Mortgage Lifter

[Hntrss]

So I got a pac of Burpee Mortage Lifter seeds this year. 100 % germination. I planted 4 and gave another 10 to friends and family. 2 plants had nice pink fruit, the other 2 had round red fruit. All 4 plants were very healthy and strong. What would cause this? Thanks in advance -

[greenthumbomaha]

Interesting, as I just posted in another thread that was a mortgage lifter cross. I got pink fruit but honestly in the field it looked more red to me. Hmmm hope we hear from the genetic experts on this.

- Lisa

[Hntrss]

My red plant were RED, pinks very pink. I saved seed from both. Here is the pink fruit: I didn't take a picture of the red, but it set a few more so when one ripens I will post for comparison.

[EPawlick]

My Mortgage Lifters were pink although the seedling tag from Terra Greenhouse showed red. However when I left them on the kitchen counter for another day they were almost a ruby red colour. The tomatoes were quite large and very tasty.

I purchased Burpee Mortgage seeds and plan to plant them again next year.

[Hellmanns]

I heard years ago that a lot of heirloom tomato seed was grown out in China. A few years ago a market gardener friend of mine ordered Mr Stripey seed from a well known company and only 20% of fruit was to type. I've heard similar results on heirlooms from others who buy seed.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by Hellmanns

I heard years ago that a lot of heirloom tomato seed was grown out in China. A few years ago a market gardener friend of mine ordered Mr Stripey seed from a well known company and only 20% of fruit was to type. I've heard similar results on heirlooms from others who buy seed.

I have bought burpee seeds that were packed in India.
Due to cheap labor the contact out a lot of jobs in ASIA. Then you wouldn't expect a good quality control.

[Hntrss]

Originally Posted by EPawlick

My Mortgage Lifters were pink although the seedling tag from Terra Greenhouse showed red. However when I left them on the kitchen counter for another day they were almost a ruby red colour. The tomatoes were quite large and very tasty.

I purchased Burpee Mortgage seeds and plan to plant them again next year.

Yours still look pink to me. I hope one of my late fruits ripen too show just how red they are. Just as red as sweet 100 cherries. So would if you feel the reds are misrepresented do you feel I would be best served not saving the seed?

[EPawlick]

Yes, these pictures are from July 27 and are definitely pink. I don't have any fruit right now to test if my pinks would ripen further to red to show you.

I cut off the tops of the plant in early July to force it to ripen and I have harvested all the tomatoes. With the break in the heat and drought here, the plant is just starting to produce more tomatoes. I planted Mortgage Lifter May 24 and it's first tomato was ripe on July 19.

I personally like the pink Mortgage Lifter but I think you need to wait for the Experts to find out if you should save the pink seed.

[PaulF]

With at least seventeen different names connected with the variety Mortgage Lifter, no wonder some are different than others. Most seem to be pink but other colors are out there.

The first I grew was from Chuck Wyatt and he called it Estler's. This year my Mortgage Lifter is just called Mortgage Lifter. Very nice, sweet, meaty, large and productive so far.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by PaulF

With at least seventeen different names connected with the variety Mortgage Lifter, no wonder some are different than others. Most seem to be pink but other colors are out there.

The first I grew was from Chuck Wyatt and he called it Estler's. This year my Mortgage Lifter is just called Mortgage Lifter. Very nice, sweet, meaty, large and productive so far.

Yeah . It is true that there are more than one "Mortgage Lifter " tomato variety but only one of them is common and popular. Sometimes it is called "Radiator Charlie ML".
If it just says "ML" then it is safe to assume that it is RC ML.
The fruits of RC ML is not round, global and smooth, as far as I know. Usually it has some ribbing at the stem end.

[carolyn137]

Tania lists 15 versions of Mortgage Lifter and I've grown several of them.

http://tatianastomatobase.com/w/inde...rom=M#mw-pages

About the same in the SSE Yearbooks.

Maybe best to click on the link to just Mortgage Lifter to find the original although many think that the Estler one is THE original.

Nice story that Jeff McCormack got when he interviewed Radiator Charlie, but my opinion is that ML wouldn't be in the top large pink beefsteaks for me.

And yes there is a red ML bred by Dr.Jeff McCormack

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Mortgage_Lifter,_Red

But that would have nothing to do with wrong seeds sent out by Burpee. I left Burpee many years ago.

