Hey Fellow Floridians - Year 2

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by PlainJane

Pulled a couple of whoppers as I’m afraid they’ll split if left on the vines.
Queen of the Sea (right) and Black Brandywine.

The larger tomato, Queen of the Sea, looks quite similar to Brandywine Dark (BD). I thought BD had the capability of larger tomatoes and I got one over 15 oz, but at this size abnormalities at the blossom end seem to appear as you can see. I read that this occurs on Brandywine, Cherokee Purple and others in this group. Brandywine Cherry Dark was said originally to be bread from Brandywine, Cherokee Purple and Black Cherry. It was said to be 2.6 oz. When I started growing it the largest tomatoes I got were 3.5 oz. At 6-8 oz ithe blossom end on BD doesn't appear particularly abnormal but when it gets big it gets weird. There is still quite of usable tomato, but wouldn't be much of a market hit. While the taste of some of these tomatoes is said to be great, BD just has a good traditional tomato taste, at least to me. It is amazingly productive, even now some have loads of blossoms, but I assume it's way too hot to set fruit. I would like to hear what experiences others have had in terms of abnormalities in these type of tomatoes.

Queen of the Sea is red when ripe with no green shoulders ... and while not what I would call ‘fluted’ it has lots of nooks and crannies. Nothing I would class as cat facing or too extreme. BB is a very regular beefsteak for me. The flavor of both when dead ripe is very very good.

Black Brandywine is more prolific than QOTS but both have sort of stalled out with this extreme heat. QOTS is a bit more disease prone but that hasn’t reared it’s ugly head too badly ... yet! Once the humidity really kicks up we’ll see.
The other really large tomato from this spring was Green Giant. The first 2 were over a lb. each and just spectacular in taste. No lumps or cat facing.
All were bought as plants from Laurel’s Heirloom Tomatoes as I was late getting my seed started and wanted a few plants for early fruit.
I grew Cherokee Purple last year and the year before and didn’t have any fruit over a pound either time. Nothing misshapen that I recall. Taste was of course excellent.
For some reason Aunt Ruby’s German Green gives me wobbly fruit sometimes; that’s why I went with Green Giant.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by Barb_FL

You've brought the BD really far and I agree that tomato does not look like a fused blossom.
Stats - the only remaining Heirloom / OP plant that I have from the fall is Aunt Ginny's Purple which is a weird name b/c it isn't even purple. It even outlasted Polish and Kelloggs which came in 2nd. I also still have a McKinley (or one of the Mcs) but will see if the buds even blossom. Otherwise, it will be pulled like I did with Kellogs last night.
Larry - did you ever try the Damsel seeds I sent you? That one is a machine too.
I'm growing a heat determinate variety (HeatMaster) that I read about here on TV. Was beheaded during the hail but has set a lot of fruit; many are large already.

Barb,
Yes indeed I used your Damsel seeds and some others I received just in time to plant them. Thank you for the seeds and a very good recommendation. Damsel grew much larger for me in raised beds (RB) than in 10 gallon pots, but for me that is normal, except for BD which doesn't seem to care where it is grown. My wife and I both like Damsel a lot. Nice dark pink color, nice size, and nice sweet tomato taste. I was hoping to compare its taste to Tomande, but one of the larger seed vendors sold me Tomande seeds that were not. They also sold me Momotaro seeds that wouldn't germinate. We harvested a lot of tomatoes, mostly Damsel this morning and gave them all away. My freezer died and I haven't replaced it yet. I definitely will be growing Damsel again. I plan to grow a couple of other varieties that I haven't grown before, i.e. a few Carmello and maybe a couple of Black from Tula plants. Oh, and I will be quite interested to hear how your Heat Masters work for you.
Larry

Larry - I’m growing Carmello for the first time this year. It’s a nice, round, blemish-free tomato but I’m finding the taste to be ok; nothing spectacular. Sets heavily though.

Hot hot hot and not much rain. Birds (daytime) and snails (nighttime) are out constantly looking for moisture.
This is a ‘flight’ of Carmello. Since birds love to peck holes in it I’m picking at first break.
Production is pretty good and very crack-resistant. Taste is decent, about a 7 out of 10.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by PlainJane

Larry - I’m growing Carmello for the first time this year. It’s a nice, round, blemish-free tomato but I’m finding the taste to be ok; nothing spectacular. Sets heavily though.

I'm tempted to believe that is what my seed vender sent me instead of ordered Momotaro. What ever it was was a classic red round, except there was a slight dark pinkiness to them. Probably about the size you described. Seemed nematode resistant, grew a nice vine, semi determinate. The one thing it did that I liked a lot was that it had a lot of foliage and hid to tomatoes well, better than almost any tomato I've grown.
Weather forecast here in Orlando, over the next 10 days,looks better than it has been. Forecast temperatures at as much as 1 or 2 degrees above and below the avg high of 91.
Oh, yes and rain forecast, which will be much appreciated.

I’m torn. Forecast is for it to be a little cooler after Wednesday but along will come the humidity.

[Zone9b]

Originally Posted by PlainJane

I’m torn. Forecast is for it to be a little cooler after Wednesday but along will come the humidity.

That's how it works. Cooler air can support more humidity, so the relative humidity measure goes up, it warms up during the day and the relative humidity drops. It's that high level of humidity in the tropics that keeps temperatures somewhat in check.
Larry

Here are 2 tomatoes I’m really glad I added to my list this year: Daniel Burson and Negrillo de Almoguera.
The Negrillo is dead ripe; the DB has a few days to go.
What flavor!

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by PlainJane

Here are 2 tomatoes I’m really glad I added to my list this year: Daniel Burson and Negrillo de Almoguera.
The Negrillo is dead ripe; the DB has a few days to go.
What flavor!

DB tastes so amazing!

Daniel Burson has knocked off Carbon as my favorite dark tomato. Never thought that would happen!
I just hope I have some ripe in 2 weeks for my tomato tasting event.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by PlainJane

Daniel Burson has knocked off Carbon as my favorite dark tomato. Never thought that would happen!
I just hope I have some ripe in 2 weeks for my tomato tasting event.

You just gotta try Big Cheef. Delicious flavored purple one with potato leafs, and over the top production. It's my favorite "black".

[Barb_FL]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

You just gotta try Big Cheef. Delicious flavored purple one with potato leafs, and over the top production. It's my favorite "black".

I'm going to grow both of them this fall.

Larry - who sold you Momotaro and you didn't get them? I would be po. I want to know b/c I won't buy from that vendor. If you don't want to mention their name, please PM it to me. I bought some from Tomato Growers a few years ago and they were fine.

This spring I bought them again and other Japanese Hybrids from Kitazawa. I only grew out Grandeur b/c it was so late but the plant was / is amazing. So much fruit. One even over a pound for this late in the season. It set more fruit in the heat (out nights are 76 low, but mostly 80 for the majority of the time)

Larry - Damsel is amazing; My original plant still has fruit. It is so easy to clone.

Originally Posted by ginger2778

You just gotta try Big Cheef. Delicious flavored purple one with potato leafs, and over the top production. It's my favorite "black".

Will add Big Cheef to the list - thanks for the suggestion Marsha.

I am hoarding my last 2 Daniel Burson. In a weak moment I gave a few away to friends but that’s not happening again.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by PlainJane

Will add Big Cheef to the list - thanks for the suggestion Marsha.

I am hoarding my last 2 Daniel Burson. In a weak moment I gave a few away to friends but that’s not happening again.

Haha, I understand. Pm me if you need Big Cheef seeds.