Lucky Tiger -- Farmer/Breeder 2015 select - Page 2

Fred Hempel · August 25, 2015

These plants are "wispy", as well as Blush. They often look weak and fragile, and then produce like crazy. Unfortunately, I think many people pull them before they get their chance.

Which means that I need to do a better job describing the varieties (on seed packets, websites etc.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

Ii have to say I thought Lucky and Green tiger were not going to make it, but they have absolutely morphed into huge masses of stems and leaves and fruit. And I've noticed that the stems just bend and wind their way, they don't break or snap. it's like an endless tomato plant!

SharonRossy · August 25, 2015

I agree, because I honestly thought they were going to expire, and then, bam! Mind you I find they are taking their time ripening. And because the foliage has gotten so dense, I'm sure there are loads inside I can't find!

Fred Hempel · August 26, 2015

The question is: Is wispiness linked to the flavor in Maglia Rosa, Blush and Lucky Tiger?

It seems like it is no accident that when I selected for flavor, it often seemed to correspond with wispiness.

With Sunrise Bumblebee (essentially a round Blush with "normal" foliage) we have very good flavor, and not wispiness. But, is it as good as Blush?

From trials this summer, it seems that Blush often grades out above Sunrise Bumblebee -- even with it's weird shape, and wispiness. It might be better flavor-wise, although I am very happy with Sunrise Bumblebee.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SharonRossy

I agree, because I honestly thought they were going to expire, and then, bam! Mind you I find they are taking their time ripening. And because the foliage has gotten so dense, I'm sure there are loads inside I can't find!

NarnianGarden · August 26, 2015

Pink Tiger also looked quite sickly in the beginning, and it still looks a bit weird - albeit healthy. The unique look hasn't hampered with its productivity.
The only thing is, the skins are quite thick even when the fruits are bursting with juiciness... which might be a positive or undesirable trait, depending on the eater.

SharonRossy · August 26, 2015

NG, I agree the skins are quite thick which is another factor in determining ripeness.
Fred, I grew out Sunrise BB but gave them away so I can't judge taste and I didn't have Blush to try. I also grew out PBB but again, gave the plants away. Only so much space and time! I'm looking forward to growing MR next year.
The wispiness reminded me of heart tomatoes which always look like their on life support. My son, who grows out many of my seedlings asked me about the artisan plants because he was worried about how spindly they looked compared to my other plants. I reassured him that it was particular to those plants, not how I grew them out, lol! He loves them, and because of him that I got the seeds. Last year, he went to the farmers market and saw them and bought them, in spite of all the tomatoes the two of us were growing. He loved them.

NarnianGarden · August 26, 2015

Yes, the thick skins mean they're easier to store and transport, which is good news for market vendors. One doesn't have to worry about splitting, even amidst of rain. It's amazing how well they keep. I much prefer that to the infamous SunGold, which likes to burst open anytime...

SharonRossy · August 26, 2015

Actually, I started growing sunsugar which I prefer over SunGold, both for taste and more resistant against splitting. Some one gave me seeds for a german OP called sol guld and the fruit are quite large, and not quite as sweet as sunsugar. Could be the growing conditions, not sure. Not a tall plant and it acts like a semi determinant. Not sure I'll grow it next year.
I can see how the artisans hold up well.

charline · August 26, 2015

I prefer Sunrise bumblebee to Blush. I was excited to grow and taste Blush but was a little disappointed. It had not much flavor. It was grown under the same conditions as SBB, in 30 liter containers.
today a friend was here and tasted cherries and almost spat out SBB ! I was shocked because I love it...... he didnt like it at all but liked Blush.

sfoeyl · August 26, 2015

I'm in a warmer "over the hills" site. However the rest of my family have grown Blush and the BB in Alameda and San Mateo.

sfoeyl · August 26, 2015

If I had only one space for a plant and my choice is either Blush or Sunrise BB, the Blush will get the space. Blush is the best. Even people who don't eat raw tomato says Blush taste the best.

Starlight · September 2, 2015

I've grown both and tasted both. It is hard to decide. For me each tomato has its own unique properties.

If I am in the mood for a quick, sweet snack, I'll go for the Sunrise Bumblebee. Kids around the neighborhood liked them in little snack cups too. Mine had a good type of sweetness to them. Not so sweet that you wanted to spit it out.

Now Blush for me as been a very interesting plant. This is the first year I grew it. First surprise was the shape. Reminded me of little fat party sausages. The next thing that registered with me was the skin. Here Blush grew with almost a thin, see through type of skin with faint red streaks. First look at it and I thought, to myself I hope I don't squish these guys, only to find they are alot firmer than they look.

Taste for me with Blush was perfect. Sweet, but not too sweet, with a real tomato taste mixed in. Was nice to eat alone, in a salad and on sandwiches.

As far as the Blush plant itself goes. I'm having a hard time killing it. The plants produced beautifully through 4, now going on 5 months of 100+ heat, humidity and drought conditions. It has produced constantly and just about as fast as I pick a cluster more is coming on. I really liked how it made nice clusters all relatively same size and ripeness at once.

So back to plant. Only real problem I had was my flea beetles liked it and it seemed to enjoy a tad bit more fertilizer than some of the other plants.

