Lithuanian Pink

[renoboy]

I recently recieved some seeds from a seed swap that I am not really familiar with. Has anyone ever grown a Lithuanian pink beefsteak? I have searched online but can only find limited information. Will it take my average temp of 90* here in Reno? The seedlings are a potato leaf and very hearty, growing faster and larger than the Brandywines, which grew well here last summer. Are the two similar? Also....this year I bought a pack of Botanical Interests Brandywine red and yellow. I can't tell the difference looking at the seedlings which is yellow and which is red......all potato leaf, and yet the packaging claims one is "regular leaf"? HELP!!!

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by renoboy

I recently recieved some seeds from a seed swap that I am not really familiar with. Has anyone ever grown a Lithuanian pink beefsteak? I have searched online but can only find limited information. Will it take my average temp of 90* here in Reno? The seedlings are a potato leaf and very hearty, growing faster and larger than the Brandywines, which grew well here last summer. Are the two similar? Also....this year I bought a pack of Botanical Interests Brandywine red and yellow. I can't tell the difference looking at the seedlings which is yellow and which is red......all potato leaf, and yet the packaging claims one is "regular leaf"? HELP!!!

First the Bandywines. Yellow Brandywine is PL ( potato leaf) and Red Brandywine is RL ( regular leaf). There's Red Bandywine out there that is PL and it isn't Red Brandywine, so methinks that's what you got and you won't know which is which until you see the fruits colors. THe wrong RB PL is pink, not red.

About Lithuanian. There are two varieties, one is Lithuanian which is a large pink PL beefsteak and Lithuanian Crested Pink which is RL. Since you have PL foliage you have Lithuanian which is PL and that's it's real name, not with pink at the end and I know b'c I'm the one who introduced it by listing it in the SSE Yearbooks many years ago.

When you want to find out info about a variety I suggest you go to Tania's tomato data base first, and only then try Google if she doesn't have info about that variety.

Here's the page for Lithuanian:

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Lithuanian

And you'll see pictures, opinions and seed sources, etc. When you're through with that page go to the upper left and click on Home Page and see all the ways that you can search for varieties and so much more. I prefer using the alphabetical method. And then save the site to your faves b'c you'll be going there often.

It's OK to post what you have above in the General discussion area b'c Lithuanian, the main one you're asking about isn't a Legacy or old timey variety and the Red and Yellow Brandywines, and more, I think have several threads in this Forum already, but those were just informational and not asking about wrong leaf forms.

About growing in Reno I just can't tell you how they'll do b'c you have much more knowledge about that since you live there, I think. But 90 F and above can sure slow down or stop fruit set b'c at those temps the pollen can be destroyed by sustained heat.

If your Brandywines did OK last year in that heat then Lithuaniain should as well, I would think.

Hope that helps.

[renoboy]

Thank you Carolyn, that helps me out alot.....the link and your personal experience. Guess we'll find out soon, two more weeks till my average frost date!!