Mat-Su Express variety

[Yak54]

I just wonder what ever happened to the variety Mat-su express that was being developed 3 or 4 years ago. Haven't heard about any new developments that were going on as to the different types of fruit that were coming out of the different plants. Last I remember there were Plant A type & Plant B type. What is the final outcome of this development. I'm always looking for really excellent tasting tomatoes and if I recall this one showed great promise as a possibility to be an excellent tasting tomato. I seem to recall that one of it's desired characteristic's was that it be an early maturing variety. I stopped growing early maturing varieties almost 20 years ago cause I never found one that measured up in the taste department. So these days I only grow varieties that mature in 70 days or more for the best tasting varieties. But maybe I should try Mat-su Express.
Anyone out there that can give any update if this variety has been stabilized and finished in it's development ? I'm all ears !

Dan

[AKmark]

Its alive and well and is about f14 in some families. The best two are MSE and MSE P-41 (5) There are 8 varieties in the MS series as of now, we sell them through our retail GH as plant starts.

We did release MSE to Ted Maiden who owns Muddy Bucket Farms, he sells it at Heritage Seeds. We have also been approached by a couple large seed vendors to release the series. I have learned to be patient when tinkering with lines and watch what you release.

Probably next Summer-ish I will send a TV person some seed to distribute and will note more about our projects up here on the 62nd. We are very busy, we are in a COVID related labor crunch. Be patient, I'll get some fun stuff out.

I have also been tinkering with the so called cold tolerant Russian Determinates. With some I have saved seed yearly for 10 years in our cold climate, they certainly seem to be adapting.

Anyway, I sell a couple thousand MSE seasonally, they are a real hit around here, we will take care of the seed issue in time.

[Yak54]

Hi Mark

So out of the 8 varieties the best ones are MSE & MSE P-41. What is the main differences and how do they compare for taste ? And I see Mat-Su Express seed on the Muddy Bucket Farm catalog but it doesn't say anything about which specific variety it might be. Thanks.

Dan

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by Yak54

Hi Mark

So out of the 8 varieties the best ones are MSE & MSE P-41. What is the main differences and how do they compare for taste ? And I see Mat-Su Express seed on the Muddy Bucket Farm catalog but it doesn't say anything about which specific variety it might be. Thanks.

Dan

Those two are the best lines of MS- E. The others are Mat-Su Small Pink, Small Red, Old School, Lemon Drop, Hippie Red, Hippie Chocolate, Backcross, Early Orange, etc, etc. These are or will become part of the Mat-Su Tomato Series.

Over the years we trialed a thousand or so heirlooms, and crossed a few of them to early season varieties then stabilized them on taste, production, fruit quality, in a GH in Alaska.

Its just a part of our business but is a fun one. I'll get you guys seed this year to tinker with.

P-41(5) Is a selection off of plant 41 in the 5 th generation. Labeled so I can remember. Its F9 now I think

[hl2601]

Super interesting Mark. Mat-Su Express did well for me in Denver. We have those extreme temps and short seasons. I bet those other Mat-Su s will be winners too!