Berkeley Tie Dye

[b54red]

I have never grown Berkley Tie Dye before and don't know what to expect; but I am very impressed with it's disease tolerance. Out of over 100 plants both heirloom and hybrid the two BTDs are the best looking plants, without a trace of any problems. I don't know whether they are regular or pink because I got them in trade and lost my notes after I started the seed. They seem a little slower to set fruit than most and they don't appear to be setting a great number; but if they can maintain their health and the tomatoes are good I'll be planting a lot more of them next year. If anyone has experience with this variety I would be thankful for any knowledge you can share.

[PaulF]

My experience in Nebraska may not help in Alabama, but my BTD was a bit more tolerant than the other plants. The fruit did take longer to begin producing than most of the other varieties I grew, but when it started, it really did well. The fruits were almost all in the 8 to 10 ounce range and the flavor was excellent. As the summer went on, the fruit got smaller (but then so does every other variety here). It was still going strong when I started cleaning up the garden and pulled the plug. The colors in mine were not as striking as those in the Boar Farms photos, but still had plenty of color.

[snappybob]

I've got two BTD that I grew from seed that I got from last years SETTFest. I scooped the seeds from a tomato that was a BTD but I seem to remember some question about it's authenticity. The plants are markedly smaller than the rest of my plants and I was beginning to wonder if they would put on any fruit. They are setting fruit quite nicley now and I can't wait to see the resulting fruit. I purchased some BTD seed from Boar Farms a few weeks ago and will try planting some from those seeds next year and possibly some from the seeds from this years fruit.

[Suze]

Originally Posted by snappybob

I've got two BTD that I grew from seed that I got from last years SETTFest. I scooped the seeds from a tomato that was a BTD but I seem to remember some question about it's authenticity. The plants are markedly smaller than the rest of my plants and I was beginning to wonder if they would put on any fruit. They are setting fruit quite nicley now and I can't wait to see the resulting fruit. I purchased some BTD seed from Boar Farms a few weeks ago and will try planting some from those seeds next year and possibly some from the seeds from this years fruit.

BTD Pink is on the compact side, so maybe that's what you have. BTD Red (recently named as such) is another one I brought, but the plants are larger.

I don't think anyone brought BTD (the original, mostly green one).

Originally Posted by b54red

I have never grown Berkley Tie Dye before and don't know what to expect

BTD Pink is a favorite for flavor, and the plants tend to be compact as I mentioned above. BTD is a larger plant, and good for a mostly green (and striped) tomato.

[b54red]

My plant is quite large, over 5 ft. tall and about 4ft wide and just started setting fruit about 10 days ago. I guess I'll have to wait for one to ripen to see what I have. Thanks for the information on the varieties.

[desertlzbn]

How do you know when they are ripe? I have one that is pretty big, but green with darkish stripes.

[b54red]

Originally Posted by desertlzbn

How do you know when they are ripe? I have one that is pretty big, but green with darkish stripes.

I'm having the same dilemma and I don't even know which BTD I have. I guess I'll just wait til one starts to feel ripe and try it.

[Fert1]

I am growing BTD for the first time this year. My plant is just in the early stages of setting fruit, but it seems to be setting quite a lot. It is growing in a large pot, and my potted plants do seem to be more productive than ones grown in the ground. So far so good.

[platys]

My BTD is probably the slowest of all my plants. However, it was also one of my smallest transplants. But, the Paul Robeson that was about the same size has outpaced it.

Now that it has warmed up, it looks like its finally starting to grow. It really seemed to dislike colder temps and lots of rain.

[Fert1]

My BTD has set LOTS of fruit, but I noticed today that a good many of them seem to be getting Blossom End Rot. We have had a LOT of rain lately, but so far that is the only plant that seems to be suffering from it. Anyone else have BER problems with BTD?

[Timmah!]

You say this BTD is in a pot. Is it possible that it is transpiring alot of water? Do you have it mulched?

[b54red]

Oops, I found the seed packet that I received in trade and it said what I have is BTD pink. The plant is now very large and is now setting fruit like crazy. It shouldn't be long til I get a ripe one with the warm weather we're having now. It is still amazingly disease free. I have had some leaves die but only from lack of sunshine in the middle of the plant. Keeping my fingers crossed that the fusarium or TSWV won't strike it as they have so many others.

[Fert1]

I don't think the pot is drying out as it has been raining almost constantly here for the last week or so. I think if anything too much water is the problem. I just wondered if BTD was more prone to BER than other varieites, since it is the only one so far to develop this problem. (knocking on wood)

[b54red]

I have two BTDs and both are setting fruit like mad and neither have had any BER and we have had a lot of rain the past two weeks. Despite other diseases attacking my plants I have been lucky with BER this year. I have only had one single tomato show any signs of BER and that was a Cuostralee.

[Bama mater]

b54red, I'm in North Ala, (Huntsville) I grew both BTD and Pink BTD Last year, BTD is a taller and later fruit setter very productive of Med to Large Green with multi colored stripes when ripe and very good taste, I was impressed and am growing it again this year. The Pink BTD is a shorter more stockier plant with med to large dark purple with lighter pink stripes very good taste and was an earlier fruit setter which ripened early but production was much less than the reg BTD.