The Brandywines vs. heat....

Baizanator · August 24, 2012

My dad's parents have gardened for years and love tomatoes, however, they've always stuck pretty tightly with Early Girl, Celebrity, Beefmaster, etc. in terms of tomatoes. In other words, they're hybrid people. I'm in the process of introducing them to heirlooms and, since they've got room for about 16 cherry plants and 64 beefsteak plants, I figured I'd mix and match next year.

That said, I've got some questions about the Brandywine's.

I have seeds on the following:

Brandywine - Black
Brandywine - Red
Brandywine - Red (Landis)
Brandywine - Pink
Brandywine - Sudduth's
Brandywine - Yellow
Brandywine - Yellow (Platfoot)
Brandywine - OTV
Brandywine - Liam's
Brandy Boy Hybrid

I'm looking for a few of these that will be a good intro to heirlooms for them. I want something that won't get too gnarly in terms of shape, yet will yield a consistently attractive and great tasting fruit in fair to moderate numbers.

I should also mention the heat here. I know there will be a period when they quit producing and I intend to supplement my grandparents with their normal Florida 91's, Heatwaves, Celebrities, Early Girls, Solar Fire, etc to make up for it.

Cherries are going to be four of the following:

Riesentraube
Porter (My grandfather's strain)
Sun Gold F1
Black Cherry

I know those cherries will produce more than they can eat, which is fine with me if you get my drift.

Sun City Linda · August 24, 2012

Red Brandywine (Landis) is a nice, pretty round tomato with very good production. It has survived weeks of triple digit heat for me this year.

Cole_Robbie · August 24, 2012

I'm not in Texas, but this summer it sure felt like it. In my family, pink brandywine is the favorite with everyone except my girlfriend, who just likes red tomatoes best. The yellow bw is a crowd-pleaser as well, with very sweet fruit. I did not like the Black bw at all, and I won't grow it again. The red brandywines all seem to be different. I didn't like the one I had very much, but I have not ruled them out.

I plan to try Brandy Boy next year, as well as Riesentraube, but with the latter I plan to try making wine.

**carolyn137** · August 24, 2012

THe problem with most of the Brandywines, and not all on your list are brandywines, is that in the deep south where there's high heat and humidity they don't set fruits well, which I think you know already

So I'll just make a few comments on the following.

Brandywine - Black, there are two black ones, Linda at TGS introduced one and after a couple of years pulled it b'c it was not stable and seedsmight still be around but I'd avid it, then there's True Black Brandywine, thread in the Legacy Forum, intrduced by Will Weaver if you want to read more

Brandywine - Red, many wrong reds out there and only certain sites have the true one. really good one

Brandywine - Red (Landis), the one listed by Linda at TGS b;c shes still offering two wrong Red Brandywines and got this one from the landis Museum in PA, thus the (landis strain as she wrote it) BUT there are no strains of RB.

Brandywine - Pink, could be Sudduth, could be any of the ones listed in the SSE YEarbook

Brandywine - Sudduth's, I prefer the Sudduth/Quisenberry one to all others I've grown.

Brandywine - Yellow, the standard one

Brandywine - Yellow (Platfoot) dubbed Platfoot b'c I got it from Gary Platfoot who lives near where this variety originated from and b'c it's smoother with less blemishes than the one above.

Brandywine - OTV, seems to set best for folks in the south and is the result of a cross that occurred in Craigs garden, so is not a pure brandywine

Brandywine - Liam's,is not a brandywine, came out of a cross between Brandywine and Tad which led to Lucky Cross and Little Lucky and so many more. This one ispink.

Brandy Boy Hybrid, it is what it is, many like it but no one knows what the presumed parents are, A Burpee introduction.

There are several other brandywines you didn't list such as Brandywine ( Pawers) and a couple of others.

But the one that I think would do best where you are is OTV Brandywine followed by Red Brandywine as long as you get the correct RB.

Baizanator · August 24, 2012

Carolyn,

Thanks for your reply. I also have True Black Brandywine seeds and the Red Brandywine seeds I have came from TomatoFest. Do you know if those are the correct ones?

**carolyn137** · August 25, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baizanator

Carolyn,

Thanks for your reply. I also have True Black Brandywine seeds and the Red Brandywine seeds I have came from TomatoFest. Do you know if those are the correct ones?

http://t.tatianastomatobase.com:88/wiki/Brandywine,_Red

I would feel comfortable with the seed sources listed at Tania's site and add Heirloom Seeds in PA which is owned by Tom Hauch whose name was mentioned in the history of this variety.

I'm not sure what to say about Tomatofest and RB b/c a couple of years ago Gary was offering some varieties on sale, Red Brandywine was one of them and it turns out that when folks bought seeds and grew it out that it was PL, not RL, and when Gary found that out he then added that what he was offering was PL, not the correct RL.

So I guess I would assume by now that he might have the correct RB, but can't say for sure since not everyone indicates where they get their seeds from.

