Grandfather Ashlock

[tjg911]

I grew Grandfather Ashlock for the 1st time this year and ate the first one last night.

It was wicked good! Creamy, sweet, great flavor! If I had Grandfather Ashlock and Earl's Faux in a side by side comparison, I'm not sure I could tell the difference in taste and texture especially that creamy smooth part. Earl's Faux is one of my top 10 tomatoes so this is high praise for Grandfather Ashlock. I am growing Dr. Lyle again this year so I can't wait to compare those 2 side by side as DL is another of my top 10 favorites.

I was told that Grandfather Ashlock's DTM was in the 75 to 85 day range but this was only 57 days as all my plants were put out on May 27. Early and excellent, what's not to love.

Tom

[lumierefrere]

I think it's my favorite, Tom. A very enthusiastic grower that ignores poor conditions that fell other varieties.

[montanamato]

OK, because of the good reports I have had I am trying to be patient with this plant...It has been puny since birth and is probably the smallest of over 50 varieties in the main garden (not counting dwarfs)...Just now starting to boom and I am sure it doesn't have a prayer at setting and ripening fruit before frost...It is very healthy, just seems to be very late in my climate.
I hope it shapes up fast...

Jeanne

[Suze]

I've had the seeds from Carl for a couple of years and finally got around to growing it out this year. Very good to even excellent flavor, depending on how much it's rained before I harvest them. Only moderately productive and late to get going, though -- but then this was a rather strange season here so I won't generalize!

I'd agree there's a sort of EF component to the taste. Another one that had a bit of "that taste" for me this year was Tidwell German.

[lumierefrere]

It's impossible to compare gardens and conditions specifically, I can only relate my experience. Last year we had a flood (literally tho it didn't get into the garden) and lots of rain. The Grandfather Ashlock outproduced everything and got to 7' tall before I topped it. I went wow. Huge tomato and it was pumping them out. This year we've had too many cool nights I suspect tho the weather is lovely. Everything is slower than last year. I have 2 Stupice that are ripe. It's early and small, figures. The Grandfather Ashlock is loaded with green fruit--nothing else is at that point so for me, definitely not late to get going. If Jeanne's are puny, this is something I've never noticed as I'd call GA very vigorous, try it again. This is worth it.

[carolyn137]

I received seeds from Carl when he first sent out seeds and had intended to grow it, save seeds and list it in the SSE Yearbook as I told him.

But for two years running it didn't produce enough fruits for me to get enough seeds.

However I should say that one of those years it was probably in too small of a pot, that was the summer of 2005, and in 2006 it just wasn't happy.

I did like the taste, but experienced nothing extraordinary about that taste, and I should sometime grow it again and have Freda put it where it can be happiest before I conclude that it's a shy producer. Freda does my house cleaning, plants everything, cares for everything and without her I'd be sunk.

Now that I'm limitied to about 14 plants when there used to be hundreds it's just so darn hard to decide what to grow. Brand new heirlooms, such as a few that I got this past Spring always have first dibs on space.

[montanamato]

If it does well in cool and rain, that explains plenty ! We have had 20 days over 100 already and lots of wind and pests...It is coming around and in one of the better locations ,so hopefully I will get something to sample....Years like this really show who can take the heat, literally...I did give another seedling to friends , so I can see how theirs did also...I have plenty of seed to try again, but I am starting to phase out most indeterminates, as they just seem to struggle a lot more in our conditions than the determinates and dwarfs...The wind shreds them and sprwling isn't an option with the grasshoppers, etc.

Jeanne

[lumierefrere]

I was surprised that something from Kentucky would be so spectacular here, Jeanne. For me this is a winner but like you I do have to accommodate my microclimate and drop the fussy ones year by year. I like the Eastern Europeans overall.

[tjg911]

Each evening I tuck the vines back into the cages for all 9 tomato plants. Last night I was looking for ripening fruits and I paid closer than normal attention to Grandfather Ashlock.

Grandfather Ashlock is not a particularly vigorous plant as to height and foliage. This may be that it's in a block of 6 tomato plants, 4' on center, in the south row of 2 rows that run east west in orientation so that south row of 3 plants may get a bit less sun come later afternoon as the sun is still far to the north. In that south row in the most eastern position is Azoychka, that tomato plant is not all that large anyway, maybe 2 1/2' tall, and it must be getting the lowest amount of light as Wes and Prue shade it somewhat come 3PM. At the west end of that south row is Dr. Lyle and he gets more of that late afternoon sun as he's on the open western end, not shaded and it's quite a vigorous plant - just as last year. Grandfather Ashlock is between Dr. Lyle and Azoychka, not the tallest plant, Sun Gold wins that, it's not the smallest or have the least/sparsest foliage, that's Azoychka (even Prue has more foliage for it's height than Azoychka!). Grandfather Ashlock is just coming above the cage so that's 5' tall. It does have a fair amount of tomatoes, roughly I counted 11-13, some are smaller but maybe those are just younger fruits, most are in the 10-14 oz size now. None are getting any pinkish color so that 1 I picked was the only tomato from Grandfather Ashlock so far.

It seems to me, IIRC, the potato leafed tomatoes I have grown tend to be pretty vigorous with Aunt Gertie's Gold being a good example, she's quite vigorous. But despite Grandfather Ashlock's average size and foliage, I am pleased so far. I'm really encouraged by Barb's comment because I know how tough her growing conditions are and that really speaks volumes about this tomato. In my 'normal/average' gardening environment, I should do even better. Grandfather Ashlock certainly is going to be added into my top 10 list assuming the rest of his tomatoes are as good as the 1st one, I would think they'll just get better as the season progresses. My top 10 may have to be revised to top 12 or 15 in the future!

Tom

[lumierefrere]

[lumierefrere]

oops it posted before I commented. I don't think it could cram 1 more leaf on this plant. It must really like it here!

[Ruth_10]

Grandfather Ashlock for me is an average-sized indeterminant with average leaf cover. It gave me fruit fairly early in the season and seems to be doing okay, productivity-wise. I see some skin cracking and it's not due to recent rain (don't I wish).

I have to say that the first fruits I ate were not that impressive, but the one I just now went out to the garden, picked, brought in, and ate was very good. Not, to my taste, at the EF level, but very good.