncsu.edu/insects/white-grubs-in-turf

Revisit some of our earlier blogs on fall planting: Starting Cool-Season Annuals for Early Spring Blooms; Garden Veggies Year Round: One Gardener’s Calendar; Best Practices: Planting Trees and Shrubs

Learn more about the advantages of planting in the fall: https://arboretum.ucdavis.edu/blog/5-reasons-why-fall-best-time-plant

For pro tips on dividing your perennials: https://forsyth.ces.ncsu.edu/2022/10/dividing-perennials

Edited by Melinda Heigel, NC State Extension Master GardenerSM volunteer of Durham County

Article Short Link: https://wp.me/p2nIr1-6ne