In the Plant and Seed Source Forum there is a thread for Tomatofest if you wish to read it.

kenny_j · August 26, 2012

Reed, I am sending you some BW Cowlicks, one of the best, and earlier than suddath for me, and sets fruit better for me in heat we had this summer. I was going to send you another variety that I had mentioned in a PM , but after I ate a few I found them not so great, so have been waiting for the cowlicks seeds to dry, they are packaged and I just need to drop them in the mail, expect them next week.

kj

Marko · August 26, 2012

This year I'm growing three Brandywines, Cowlick's, Red Brandywine and Brandywine from Croatia. We had temps constantly in mid 90's or higher from mid June. Cowlick's and BFC both started better than Red Brandywine, but now it's only Red Brandywine producing normally.
So my vote for heat tolerant Brandywine goes for Red Brandywine (Landis strain from TGS).

Baizanator · August 26, 2012

Gracias.

August 24, 2012	#1
Baizanator Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Hamilton, Texas Posts: 382	Selecting a Brandywine My dad's parents have gardened for years and love tomatoes, however, they've always stuck pretty tightly with Early Girl, Celebrity, Beefmaster, etc. in terms of tomatoes. In other words, they're hybrid people. I'm in the process of introducing them to heirlooms and, since they've got room for about 16 cherry plants and 64 beefsteak plants, I figured I'd mix and match next year. That said, I've got some questions about the Brandywine's. I have seeds on the following: Brandywine - Black Brandywine - Red Brandywine - Red (Landis) Brandywine - Pink Brandywine - Sudduth's Brandywine - Yellow Brandywine - Yellow (Platfoot) Brandywine - OTV Brandywine - Liam's Brandy Boy Hybrid I'm looking for a few of these that will be a good intro to heirlooms for them. I want something that won't get too gnarly in terms of shape, yet will yield a consistently attractive and great tasting fruit in fair to moderate numbers. I should also mention the heat here. I know there will be a period when they quit producing and I intend to supplement my grandparents with their normal Florida 91's, Heatwaves, Celebrities, Early Girls, Solar Fire, etc to make up for it. Cherries are going to be four of the following: Riesentraube Porter (My grandfather's strain) Sun Gold F1 Black Cherry I know those cherries will produce more than they can eat, which is fine with me if you get my drift. Last edited by Baizanator; August 24, 2012 at 11:04 AM.

August 24, 2012	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	THe problem with most of the Brandywines, and not all on your list are brandywines, is that in the deep south where there's high heat and humidity they don't set fruits well, which I think you know already So I'll just make a few comments on the following. Brandywine - Black, there are two black ones, Linda at TGS introduced one and after a couple of years pulled it b'c it was not stable and seedsmight still be around but I'd avid it, then there's True Black Brandywine, thread in the Legacy Forum, intrduced by Will Weaver if you want to read more Brandywine - Red, many wrong reds out there and only certain sites have the true one. really good one Brandywine - Red (Landis), the one listed by Linda at TGS b;c shes still offering two wrong Red Brandywines and got this one from the landis Museum in PA, thus the (landis strain as she wrote it) BUT there are no strains of RB. Brandywine - Pink, could be Sudduth, could be any of the ones listed in the SSE YEarbook Brandywine - Sudduth's, I prefer the Sudduth/Quisenberry one to all others I've grown. Brandywine - Yellow, the standard one Brandywine - Yellow (Platfoot) dubbed Platfoot b'c I got it from Gary Platfoot who lives near where this variety originated from and b'c it's smoother with less blemishes than the one above. Brandywine - OTV, seems to set best for folks in the south and is the result of a cross that occurred in Craigs garden, so is not a pure brandywine Brandywine - Liam's,is not a brandywine, came out of a cross between Brandywine and Tad which led to Lucky Cross and Little Lucky and so many more. This one ispink. Brandy Boy Hybrid, it is what it is, many like it but no one knows what the presumed parents are, A Burpee introduction. There are several other brandywines you didn't list such as Brandywine ( Pawers) and a couple of others. But the one that I think would do best where you are is OTV Brandywine followed by Red Brandywine as long as you get the correct RB. __________________ Carolyn

August 26, 2012	#7
kenny_j Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: holly michigan Posts: 380	BW Cowlicks Reed, I am sending you some BW Cowlicks, one of the best, and earlier than suddath for me, and sets fruit better for me in heat we had this summer. I was going to send you another variety that I had mentioned in a PM , but after I ate a few I found them not so great, so have been waiting for the cowlicks seeds to dry, they are packaged and I just need to drop them in the mail, expect them next week. kj

August 24, 2012	#2
Sun City Linda Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: SoCal Inland Posts: 2,705	Red Brandywine (Landis) is a nice, pretty round tomato with very good production. It has survived weeks of triple digit heat for me this year.

August 24, 2012	#3
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	I'm not in Texas, but this summer it sure felt like it. In my family, pink brandywine is the favorite with everyone except my girlfriend, who just likes red tomatoes best. The yellow bw is a crowd-pleaser as well, with very sweet fruit. I did not like the Black bw at all, and I won't grow it again. The red brandywines all seem to be different. I didn't like the one I had very much, but I have not ruled them out. I plan to try Brandy Boy next year, as well as Riesentraube, but with the latter I plan to try making wine.

August 26, 2012	#8
Marko Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Slovenia, Europe zone 7b Posts: 300	This year I'm growing three Brandywines, Cowlick's, Red Brandywine and Brandywine from Croatia. We had temps constantly in mid 90's or higher from mid June. Cowlick's and BFC both started better than Red Brandywine, but now it's only Red Brandywine producing normally. So my vote for heat tolerant Brandywine goes for Red Brandywine (Landis strain from TGS).