Here's what all I planted today...Brandywine, Pink Brandywine, Beefsteak, Ruby's Red German, German Red Strawberry, Bloody Butcher, Mortgage Lifter, Jubilee, Large Red Cherry, Yellow Pear, and Delicious.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

The Red Brandywine and Pink were both Burpees' Heirloom seed, the Brandywine was, unfortunately, Wal Mart, packed by Ferry Morse. I've grown Brandywine for several years now...I've had problems with weather and other factors for years, but I always get some fruit...last year was a really lousy year, lots of pests and lots of wet, warm humid weather in early summer...the Brandywines were vigorous enough to outgrow early blight, but they were favored by pests, especially stink bugs. I just love Brandywines, and will probably always grow them.
I think I'd better try those reds, John! I didn't know they had the standard leaf type.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

quote:

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Originally posted by peppereater:

I think I'd better try those reds, John! I didn't know they had the standard leaf type.

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Yeah, unfortunately, I've heard of many different little quirks with "seed rack" brandywines. There are strains of RB with potato leaf foliage, but they are not the true RB. You'll just have to grow all three and see what happens.

quote:

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Originally posted by peppereater:
Here's what all I planted today...Brandywine, Pink Brandywine, Beefsteak, Ruby's Red German, German Red Strawberry, Bloody Butcher, Mortgage Lifter, Jubilee, Large Red Cherry, Yellow Pear, and Delicious.

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Great list Dave. Are you sure that isn't Aunt Ruby's German Green? The one I sent you?

Here's my tentative grow list for this year...subject to change of course since I'm still a few weeks away from seed starting.

Aunt Ruby's German Green
Black From Tula
Brandywine OTV
Brandywine(Sudduth's)
Burracker's Favorite
Carbon
Cherokee Purple
Debbie
Earl's Faux
Ernesto
Green Grape
Grub's Mystery Green
Kimberly
Lillian's Yellow
Little Lucky
Lucky Cross
Mama Leone
Milka's Red Bulgarian
Mortgage Lifter(Estler's)
Neves Azorean Red
Noire De Crimee
Omar's Lebanese
Opalka
Picardy
Prue
Ramapo F4
Rinaldo
Stump of the World
Sungold F1
Tidwell German
Todd County Amish
Wes

Containers:
Citron Compact
Lime Green Salad
Lucky Leprechaun
New Big Dwarf
Silvery Fir Tree
Taxi
Victorian Dwarf

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John - Zone 6

Dave, don't be misled, LOL. I've only grown hybrids up until now. This will be my first year growing OP tomatoes. Since last summer I have been swept up in this addiction. So much so that I have taken dozens of trees down on my property to make more room for additional raised beds, collected nearly 100 varieties of OP tomatoes, am in the process of building a seed starting area in my basement and practiced saving tomato seed with store bought fruit! I have also read almost everything there is to read on the subject.

I know, I know...

I have plans for about 50 plants or so. Last year I grew 12-15 plants of early girl, big beef, better boy, sweet 100 and grape. Most of my extra food I brought to a local soup kitchen, which I will do the same this year.

But hey, if you'd like to show up you're more than welcome, LOL.

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John - Zone 6

I've not grown brandywine from seed,but HAVE grown brandywine from an actual plant& a few stem cuttings.I lived Z7 then in Whitehouse TX.I had elderly neighbors& Mr Tom grew only brandywine& we're from seed originally from his dads plants.I actually don't find the brandywine plants this far,but love their taste.I also would not know the differance about the leaves.....but john is more than welcome to post pictures when he gets them(hint,hint) I grew juliblee once,but it didn;t really thrive.Mr Tom then gave me the story on his brandywines& dug me small plant& I rooted a few of its lower branches.He surrounds his tomato beds with black eyes susans...just picture a 4 ft wide field around a 50x50 tomato patch.He claimed it deteered critters.

I'm trying growing from seed this year.I have 2 lil 4 pack trays.one is the store mater I just got& the other is a cherry tomato...someone stepped on it in store so I scooped it into a plastic baggie and shoved in pocket& sowed it.I grew a great "unknown plant" from some July 4th cookout scraps.I dumped the watermelon seeds& tomato scraps in the road......and a tomato plant grew.It did pretty good,was tasty& had enough shelter from woods that it made it through 2 frosts before a good one got it.