Weatherman said still more months of heat and humidity. I decided I wasn't going to worry about a fall crop and dealing with late blights and such. So I have been withholding water to the containers of plants I consider finished for this year. Basically Blush has only been getting what little bit has come from pop up showers, but it has been enough . Most all the leaves are dried and curled up the stem just kind of hanging there, but darn if Blush isn't making more tomatoes. It refuses to quit.

Fred Hempel · September 2, 2015

Thanks for the kind words about Blush, Starlight.

I am giving a talk today at Oracle to a bunch of techies, and the story of how we developed Blush is the main topic.

Now I can go forth with confidence that we really did something worth talking about!

heirloomtomaguy · September 2, 2015

Good luck with Oracle today Fred. Hopefully the techies can speak tomato!

SharonRossy · September 3, 2015

Alli can say is LT and GT don't quit. Despite crispy leaves they both keep producing. It's incredible. And the stems never break. It's been an eye opener.

Fred Hempel · October 20, 2015

The latest:

1. I made final selections for the Lucky Tiger project -- and I will get the seeds out to people in the next week or so.

2. I have been really happy with Green Tiger this year. Instead of growing equal amounts of all the Artisan cherry tomatoes, I grew more Sunrise BB and less Green Tiger. Without the daunting task of picking lots of Green Tiger, my customers and I were better able to appreciate Green Tiger as a "complimentary" variety that was relatively rare in mixes.

September 2, 2015	#28
heirloomtomaguy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2013 Location: glendora ca Posts: 2,560	Good luck with Oracle today Fred. Hopefully the techies can speak tomato! __________________ “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it."

August 25, 2015	#17
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	I agree, because I honestly thought they were going to expire, and then, bam! Mind you I find they are taking their time ripening. And because the foliage has gotten so dense, I'm sure there are loads inside I can't find!

August 26, 2015	#19
NarnianGarden Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Finland, EU Posts: 2,550	Pink Tiger also looked quite sickly in the beginning, and it still looks a bit weird - albeit healthy. The unique look hasn't hampered with its productivity. The only thing is, the skins are quite thick even when the fruits are bursting with juiciness... which might be a positive or undesirable trait, depending on the eater.

August 26, 2015	#23
charline Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: France Posts: 688	I prefer Sunrise bumblebee to Blush. I was excited to grow and taste Blush but was a little disappointed. It had not much flavor. It was grown under the same conditions as SBB, in 30 liter containers. today a friend was here and tasted cherries and almost spat out SBB ! I was shocked because I love it...... he didnt like it at all but liked Blush.

August 26, 2015	#24
sfoeyl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: bay area Posts: 102	I'm in a warmer "over the hills" site. However the rest of my family have grown Blush and the BB in Alameda and San Mateo.

September 2, 2015	#26
Starlight Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: AL Posts: 1,993	I've grown both and tasted both. It is hard to decide. For me each tomato has its own unique properties. If I am in the mood for a quick, sweet snack, I'll go for the Sunrise Bumblebee. Kids around the neighborhood liked them in little snack cups too. Mine had a good type of sweetness to them. Not so sweet that you wanted to spit it out. Now Blush for me as been a very interesting plant. This is the first year I grew it. First surprise was the shape. Reminded me of little fat party sausages. The next thing that registered with me was the skin. Here Blush grew with almost a thin, see through type of skin with faint red streaks. First look at it and I thought, to myself I hope I don't squish these guys, only to find they are alot firmer than they look. Taste for me with Blush was perfect. Sweet, but not too sweet, with a real tomato taste mixed in. Was nice to eat alone, in a salad and on sandwiches. As far as the Blush plant itself goes. I'm having a hard time killing it. The plants produced beautifully through 4, now going on 5 months of 100+ heat, humidity and drought conditions. It has produced constantly and just about as fast as I pick a cluster more is coming on. I really liked how it made nice clusters all relatively same size and ripeness at once. So back to plant. Only real problem I had was my flea beetles liked it and it seemed to enjoy a tad bit more fertilizer than some of the other plants. Weatherman said still more months of heat and humidity. I decided I wasn't going to worry about a fall crop and dealing with late blights and such. So I have been withholding water to the containers of plants I consider finished for this year. Basically Blush has only been getting what little bit has come from pop up showers, but it has been enough . Most all the leaves are dried and curled up the stem just kind of hanging there, but darn if Blush isn't making more tomatoes. It refuses to quit.

September 2, 2015	#27
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	Thanks for the kind words about Blush, Starlight. I am giving a talk today at Oracle to a bunch of techies, and the story of how we developed Blush is the main topic. Now I can go forth with confidence that we really did something worth talking about!

September 3, 2015	#29
SharonRossy Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Montreal Posts: 1,140	Alli can say is LT and GT don't quit. Despite crispy leaves they both keep producing. It's incredible. And the stems never break. It's been an eye opener.

October 20, 2015	#30
Fred Hempel Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Sunol, CA Posts: 2,723	The latest: 1. I made final selections for the Lucky Tiger project -- and I will get the seeds out to people in the next week or so. 2. I have been really happy with Green Tiger this year. Instead of growing equal amounts of all the Artisan cherry tomatoes, I grew more Sunrise BB and less Green Tiger. Without the daunting task of picking lots of Green Tiger, my customers and I were better able to appreciate Green Tiger as a "complimentary" variety that was relatively rare in mixes.