tell me about Dixiewine?

patty_b · January 25, 2014

I am thinking of one more new to me sweet large meaty red to fill out my grow list and wondering about Dixiewine but open to other suggestions...

travis · January 25, 2014

Dixiewine is a stabilized line from the original cross of Brandywine x Neves Azorean Red. The sequence of growers through which the line developed is as follows: Bill Jeffers (F1) > Tom Micholas who selected the red fruited, regular leaf in the F2 > Ray Newstead who continued the red/RL > Mike Owen, Washington State, who then sent F5 seeds to Marianne Jones who stabilized the line at F7 in Dickson, Tennessee.

Marianne Jones asked me what she should name the finished line, and I suggested Dixiewine.

I have not grown or tasted Dixiewine so I cannot comment on plant health, production, or flavor. However, I continue to work on sister lines to Dixiewine, and have two that are very similar to Dixiewine. One is Texwine, another red fruited, regular leaf line from the same cross. Another similar line is a potato leaf, red fruited line that I got out of the Texwine segregations in the F4 generation. The initial Texwine segregation came back to me from Susan Anderson, Elgon, TX, and shows a strong tolerance to hot weather. I hear the Dixiewine line also is heat tolerant.

Both the Texwine and its potato leaf sister line have extremely healthy, heavy foliaged, compact indeterminate vines that bear their main crop very late in the season. I would not recommend any of these lines from the Brandywine x NAR cross for short season regions unless you can start them under plastic and possibly finish them again under plastic. They take 90 to 110 days to bear their main crop.

You might get a handful of fruit during mid-summer, but you will get two to three dozen 12 to 16 ounce, boat shaped or flattened beefsteak, red tomatoes, with a deep and complex, old fashioned, "red tomato" flavor beginning some time between 90 to 110 days after transplant. The DTM depends upon the overall summertime temperature range, as I have gotten the bumper crop in late august during very hot, sunny summers (2012) or mid-September after cool, wet summers (2013) for example.

This is the same DTM time frame as the female parent to the cross, Brandywine, which in the cool, wet summer of the cross (2006) took 115 days to mature the main crop of 36 tomatoes. The male parent, Neves Azorean Red, contributed the more compact growth habit, the regular leaf foliage and red fruit of the Dixiewine/Texwine lines, and the more intense and complex flavor found in the red expressions.

That's about all I can tell you about Dixiewine, but I continue to work with the Texwine and its PL sister every summer. So,I don't really have the space for Dixiewine at this time, and am sorry I cannot give you 1st hand grow data I'm making assumptions that Dixiewine is very similar to Texwine although it appears from photos to be more "flat/round" beefsteak, while my Texwines tend to be more boat-shaped beefsteaks.

patty_b · January 25, 2014

Thanks for the great background history!

**carolyn137** · January 25, 2014

And I list Dixiewine in my current seed offer here, soon to be closed.

When I saw what Travis, aka Bill Jeffers, had crossed I ASAP asked for some seeds b/ I had introduced NAR, loved it, and when crossed with Brandywine, what's not to like.

I think it was F2 seeds he sent and even at that early stage it was a large beefsteak with excellent taste. I didn't do any more selections, for several reasons.

You asked about large meaty sweet reds. Taste is in the mouth of the taster, so I can't promise if your sweet is my sweet Patty, but here's some I really like:

Ashleigh
NAR by itself
Cuostralee
Aker's West virginia
Red Barn
Red Penna
Chapman
Ludmilla's Red PLum
Giannini
Couille's de Taureau
Kukla's Portuguese Befsteak

..... to name just a few and I can prioritize them if you want me to, according to my opnion.

And of course I don't know which ones you might have grown already.

Carolyn

patty_b · January 25, 2014

Carolyn..thanks for your imput, I always pay close attention to your favorites! Couilles de Taureau is already pulled to grow from those that you mentioned. I grew Red Penna in 2009 and leaning toward it because I have the seed on hand. Although, I have most of the others too except Cuostralee. Unless swayed in another direction, I guess it is Red Penna?

Mark0820 · January 25, 2014

If you have never tasted Dixiewine, it is definitely worth growing. Personally, I would say it is the most flavorful tomato I have tasted. Like the Brandywine parent (and most other tomatoes), the flavor is greatly diminished in a wet growing season. During a dry season, the flavor is difficult to match.