And several of you are referring to heirloom tomato varieties being grown in different countries, but I can't confirm that,yes for many F1 hybrids,so look to those smaller family owned seed companies that grow their own plants and save their own seeds for best results.

Carolyn

[My Foot Smells]

is there any criterion for authenticity for heirloom tomatoes. the more I think about this topic, the whole industry sounds like intact male bovine fertilizer and snake oil salesperson.

maybe I could be a writer for tomato description? I'm a pretty good "embellisher"

this reminds of the game when you were a kid, "grapevine," where you whispered something in the first person's ear, and by the end of the long chain of translation it is nothing like the original at all.

to my knowledge, there is no scientific way to "verify" any tomato types - but could be wrong.

[PaulF]

Having been asked for many years to give "Tomato Talks", one topic that comes, either by me or during question and answer times, are the names of heirloom tomatoes and where they came from. Radiator Charlie's Mortgage Lifter is one of the common stories asked about. Amazingly the same story has been told with different casts of characters and different locations. Sort of the grapevine thing I guess.

I, too, do not consider Burpee a reliable source for seeds. Not just tomatoes but all sorts of vegetable seeds. After more than half of all seeds being wrong varieties, it has been about ten years since ordering from them. Unreliable at best....

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by My Foot Smells

is there any criterion for authenticity for heirloom tomatoes. the more I think about this topic, the whole industry sounds like intact male bovine fertilizer and snake oil salesperson.

maybe I could be a writer for tomato description? I'm a pretty good "embellisher"

this reminds of the game when you were a kid, "grapevine," where you whispered something in the first person's ear, and by the end of the long chain of translation it is nothing like the original at all.

to my knowledge, there is no scientific way to "verify" any tomato types - but could be wrong.

I'm sorry you feel that way.

I'll answer just your last question,for now.

Yes,DNA testing is available to confirm many varieties,usually as parts of lawsuits,but that gets back to what they should be as to OP's and there are many who know that,many I've known over the years who have been involved with heirlooms for many decades,several who have written books,several old timers here at Tville already, and that includes me..

If you spend some time a Tania's site and read lots of histories for specific varieties,I think it's easier to see who first found X, where found,named it,distributed it, and thus set the standards for it.

Using one of my finds,here is a good example

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/Neves_Azorean_Red

I've been told that the descriptions I gave for my SSE listings would make anyone want that variety, but when I didn't like a variety I also included that as well,since we all know that someone's fave variety can be someone else's spitter.

If anyone wants to up there chances of getting correct seeds,as I said in my above post,deal primarily with smaller family owned vendors who grow their own tomatoes and process their own seeds. Be wary of any trades since they have resulted over the years in the highest percent of wrong varieties,but on the upside if a person like challenges, as many do, crossed varieties might interest some folks for something to work with..

Carolyn

[My Foot Smells]

It's not that i necesarily feel that way, but moreso being frantically skeptic. I wasn't born that way, but have morphed into being distrustful.

It no shape or form, do i intend to urinate on the reasearch efforts that have been established to this point, quite contrary, i applaud such effort understanding it's deep seeded significance.

However, the margin for error remains rather high in some cases (as you allude); and it is very easy for things to get distorted.

I've already tipped my cap to tania and the outstanding database with regards to the enourmous task presented and quality control. I have no knowledge of DNA testing, but that is interesting, and gives some origin of species from the original specimen that was tested and labeled. But I ask for further quest, what can the varying dna difference degree be within certain tomato types, and can that be regarded as 100%?

I do use burpee for seed source and have for years, interesting to hear other opinions that their guarantee of seed is caca. If I were to pass those seeds, billed under sold listing, then it would create a ministry of illegimate offspring - which is primarily the basis of my original statement.

There are also laymen possessing and passing seeds, who simply carry the same name of intended type (thus the "15" different ML varities - wha??) with zero thought of contaminating the marketplace. I previously spoke (in another thread) that IDNK that ML was an heirloom, and thought Radiator concocted a hybrid blend to create the large specimen - per legend.

Really not trying to be a stick in the mud, but think it is an interesting question to ask. Once again, i also will reiteriate, that i give tremendous props to those who archive with scrunituous integrity.

In closing, I am not by any stretch of the imagination a seed expert. They always say there are no dumb questions; well sometimes i like to test that boundary.