# Tomato varieties 'Porter' vs. 'Porter's Pride' or 'Improved'



## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

GGGgggrrrrr!!! This is really getting my goat!! 

I'd like to acquire seed for the tomato variety 'Porter'. Now many many years ago, I bought seed from the long-since defunct Porter and Sons Seedsmen in Stephenville, Tx., right from the source of where it was developed. The plants bore fruit that was about the size and roughly the shape of an egg, and was dark pinkish red, definitely more pink than red. Plants bore incredible amounts of fruit.

NOW. What I am seeing as photos in catalogs are for varieties called, variously, 'Porter', 'Porter's Pride' or 'Improved Porter'. The descriptions and photos show a round, red, 3 or 4 oz. tomato that in NO WAY resemble Porter. The original Porter, which as I stated, I bought from the developer of that variety at the place it was bred, in no way resembled what is being sold as 'Porter' today. I understand that there was indeed a 'Porter's Improved' bred, but I don't want that variety. I want the original form. 

I cannot, for the life of me, find the original Porter, and it's really griping me. I saved my own seed for many years but lost some seeds once when the crisper drawer of the refrigerator I was using had milk spilled down in it and I didn't find out about it until it was too late to salvage anything. 

Anyone know where to find the original Porter? I've tried Baker Creek, Totally Tomatoes, Tomato Growers Supply, Terretorial, Pinetree Gardens, etc etc etc.


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## katydidagain (Jun 11, 2004)

Is this them? http://www.reimerseeds.com/porter-tomato.aspx


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## geo in mi (Nov 14, 2008)

How about?

http://www.reimerseeds.com/porter-tomato.aspx

Or:

http://store.tomatofest.com/Porter_Tomato_Seeds_p/tf-0398m.htm

Or:

http://www.gardenofcures.com/page/page/4621296.htm

Maybe:

http://oaktreeseed.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=25_61&products_id=371

A lot of variation, huh? Or bad photography? I think I'd go with a couple of sources and compare....

geo


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

Thanks guys, I'll research these tonight. I swear if I ever get the correct Porters growing again, I will NEVER lose the seed again!!! They do extremely well here, give just tons of fruit that aren't large but have a good taste and are very versatile.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

I grew what was supposed to be Porter this year and also didn't believe it to be correct. Thus there were no seeds saved. Seems that there are at least 2 of the Porters being marketed as the same variety. Porter's Improved, Porter's Pride, and Porter's Pride Improved are red. Porter is pink and comes in both plum and round shapes. That's probably the one you want. If you find a red Porter, it ain't the one. I know that Glenn Drowns at Sand Hill Preservation has the right one. 

www.sandhillpreservation.com/ 

I note that Sand Hill lists Porter as "deep pink, oblong, large cherry, sweet, productive." 

Martin


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

Thanks! The ones I used to grow were I guess 'plum' shaped; definitely not round or generically 'tomato' shaped at all, and clearly more pink than red. 

I got suckered and bought so-called 'Porter' at the dreaded Wally World a few years back, got all excited for nothing. It was not the original Porter.


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## SuburbanHermett (Jan 12, 2009)

I found a deep pink egg shaped tomato called Porter at this site and thought of this thread:

http://www.skyfiregardenseeds.com/#Tomatoes

30 seeds for $2. Shipping is $0.20 per pack with a handling fee of $2 per order (no matter how big).


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Ok, this maybe explains my experience with some tomato called Porter few years back. Had no idea there were multiple different Porters out there. What genius decided to give multiple tomatoes same name? 

I had been looking for heat/drought tolerant tomato and Porter got mentioned. Well it didnt even grow enough to produce anything whereas the yellow pear tomatoes I had planted for many years do survive summer drought and at least produce some most years. 

Not going to make a special order this year but if I run across a pkt or whoever I order from next year has them, will try again. And I'll make sure its the egg shaped pink one. Why not rename it Porter's Pink Egg or something to differentiate it?


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

HermitJohn said:


> Ok, this maybe explains my experience with some tomato called Porter few years back. Had no idea there were multiple different Porters out there. What genius decided to give multiple tomatoes same name?