When I first purchased seeds from Marianna (I think in 2010), I thought she had exaggerated the description to sell seeds. When I took my first bite, I really couldn't believe the flavorful combination I experienced. She has since modified her description, but her original description was by no means an exaggeration. Dixiewine remains my favorite and is a must grow every year.

ginger2778 · January 26, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark0820

If you have never tasted Dixiewine, it is definitely worth growing. Personally, I would say it is the most flavorful tomato I have tasted. Like the Brandywine parent (and most other tomatoes), the flavor is greatly diminished in a wet growing season. During a dry season, the flavor is difficult to match.

When I first purchased seeds from Marianna (I think in 2010), I thought she had exaggerated the description to sell seeds. When I took my first bite, I really couldn't believe the flavorful combination I experienced. She has since modified her description, but her original description was by no means an exaggeration. Dixiewine remains my favorite and is a must grow every year.

What do you know about that? And I am growing it now, I had unfortunate growing conditions for it. We had an incredibly hot, rainy Nov. and Dec., and the disease pressure is very large in humid no winter Florida, so it got foliar diseases and also wet fruit rot. It is now growing some that I hope will mature without rotting since it is raining much less, so I am hoping for a few fruit, or even one, that I can actually taste.
This one probably does much better in a drier less humid environment.

Marsha

Ken4230 · January 26, 2014

I grew 2 plants last year. They didn't start producing ripe tomatoes until early August, about 100-105 days for me. The plants were huge, almost 9' tall with 1"+ stems.
Most of my tomatoes were large (1 1/4 lb. and up) until it started raining in late Sept/early Oct. Even then, most of them then were 8-12 oz.

The taste was outstanding, even the ones grown during all the rain. The neighbors kept asking for them so often that i told them to just come over and help themselves. They would leave a note on the plant saying: "i got three, thanks"
I am working up my seeds to plant this year. If i have any Dixiewine left, they are going in the ground. I may need to find a place to order some.

Ken

greyghost · January 26, 2014

Patty, Red Penna and Dixiewine are our favorite red tomato varieties! We also
get a lot of compliments on both of them. Darlene

**carolyn137** · January 26, 2014

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken4230

I grew 2 plants last year. They didn't start producing ripe tomatoes until early August, about 100-105 days for me. The plants were huge, almost 9' tall with 1"+ stems.
Most of my tomatoes were large (1 1/4 lb. and up) until it started raining in late Sept/early Oct. Even then, most of them then were 8-12 oz.

The taste was outstanding, even the ones grown during all the rain. The neighbors kept asking for them so often that i told them to just come over and help themselves. They would leave a note on the plant saying: "i got three, thanks"
I am working up my seeds to plant this year. If i have any Dixiewine left, they are going in the ground. I may need to find a place to order some.

Ken

Ken, I just answered your PM to me and told you where to find my seed offer so you can sign up and get your Dixiewine from me as well as up to 5 others. You said you liked yellow/orange ones so I gave you a couple of suggestions for those as well.

So hoping to hear back from you asking for my address, all of that is outlined in the instructions on the first page of my seed offer as well as what info needs to be included when you e-mail me for my home address.

Carolyn

Ken4230 · January 26, 2014

My letter will be in the mail in the morning. I liked your suggestions so that is what i requested.
Thanks again,Carolyn

Ken

SteveS · January 26, 2014

I grew Dixiewine last summer & really enjoyed it.
It was very vigorous & one of the healthiest plants in the garden.
I got the first fruit at 71 days.
I harvested 38 fruit & a total of 33.8 lbs from 1 plant.
Average fruit size was 405 g.
I definitely will be growing it again this year!

January 25, 2014	#1
patty_b Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 487	tell me about Dixiewine? I am thinking of one more new to me sweet large meaty red to fill out my grow list and wondering about Dixiewine but open to other suggestions...

January 25, 2014	#4
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	And I list Dixiewine in my current seed offer here, soon to be closed. When I saw what Travis, aka Bill Jeffers, had crossed I ASAP asked for some seeds b/ I had introduced NAR, loved it, and when crossed with Brandywine, what's not to like. I think it was F2 seeds he sent and even at that early stage it was a large beefsteak with excellent taste. I didn't do any more selections, for several reasons. You asked about large meaty sweet reds. Taste is in the mouth of the taster, so I can't promise if your sweet is my sweet Patty, but here's some I really like: Ashleigh NAR by itself Cuostralee Aker's West virginia Red Barn Red Penna Chapman Ludmilla's Red PLum Giannini Couille's de Taureau Kukla's Portuguese Befsteak ..... to name just a few and I can prioritize them if you want me to, according to my opnion. And of course I don't know which ones you might have grown already. Carolyn __________________ Carolyn

