Berkley Tie Dye Pink problems

kenny_j · August 29, 2013

This year, and last, the only 2 yrs I have grown them, BTDP proved to be the best tasting tomato in my garden, even edging out my beloved Cowlicks. The problem is, only the first 2-3 fruit are this good, after that they just never ripen properly. They seem to be thin in leaves, so maybe it is sunscald hurting them. They ripen more orange on the bottom, and seem to rot before ready. I thought about shading the fruit some how after the first few, but never got around to doing it. Are there any tricks to help growing this variety better?

kj

b54red · August 29, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenny_j

This year, and last, the only 2 yrs I have grown them, BTDP proved to be the best tasting tomato in my garden, even edging out my beloved Cowlicks. The problem is, only the first 2-3 fruit are this good, after that they just never ripen properly. They seem to be thin in leaves, so maybe it is sunscald hurting them. They ripen more orange on the bottom, and seem to rot before ready. I thought about shading the fruit some how after the first few, but never got around to doing it. Are there any tricks to help growing this variety better?

kj

BTDP is one I grow every year and this year it has not done well at all. Usually it is one of the more dependable tomatoes I grow but for some reason this year the production was terrible. None of my black type varieties have done well this year except Indian Stripe pl which has done just okay.

Bill

RobinB · August 29, 2013

I've come to the conclusion that Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye (the "pink" goes first) doesn't do well in intense desert heat. I had better success last year than this one, but both years we had weeks of extreme heat and it just shut down. Most plants did stop doing much of anything, but it seemed to take PBTD longer to get over it. You're right though, it's a great tasting tomato. I'm not ready to give up on it, and plan to give it a shadier spot in the garden next year and see what happens.

matilda'skid · August 29, 2013

I like Black and Brown boar. This is my first year trying it. The fruit is small but it is productive. It is easier for me to tell when it is ripe than Green Zebra. My seeds of Berkley Tie Dye did not sprout for some reason. I have read good things about it but now I may just stick with Black and Brown Boar.

b54red · August 30, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobinB

I've come to the conclusion that Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye (the "pink" goes first) doesn't do well in intense desert heat. I had better success last year than this one, but both years we had weeks of extreme heat and it just shut down. Most plants did stop doing much of anything, but it seemed to take PBTD longer to get over it. You're right though, it's a great tasting tomato. I'm not ready to give up on it, and plan to give it a shadier spot in the garden next year and see what happens.

You might want to try something like Indian Stripe as it seems to fare much better in hot dry weather than most.

Bill

RobinB · August 30, 2013

Thanks, Bill. I was given some Indian Stripe seeds in a trade last year. I'll try that, but I haven't given up on Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye!

kenny_j · August 31, 2013

I got seed in a big trade 2 years ago, for Indian Stripe. I Had heard so many good things about it and was excited to try it. It was one of the worst tomatoes I grew last year, devoid of all flavor. I have come to the conclusion that there is a lot of wrong seed out there, so never give up on anything, just try another seed source. Black krim was another bad one last year, but I have read posts recently about best flavor being found before they look ripe. I grew a lot of darks last year, the 2 that did best for me were Vorlon, followed by Spudakee. I have several gardens, one a raised bed with one end that goes to shade after 1-2:00 PM, gonna try the PBTD in that spot. And one in full light and pick them at first blush to see if they ripen better in the house at constant temps.
Bill: I am surprised PBTD has done so well for you in the past in the Alabama heat, since I had thought too much sun was my problem. What kind of soil do you have it in? Do you pick early? Trying to figure out what ideal conditions are for this one, it is way too good to give up on.

kj

ginger2778 · August 31, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenny_j

I got seed in a big trade 2 years ago, for Indian Stripe. I Had heard so many good things about it and was excited to try it. It was one of the worst tomatoes I grew last year, devoid of all flavor. I have come to the conclusion that there is a lot of wrong seed out there, so never give up on anything, just try another seed source. Black krim was another bad one last year, but I have read posts recently about best flavor being found before they look ripe. I grew a lot of darks last year, the 2 that did best for me were Vorlon, followed by Spudakee. I have several gardens, one a raised bed with one end that goes to shade after 1-2:00 PM, gonna try the PBTD in that spot. And one in full light and pick them at first blush to see if they ripen better in the house at constant temps.
Bill: I am surprised PBTD has done so well for you in the past in the Alabama heat, since I had thought too much sun was my problem. What kind of soil do you have it in? Do you pick early? Trying to figure out what ideal conditions are for this one, it is way too good to give up on.

kj

Kenny, good to know about Vorlon, i am trialing it now. It had 60% germination as I just started my seeds last saturday. Is it productive? Did it get large for you?

Marsha

kenny_j · August 31, 2013

Marsha, Vorlon was as productive as most large slicer style beefsteaks I have grown, and flavor as good as any black I have grown, though that has not been that many, a dozen or so. I didn't start any this year, way too many blacks last year, this year was the Pinks for me. I had a return plant customer that was very disappointed that I had no Vorlons, said it was the best tomato he had ever eaten, He had bought some from me the year before, so I am definitely starting some next yr. Flavor not as good as my first few PBTD, but beats the rest that develop. I think they are a stabilized cross between Cherokee purple and Prudens purple, so the heritage speaks for itself. They are large, like other beefsteaks. Don't think they broke any records as I remember. I don't want overly huge, I'm always about the flavor.