I like early girl& am growing it again this year...this will be one of my keepers as it will still put out when it gets real hot&muggy here.I'm also growing early boy& better boy.I THOUGHT I was gonna buy a cherry tomato type but the veggies had been quiet wiped out by time I got there...so hopeing they get more. Celiberty don't do well when it heats up.It just sits there from Mid June till late aug,but ole Rita sure perked it up& I don't know WHO recomended it to me but was a replacement for brandywine(it don't taste like it,but is about the size of it& sorry,but brandywine just walked all over it production wise)

Pepper...if any do well produceing in the heat...be sure and let me know& good luck with brandywine seeds.i'll be watching......

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I will age ungracefully until I become an old woman in a small garden..doing whatever the Hell I want!

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quote:

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Originally posted by peppereater:

So you're sharing seed you bought?

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Yup. Bought and traded for. I hope you don't mind. I only need a couple plants of each, so 5-10 seeds for myself will be more than enough until I can save my own seed. I'm happy to do it.

I can't wait to start my own seed soon.

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John - Zone 6

Thanks for the offer Dave. Bloody Butcher is one on my list of wants that I don't have yet.

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John - Zone 6

quote:

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Originally posted by tkhooper:
Now I know that I'm well within the range of normal lol.

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Give it time TK....give it time. lol Before you know it...

quote:

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Originally posted by tkhooper:
I think giving your extra produce to a soup kitchen is just wonderful.

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Thanks. Last year I started bringing my 3 year old son with me. I just can't see throwing good food away or into the compost pile.

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John - Zone 6

I just found this picture today while I was labelling photos from the garden for a project. I'm still learning how to post pictures so I'll give this a shot. Forgive me if it's huge, that's usually my biggest problem.



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I'm growing Cherokee Purple for the first time this year on strong recommendations from long-time heirloom growers. I have a special fondness for 'black' tomatoes - they taste rich, almost smoky to me. Green Zebra has gotten the nod 3 years in a row in our garden. We wouldn't be without it for the tang it lends to salads with vinaigrette dressings. Yellow Pear, on the other hand..how can I say this tactfully...it's prolific, I'll say that much for it, but it lacks flavour. There are many other yellow cherry tomatoes that outshine this one by a huge margin.

OP stands for Open-Pollinated. This means that the tomatoes are not a hybrid and will breed true if they are saved from year to year, isolated by distance or mechanical means (such as bags over the blossoms). OP is not synonymous, however, with heirloom. Heirloom refers to plants which have been passed down from generation to generation, oftentimes within a family, but not a requirement. Cherokee Purple is an heirloom, while Green Zebra is a created creature of purposeful crossing, then stabilizing over several growing seasons.

It certainly is hard to dry tomato seeds if the gel around them is present. Squish them into a small container such as a washed-out yogurt container until the volume is at least half full. Let that sit for 5 days or so until it forms a thick fungal mat on top. Gently pour off this mat, being careful not to pour out the seeds with it. Pour in fresh water, rinse carefully, and repeat until you have clear water and clean seeds in the bottom of your container. Pour out your seeds onto a paper plate (don't use plastic). Spread the seeds out as best you can to form a single layer and keep out of direct sunlight to dry thoroughly. The paper will absorb the excess water and your seeds will dry more quickly without sticking to the plate like they would if you used paper towels.

Buona Fortuna,
Julianna

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Julianna, yes, I got the seeds yesterday! Thank you so much, and let me brag on you...
Julianna not only sent me the Black Plum I asked for, as a bonus, she also sent me Green Zebra and Plum Lemon, aka Wonder Lights! Very generous of you, Julianna!

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

quote:

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Originally posted by johnCT:

Dave, where ya gonna find room for those? LOL

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Uhhhh....

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

I bet they do fine.

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John - Zone 6

And weezie...The ones I found....in the garage...on a shelf with CB radios,battery operated air compressors,car radios.. was marked 1997 lot 2 and I just sowed them for the Hell of it.They sprouted as did the peas(a sugar pea) and soy bean& that was winter sowed.

I just love that tomato picture.thats a nice sized huge tomato ya got in the mix.whats the red one directly center front of sunflower?And how they do on the vine,do you have to tie them?

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I will age ungracefully until I become an old woman in a small garden..doing whatever the Hell I want!

http://community.webshots.com/user/njoynit03
http://community.webshots.com/user/njoynit
http://photos.yahoo.com/njoynit03

Sorellina , thank you for the info.

Weezie, do you like the Yellow Pear. Taste wise?

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http://www.picturetrail.com/bestofour

Hey Weezie, the term "Heirloom" is pretty loosely defined. Some confuse "Open Pollinated" with "Heirloom", but as most people understand it, I would say yes, those would be considered heirlooms.



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John - Zone 6

Where other than ordering can you buy heirloom tomato plants?

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