January 26, 2014	#8
Ken4230 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Western Ky Posts: 282	Dixiewine was a winner in my garden I grew 2 plants last year. They didn't start producing ripe tomatoes until early August, about 100-105 days for me. The plants were huge, almost 9' tall with 1"+ stems. Most of my tomatoes were large (1 1/4 lb. and up) until it started raining in late Sept/early Oct. Even then, most of them then were 8-12 oz. The taste was outstanding, even the ones grown during all the rain. The neighbors kept asking for them so often that i told them to just come over and help themselves. They would leave a note on the plant saying: "i got three, thanks" I am working up my seeds to plant this year. If i have any Dixiewine left, they are going in the ground. I may need to find a place to order some. Ken

January 25, 2014	#2
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	Dixiewine is a stabilized line from the original cross of Brandywine x Neves Azorean Red. The sequence of growers through which the line developed is as follows: Bill Jeffers (F1) > Tom Micholas who selected the red fruited, regular leaf in the F2 > Ray Newstead who continued the red/RL > Mike Owen, Washington State, who then sent F5 seeds to Marianne Jones who stabilized the line at F7 in Dickson, Tennessee. Marianne Jones asked me what she should name the finished line, and I suggested Dixiewine. I have not grown or tasted Dixiewine so I cannot comment on plant health, production, or flavor. However, I continue to work on sister lines to Dixiewine, and have two that are very similar to Dixiewine. One is Texwine, another red fruited, regular leaf line from the same cross. Another similar line is a potato leaf, red fruited line that I got out of the Texwine segregations in the F4 generation. The initial Texwine segregation came back to me from Susan Anderson, Elgon, TX, and shows a strong tolerance to hot weather. I hear the Dixiewine line also is heat tolerant. Both the Texwine and its potato leaf sister line have extremely healthy, heavy foliaged, compact indeterminate vines that bear their main crop very late in the season. I would not recommend any of these lines from the Brandywine x NAR cross for short season regions unless you can start them under plastic and possibly finish them again under plastic. They take 90 to 110 days to bear their main crop. You might get a handful of fruit during mid-summer, but you will get two to three dozen 12 to 16 ounce, boat shaped or flattened beefsteak, red tomatoes, with a deep and complex, old fashioned, "red tomato" flavor beginning some time between 90 to 110 days after transplant. The DTM depends upon the overall summertime temperature range, as I have gotten the bumper crop in late august during very hot, sunny summers (2012) or mid-September after cool, wet summers (2013) for example. This is the same DTM time frame as the female parent to the cross, Brandywine, which in the cool, wet summer of the cross (2006) took 115 days to mature the main crop of 36 tomatoes. The male parent, Neves Azorean Red, contributed the more compact growth habit, the regular leaf foliage and red fruit of the Dixiewine/Texwine lines, and the more intense and complex flavor found in the red expressions. That's about all I can tell you about Dixiewine, but I continue to work with the Texwine and its PL sister every summer. So,I don't really have the space for Dixiewine at this time, and am sorry I cannot give you 1st hand grow data I'm making assumptions that Dixiewine is very similar to Texwine although it appears from photos to be more "flat/round" beefsteak, while my Texwines tend to be more boat-shaped beefsteaks.

January 25, 2014	#6
Mark0820 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Cincinnati Posts: 907	If you have never tasted Dixiewine, it is definitely worth growing. Personally, I would say it is the most flavorful tomato I have tasted. Like the Brandywine parent (and most other tomatoes), the flavor is greatly diminished in a wet growing season. During a dry season, the flavor is difficult to match. When I first purchased seeds from Marianna (I think in 2010), I thought she had exaggerated the description to sell seeds. When I took my first bite, I really couldn't believe the flavorful combination I experienced. She has since modified her description, but her original description was by no means an exaggeration. Dixiewine remains my favorite and is a must grow every year.

January 26, 2014	#9
greyghost Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: southeastern PA Posts: 760	Patty, Red Penna and Dixiewine are our favorite red tomato varieties! We also get a lot of compliments on both of them. Darlene

January 26, 2014	#12
SteveS Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Bloomington, IN Posts: 123	I grew Dixiewine last summer & really enjoyed it. It was very vigorous & one of the healthiest plants in the garden. I got the first fruit at 71 days. I harvested 38 fruit & a total of 33.8 lbs from 1 plant. Average fruit size was 405 g. I definitely will be growing it again this year!