b54red · August 31, 2013

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenny_j

I got seed in a big trade 2 years ago, for Indian Stripe. I Had heard so many good things about it and was excited to try it. It was one of the worst tomatoes I grew last year, devoid of all flavor. I have come to the conclusion that there is a lot of wrong seed out there, so never give up on anything, just try another seed source. Black krim was another bad one last year, but I have read posts recently about best flavor being found before they look ripe. I grew a lot of darks last year, the 2 that did best for me were Vorlon, followed by Spudakee. I have several gardens, one a raised bed with one end that goes to shade after 1-2:00 PM, gonna try the PBTD in that spot. And one in full light and pick them at first blush to see if they ripen better in the house at constant temps.
Bill: I am surprised PBTD has done so well for you in the past in the Alabama heat, since I had thought too much sun was my problem. What kind of soil do you have it in? Do you pick early? Trying to figure out what ideal conditions are for this one, it is way too good to give up on.

kj

BTDP is always one of the blacks that does best in the spring and fall so I assume from how it has done down here that it is not one that likes the hottest driest weather as many of the other blacks do. Black tomatoes are frequently much better tasting during times when the temps are high and the amount of rainfall is below normal for me. When rainfall is plentiful along with a lot of cloudy cooler weather I have found many of the black tomatoes to be fairly tasteless but as the season progresses and the weather heats up and dries up they change to something wonderful. This has been the worst year for black tomatoes since I started growing them and it has also been the wettest and coolest summer since I started growing them. On the other hand the large pink beefsteak types have done better this year than usual although during the time the rain was the heaviest there was a loss of flavor and some splitting to go along with the increase in foliage diseases.

Bill

pdxwindjammer · September 4, 2013

These are called Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, not Berkeley Tie Dye Pink. I think it is important to preserve the name correctly.

This is the second year I have planted this and now I am a true believer. It is one of my favorite, one of my earliest and one of my tastiest tomatoes. The tomatoes come in all sorts of sizes and shapes except for round! I have one that is 1.5 lbs but it is a donut with a hole in the middle that is touching on one end but with a slight opening.

They are so pretty! The plant is productive and compact. Keeping this one for next year!

August 29, 2013	#1
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	Berkley Tie Dye Pink problems This year, and last, the only 2 yrs I have grown them, BTDP proved to be the best tasting tomato in my garden, even edging out my beloved Cowlicks. The problem is, only the first 2-3 fruit are this good, after that they just never ripen properly. They seem to be thin in leaves, so maybe it is sunscald hurting them. They ripen more orange on the bottom, and seem to rot before ready. I thought about shading the fruit some how after the first few, but never got around to doing it. Are there any tricks to help growing this variety better? kj

August 31, 2013	#7
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	Indian Stripe I got seed in a big trade 2 years ago, for Indian Stripe. I Had heard so many good things about it and was excited to try it. It was one of the worst tomatoes I grew last year, devoid of all flavor. I have come to the conclusion that there is a lot of wrong seed out there, so never give up on anything, just try another seed source. Black krim was another bad one last year, but I have read posts recently about best flavor being found before they look ripe. I grew a lot of darks last year, the 2 that did best for me were Vorlon, followed by Spudakee. I have several gardens, one a raised bed with one end that goes to shade after 1-2:00 PM, gonna try the PBTD in that spot. And one in full light and pick them at first blush to see if they ripen better in the house at constant temps. Bill: I am surprised PBTD has done so well for you in the past in the Alabama heat, since I had thought too much sun was my problem. What kind of soil do you have it in? Do you pick early? Trying to figure out what ideal conditions are for this one, it is way too good to give up on. kj

August 31, 2013	#9
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	Marsha, Vorlon was as productive as most large slicer style beefsteaks I have grown, and flavor as good as any black I have grown, though that has not been that many, a dozen or so. I didn't start any this year, way too many blacks last year, this year was the Pinks for me. I had a return plant customer that was very disappointed that I had no Vorlons, said it was the best tomato he had ever eaten, He had bought some from me the year before, so I am definitely starting some next yr. Flavor not as good as my first few PBTD, but beats the rest that develop. I think they are a stabilized cross between Cherokee purple and Prudens purple, so the heritage speaks for itself. They are large, like other beefsteaks. Don't think they broke any records as I remember. I don't want overly huge, I'm always about the flavor. Last edited by kenny_j; August 31, 2013 at 07:38 PM. Reason: Add

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August 29, 2013	#3
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	I've come to the conclusion that Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye (the "pink" goes first) doesn't do well in intense desert heat. I had better success last year than this one, but both years we had weeks of extreme heat and it just shut down. Most plants did stop doing much of anything, but it seemed to take PBTD longer to get over it. You're right though, it's a great tasting tomato. I'm not ready to give up on it, and plan to give it a shadier spot in the garden next year and see what happens.

August 29, 2013	#4
matilda'skid Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Missouri Posts: 309	I like Black and Brown boar. This is my first year trying it. The fruit is small but it is productive. It is easier for me to tell when it is ripe than Green Zebra. My seeds of Berkley Tie Dye did not sprout for some reason. I have read good things about it but now I may just stick with Black and Brown Boar.

August 30, 2013	#6
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	Thanks, Bill. I was given some Indian Stripe seeds in a trade last year. I'll try that, but I haven't given up on Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye!

September 4, 2013	#11
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	These are called Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, not Berkeley Tie Dye Pink. I think it is important to preserve the name correctly. This is the second year I have planted this and now I am a true believer. It is one of my favorite, one of my earliest and one of my tastiest tomatoes. The tomatoes come in all sorts of sizes and shapes except for round! I have one that is 1.5 lbs but it is a donut with a hole in the middle that is touching on one end but with a slight opening. They are so pretty! The plant is productive and compact. Keeping this one for next year!