Arbuznyi

In a different thread, delltraveller commented on the good taste of Arbuznyi in comparison to some Dwarf Project varieties. This was my first year to grow the variety and I got it planted late resulting in only eight or ten medium sized fruits. I also thought they were excellent tasting tomatoes, but almost every fruit was catfaced. I used one of the smaller fruits to save seed from and was surprised at the huge volume of seed contained in one tomato. Are the great taste, catfacing, and seed volume considered normal traits of the variety?

I've saved the spring planted plants from the intense heat and sun through the summer by covering it with a shade cloth. Hopefully, I will get some fall tomatoes and see if they are catfaced.

Ted

[fortyonenorth]

My first year, too. Lots of catfacing here - and among my latest varieties to ripen.

[Tania]

Ted,

there was no catfacing in my garden - I grew Arbuznyi in containers in 2010.
http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Arbuznyi

[frozengirl]

There is more than one version running around.

[Tania]

Originally Posted by frozengirl

There is more than one version running around.

oh no!... Different seed source, not from Andrey?

[kath]

I had lots of catfacing when I grew it last year and it was quite late for me, too.

[ContainerTed]

Grew it last year and had a good crop of smooth slicers. Makes good "juice" for sauces, salsa, and soups. Tried on a BLT, and was pretty good, but I still prefer African Queen or Cowlicks Brandywine.

My seed source was Andrey.

Edited because I had Arbuznyi confused with another one I'm growing out. Finally read my notes

I bought my seed from Glecklers. The fruit was true to type visually, but I don't know about the catfacing. We had some "close to frost" nights after the blooming started and I wonder if the cool night time weather may have caused it. It didn't effect my other varieties though. My fruit averaged about 6oz which I believe is larger than a saladette type. Well worth growing again based on taste alone, but I don't like the catfacing.

Ted

[travis]

My experience was the same as ContainerTed's, except no fasciated fruit, strong production, all salad size, smooth, pretty, no catfacing, loaded with seeds, thin walls, too much gel, average flavor. Also a bit disease prone compared to other varieties grown alongside in same type of containers. Seed source was Solana Seeds, Canada. A similar type that is much more condition tolerant and has green stripe gene rather than green flesh - chlorophyll stripes, is Black and Brown Boar from Brad Gates, even more productive, more sound fruit, better flavor, just as pretty or more so.

[Tania]

6-8 oz fruits, that's what is should be. Certainly larger than saladette!

Catfacing may be environmental.

[fortyonenorth]

I'm going to qualify my earlier post. First fruits were catfaced, just picked fruit looks very nice - between 4.5 and 6.5 oz.

arbuznyi.jpg

I think the large locules filled with seed and gel is the source of the great taste. When green, they exhibited the pronounced striping. When ripe, they had the dark shoulders looking much like Black Krim. Unlike my Black Krim, the flesh texture remained firm to the bite instead of soft. I prefer the firm texture over soft texture.

My plants also produced ripe fruit more in the mid season range of about 70 days. I don't think DTM means a lot since it is so dependent on climate, but my Arbuznyi produced much earlier than my late or long season varieties like Brandywine and Hillbilly.

While my spring planted Arbuznyi plants are still very much alive through the summer from hell, they have exhibited no tendency to produce blooms in the heat. Some of my varieties produced blooms which quickly dried and dropped in the 110 degree heat. A few varieties like Black Krim, Jaune Flamme, and Homestead actually produced tiny fruit in the heat. My Fourth Of July hybrids are heavy with green fruit of normal size even in the heat. I'm hoping the Arbuznyi plants bloom and produce in the fall. It will be interesting to see if the fruit from fall blooms exhibit no catfacing.

Ted

[ContainerTed]

Originally Posted by Tania

6-8 oz fruits, that's what is should be. Certainly larger than saladette!

Catfacing may be environmental.

My bad! Senior moment!! Should have said 3-5 inches in diameter. I gotta start reading my own notes before posting. Had this one and another one confused.

Thanks, Tatiana.

[travis]

Mine definitely never got anywhere near 5 inches in diameter. That would have put them in the one pound and over region. Mine ran 4 - 6 ounces which was a disappointment compared to the pictures I've seen.

[remy]

I got my seeds from Andrey(I think) I'm growing it this year. Here is a pic I took the other day. They are pretty, no catfacing and about 8 oz.. At least the few I've picked so far.

Remy