What shape is this?

jcmorse33 · August 31, 2009

Blunt heart? Double heart? Something else?

This is a collection of fruit harvested from a plant I grew out from seed saved from a farmer's market tomato that the seller was calling West Virginia Centennial... which clearly is not WV '63 but is something else. Big (up to 27 oz so far), pink, meaty, juicy, and very good. Oh yeah, the black fruit in the last picture is a Spudakee. Also a new favorite.

--Justin

**carolyn137** · August 31, 2009

Justin, it almost resembles the blunt heart shape of the variety Wes, but Wes has more of a heart shape to it and the ribbing at the shoulders is not Wes-like either.

I'd save seeds from what you might think ist a heart and see what happens next year. And some varieties do show a bit of elongation at the blossom end due to weather, so that's another possibility as well.

How many plants did you put out and how many gave all the pinks?

if it was sold as WVCentennial, which is surely isn't, I don't know any way that it can be IDed to variety.

If just one plant, especially, and your saved seeds were F2's, it would take more plants to know if it's a genetcially stable known variety or a possible cross.

mjc · August 31, 2009

I concur....it is NOT WV '63/Centennial...

It looks a lot more like the 'generic' beefsteaks they sell around here.

I usually get my Centennials from a local nursery who get their seed directly from WVU, but this year they sold out early, so I got seed directly from WVU, myself...but not in time to grow any out. I have one trade pack left (I asked for 30 seeds they sent me a tablespoon)...so if you want the real thing, PM me.

jcmorse33 · August 31, 2009

Carolyn -- I only grew out a single plant myself so I'll definitely have to make room for a few more next year to get a better idea of stability (though all 4 seedlings which I started looked identical). I did share seed with Gary Millwood when he requested a few last year when I posted in the general forum about the farmer's market tomato. Hopefully he will be able to let me know if he grew any out and how they did.

mjc -- Thank you for the offer but given my limited space I don't see myself getting around to trying the real WV'63 for at least a few years. I only grew this one out because I liked the original tomato that I saved the seed from so much.

--Justin

August 31, 2009	#2
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	Justin, it almost resembles the blunt heart shape of the variety Wes, but Wes has more of a heart shape to it and the ribbing at the shoulders is not Wes-like either. I'd save seeds from what you might think ist a heart and see what happens next year. And some varieties do show a bit of elongation at the blossom end due to weather, so that's another possibility as well. How many plants did you put out and how many gave all the pinks? if it was sold as WVCentennial, which is surely isn't, I don't know any way that it can be IDed to variety. If just one plant, especially, and your saved seeds were F2's, it would take more plants to know if it's a genetcially stable known variety or a possible cross. __________________ Carolyn

August 31, 2009	#3
mjc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: WV Posts: 603	I concur....it is NOT WV '63/Centennial... It looks a lot more like the 'generic' beefsteaks they sell around here. I usually get my Centennials from a local nursery who get their seed directly from WVU, but this year they sold out early, so I got seed directly from WVU, myself...but not in time to grow any out. I have one trade pack left (I asked for 30 seeds they sent me a tablespoon)...so if you want the real thing, PM me.

August 31, 2009	#4
jcmorse33 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Central Virginia Posts: 242	Carolyn -- I only grew out a single plant myself so I'll definitely have to make room for a few more next year to get a better idea of stability (though all 4 seedlings which I started looked identical). I did share seed with Gary Millwood when he requested a few last year when I posted in the general forum about the farmer's market tomato. Hopefully he will be able to let me know if he grew any out and how they did. mjc -- Thank you for the offer but given my limited space I don't see myself getting around to trying the real WV'63 for at least a few years. I only grew this one out because I liked the original tomato that I saved the seed from so much. --Justin