New World Seeds & Tubers newworldcrops.com

[Fusion_power]

Speaking of unreleased varieties Tom, have you thought about releasing Verde Claro?


DarJones

[Sherry_AK]

It would be extremely useful for those of us in short season areas to know some info re DTM in the descriptions.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by Fusion_power

Speaking of unreleased varieties Tom, have you thought about releasing Verde Claro?


DarJones

Darrel, I can say a bit about Verde Claro.

back in the mid-90's Tom sent me 22 varieties to trial and asked that I not share seeds with anyone other than Craig. Craig only looked at two of them and wasn't as impressed with Verde Claro as I was.

I had suggested to Tom that he introduce a few of his varieties at a commercial place or two b/c at the time he was concerned that folks might not have rememebred him and I thought that was a good thing to do. I thought it was decided that he would work with Linda Sapp at TGS to facilitate introducing Verde Claro, but it didn't happen.

In 2002 I grew out what I liked the best of the 22 that I'd initially trialed, just for new seed stock to keep them going. And then I started seeing some of those varieties, such as Casady's Folly for instance, and one person here at Tville saying that Tom had sent her his Verde Claro Improved. And I've seen other of his varieties in the Yearbook and mentioned elsewhere.

I've kept my word about not distributing seed for over 15 years now so I decided it was time to make some of those more available.

I PMed Tom here at Tville, as courtesy, to let him know what I planned to do, but heard nothing back from him. I've made arrangements with someone to get those 2002 seeds going, do some seed production and make them more available to others, in a variety of ways.

I remember reading down through his list of tomatoes at his new site but was scanning quickly so didn't copy down from that list what might be on my list as well.

Tom, I'm glad to see that you now are starting to offer some of what you've developed over the years and my paltry few are not going to impinge on the ones you're currently offering or plan to. And perhaps my PM to you might have helped spur you on to finally share with others single varieties as well as crosses that you'v done which will put some new germplasm out there. I read your comment about tomato and potato offerings at your new web site re possible income to you to keep you going, but as long as I've known you, which goes back to 1990, that's aways been a concern as You'll recall and you'll also remember what I have done for you to help alleviate that situation, which unfortunately didn't work out either.

So thanks for starting to share with others and making your creations more available to everyone. And for memory sake, thanks for paying my dinner bill at that little place in Pasadena where we ate after leaving the Tomatomania event at Hortus Nursery. Remember that you sat next to me the whole afternoon as I signed books and answered questions but you talk faster than I do so we had lots of time to chat as well with medoing most of the listening.

Darrel,I don't think you'd be asking about Verde Claro if you hadn't grown it and maybe liked it as much as I do.



So that's what I can share about Verde Claro.

100% germination of Sweet Baboo and of Gold Keeper that I received from Tom's site.

[laspasturas]

Is anyone else growing Dancing with Smurfs?
It's a little hard to tell in the photo (because of the fluorescent lights), but I'm getting nice speckled blue foliage on about half of mine.

[kygreg]

laspasturas; I am growing DWS, but just started the seeds yesterday; will let you know. I am purposefully starting my garden later this year.

[Tom Wagner]

Is anyone else growing Dancing with Smurfs?

Yes, I am! And my Smurfettes are looking just like yours....about the same size too!

Since I am the Papa Smurf ...so to speak....of the Dancing with Smurfs tomato variety....I could talk about these tomatoes til I turn blue in the face.

This is kinda like what I was doing with the blue tomatoes last year...

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ing_Smurfs.gif


A word of warning about eating tomatoes from a 'Dancing with Smurfs' vine.

DO NOT SMURF THE TOMATOES! If you do....this will happen


http://cheezhawtness.files.wordpress...888b342845.jpg

Originally Posted by laspasturas

Is anyone else growing Dancing with Smurfs?
It's a little hard to tell in the photo (because of the fluorescent lights), but I'm getting nice speckled blue foliage on about half of mine.

Yes, I am but have not started them yet. But I will very soon. Nice pictures.

[Stepheninky]

Originally Posted by WillysWoodPile

Yes, I am but have not started them yet. But I will very soon. Nice pictures.

I am growing them as well and (I wish )they looked like that, the stems were bluish when the were in the hook phase, but that is all gone now. Though I did plant some more so will see.

You said about half looked like that, could you post a pic of the normal looking ones as well.

[laspasturas]

I'm glad so many are growing them so we can compare notes!
I've got 5 going right now and it looks like three of them are blue and two are more green with a little bit of blue. I'll try to get a picture of the others today and post it.

This is kinda like what I was doing with the blue tomatoes last year...

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/e...ing_Smurfs.gif

Hopefully, mine won't end up like this:

[Tom Wagner]

Dancing with Smurfs is a variety in the making. With several genes bouncing around...there is bound to be some variable expression of blue. Of course, I would like to see blue leaves and blue fruits and the genes are different for each. One variety that I did not list is my OUT OF THE BLUE tomato. It has gorgeous blue foliage but red fruits! Others have less blue in the leaves and stems but fairly blue fruit. Which do folks want?