Porter named them and didn't give multiple tomatoes the same name. Only the first one was named was Porter. All later new ones were given different Porter names. It's the growers who dropped the second names and simply called them Porter. 

Martin


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

Heh. I like "Porter's Pink Egg" I'm betting that would be a good marketing scheme to boot. Sounds like a good tomato for a children's garden with that moniker.


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Paquebot said:


> Porter named them and didn't give multiple tomatoes the same name. Only the first one was named was Porter. All later new ones were given different Porter names. It's the growers who dropped the second names and simply called them Porter.
> 
> Martin


So their were multiple geniuses! But still its a bit like naming all your kids John and then differentiating them as John One Smith, John Two Smith, John Improved Smith, John Ugly Smith, John Prettyboy Smith, etc..... And when they have to interface with govt or corporate burocracy, they ALL become "Smith, John"!!!

Somehow bit more thought about marketing should have been involved.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

olivehill said:


> Heh. I like "Porter's Pink Egg" I'm betting that would be a good marketing scheme to boot. Sounds like a good tomato for a children's garden with that moniker.


Changing names to create a "new" variety was often done in the early days of mail order sales but has been forbidden since sometime in 1940s. Some Internet companies have been accused of it in recent years but nobody can prove it without a DNA analysis. Any guilt has to be proven by the accuser and so far nobody has done that.

As for naming a series by an individual, there are at least 6 Livingston's currently available, 3 red, 2 pink, and a yellow. 

Martin


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

Paquebot said:


> As for naming a series by an individual, there are at least 6 Livingston's currently available, 3 red, 2 pink, and a yellow.
> 
> Martin


Dr. Livingston, I presume?


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## olivehill (Aug 17, 2009)

How retouched is the color in that photo, HJ? 

I don't grow pink varieties as a rule because to me they tend to just look like under ripe tomatoes. If this one is actually a really vibrant pink however...


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

olivehill said:


> I don't grow pink varieties as a rule because to me they tend to just look like under ripe tomatoes. If this one is actually a really vibrant pink however...


When you see a pink tomato, that's the color of the flesh inside. The skin color is what makes the difference between red and pink tomatoes. Red tomatoes have red skins while pink tomatoes have clear skin.

Martin


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## HermitJohn (May 10, 2002)

olivehill said:


> How retouched is the color in that photo, HJ?
> 
> I don't grow pink varieties as a rule because to me they tend to just look like under ripe tomatoes. If this one is actually a really vibrant pink however...


I didnt retouch it, but it looks retouched, kinda like they used to do in the old style seed catalogs. I've never seen an actual pink tomato that looked like that.

I imagine it looks more like this:










But then I've never seen a Porter up close and personal, need to get comment from original poster who apparently is very familiar with them. For me personally, I dont much care what it looks like if it can produce here without lots of babying. And if it tastes good. I always liked the Roma type tomato and this appears to be that size/shape though not a paste tomato. Its probably not first choice if I lived someplace I could grow any kind of tomato I wanted.


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## Kstornado11 (Mar 17, 2006)

Good luck! Hopefully in a few months you will be eating them & reporting back on to us on their taste & etc! :thumb:


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## JuliaAnn (Dec 7, 2004)

Saw my thread had come back up.

Fortunately, I HAD some of the original Porter seed in my extensive stash. ONLY 6 seed in a pack dated 2005, but by golly each and every one of them sprouted and are now really healthy seedlings. Phew. I don't know how I overlooked them in my stash, but did.

As for the hot pink tomatoes in the photo...... uh, no. That photo is definitely altered. I've grown a lot of different tomatoes in my life, but I've never seen one that looks like that. And it seems to be more elongated than the original Porter. But they are not as washed-out looking as in the second photo, either. They are a bit more pink than that. However, that is the correct shape and size. They aren't like a Roma at all, meaning they aren't for canning. We just use them fresh. 

I'll defintely maintain seed purity this year. I don't want to lose my Porter. Plus, with the sticker shock I got on seed this year, I am going to have to be more diligent about saving my own seed.


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