When I picked the 55 fruits off my Dancing with Smurfs tomato vine, I felt like the Jolly Green Giant among the little Smurfs and Smurfettes. I had to dance around the vine looking for ripe or just about to ripen fruit....I mean how do you know when they are ripe? They all look blue way before they are ripe.

I think it is kinda cool that folks can try the variation within the DWS variety. I think that when a variety is so stable that there is no room for improvement...then a lot of fun is lost. I suppose when the last or best vine is ever selected......it will have to be called Dancing Smurf.

Reminds me to cross one of the best Dancing with Smurfs plants with a dwarf variety this Spring or early summer. The F-2 seed will be called Dancing with Smurves. Kinda of a joke about which is correct....dwarfs or dwarves. Both are correct but 60 % of folks say dwarfs.

Yet another reminder to self to cross the blues with a non ripening rin gene tomato to get F-2's with blue tomatoes that never ripen...oooh..I like that.
Many folks when seeing the blue tomatoes for the first time want to pick them thinking they are ripe...just wait til the ornamental tomato vine, preferably dwarf, sets all of its fruits and none of them ripen clear up to frost! All blue and none to eat.


Once I get that everlasting blue rin tomato...I will have to cross it with a regular blue tomato to get the hybrid that would be a Divine Blue...a long shelf life tomato. Cross that Blue rin with a super late maturing blue to get a hybrid that you pick just before frost and keep in the basement for two or three months and that one could be called Winter Blues!



I expect my on-line tomato catalog to read like entertainment in the next few years. Bizarre tomatoes with even more bizarre names.
"I'll see you in the funny papers" is what my Dad said to me when I first showed him my first Green Zebra, so I may just as well turn my newworldcrops.com into one.

[Farmette]

Tom:
I am going to order some Dancing with Smurfs as well as some potatoes. Earlier in the year, I told you how I forgot to save some of my Reiche Tom from my sampler harvest last year.They were wonderful! Is it possible to order some of those as tubers or will I need to order the whole sampler. Also, wanted to try seed for a blue potato, can you recommend from any on your list?
Thanks
Chris

[Tom Wagner]

Chris,

I have some Reiche Tom in storage and I think it would be important to have you try it again. Reiche means rich in German, not empire as in Reich. So Reiche Tom is indeed a Rich Tom. Excellent flavor for me too.

Somewhere I wrote about Reiche but it merits a repeat, nevertheless. It was named for Maria Reiche of the Nazca Monkey fame and her saving other shapes seen from the air in Peru. The variety is yellow flesh and is good for various cooking styles, especially frying. I like the variety because it has excellent virus X and Y resitance. Crossed to my Tom Kaighin variety imported great flavor along with other great combining abilities. It is a tall (upright) vine with high yields. It produces berries also and that makes a winning combination. The fact that it resists the virus makes it a great potato to keep near forever without problems of vigor being reduced. The Tom Kaighin variety had to be salvaged from two year-old tubers to get rid of the virus it picked up.

I was so busy starting my TPS list on my website and the traffic there has kept me from updating the TPS list with Reiche Tom. I will ask my webmaster to add it.

Chris, I would like you to try an unlisted TPS line I called Agria Blue Blood. It has the outstanding flavor of the yellow fleshed Agria and the intense blue color of Blue Blood Russet. The segregating of yellow and blue should be exciting. My experience with the male sterile Agria is that the great progenies from it are usually sterile too, but not with BBR as a pollinating element.

Agria is one of the best flavored European potato varieties and has been for the last 25 years or so. It has lots of great daughter varieties..some I've tried, but one that I really want to try is Lady Amarilla.... a cross of Agria to Hermes..another great flavored potato. The Lady Amarilla is early, and Agria can be too. The vine of Agria leaves a lot to be desired for me...too straggly, therefore the cross to Blue Blood Russet gives it a great vine. The selfed seed of Agria Blue Blood should recombine the earliness and flavor of Agria with the super blue of BBR. You would need that in Wisconsin.

Getting back to Dancing with Smurfs. It should work well as a short season blue. It tolerates cold nights, hot days, drought, and is a deep rooter. You can put the plants out a month later than other varieties and still get a good crop.

Tom Wagner

[Farmette]

Tom:
Thanks for your reply and the backround on Reiche Tom. I am looking forward to trying it again. It was so good that we forgot to save any and ate them all.
And I appreciate the recommendation for Agria Blue Blood...there are so many varieties that it helps to have your input. You are right, it will be very exciting to see what I get. I'll have to take and post photos this year.
Dancing with Smurfs...while growing it will be very interesting, honestly I am intrigued and therefore swayed by the great name.
It is really wonderful to be able to interact with experts who are so passionate about their field and ready to share their knowledge...I am humbled and absolutely awed.
Thanks again for all the information and input. I look forward to seeing Reiche Tom added and will include the other items with my order.

Chris

[Farmette]

Tom:
I can't find Dancing with Smurfs anymore on your website. I have been waiting for your webmaster to add Reiche Tom (per your previous post here) to order it, Smurfs and the Agria Blue Blood you spoke of. Please let me know how to order and if they are still available.
Thanks
Chris