Let's Talk About Heirloom Tomatoes

[Hal]

I've read that there is an anomaly in the commercial market involving BSM and that at least some companies are labeling a similar variety named chernimor (sp) as BSM

This is a huge problem, usually with bigger companies but small ones are not exempt.
Currently I am having the same issue with beans, I'm finding one particular bean sold as 5 different beans that don't even have the same seed coat color or pattern.

 

[digitS']

There are careless people in all fields.

A major seed company used to sell both Sugar Lump and Gardener's Delight. I've noticed that they recently stopped doing that. The "word on the street" for ages was that they were the same cherry tomato.

With hybrids, some of you may remember how tickled I was to find a couple of potato-leaf plants amongst the Early Girls a couple of years ago. Just a parent ... and not an especially healthy one, at that. Someone wasn't careful about leaving fruit on the plants.

This happened again this year. I've got several plants that were labeled Sweet 100's that have standard size fruit! Notice that this is the first time I'm mentioning this ... I'm not all that happy about it. I sold plants from that seed ...

The plants looked virtually all the same until they began to develop fruit. I don't know yet if this parent's fruit is worth having in the garden. I do know I have less cherries than I'd planned on.

There are accidents, everyone makes mistakes, and it usually takes 12 months to get a chance to straighten things out. Not all eggs should go in the same basket ... .

I gotta tell you all about Coyote cherries! I still haven't decided how much I like the tiny guys.

Usually, I'm not delighted to pick 'n' pick 'n' pick and after 20minutes still only have a handful. Tasting one Coyote tomato, however, will give you an idea of what you are in for!

The tiny things have an incredible amount of flavor and sweetness! If you are one of those people who claim that Sungold is bland, give Coyote a try.

Steve

 

[Hal]

There are careless people in all fields.

A major seed company used to sell both Sugar Lump and Gardener's Delight. I've noticed that they recently stopped doing that. The "word on the street" for ages was that they were the same cherry tomato.

With hybrids, some of you may remember how tickled I was to find a couple of potato-leaf plants amongst the Early Girls a couple of years ago. Just a parent ... and not an especially healthy one, at that. Someone wasn't careful about leaving fruit on the plants.

This happened again this year. I've got several plants that were labeled Sweet 100's that have standard size fruit! Notice that this is the first time I'm mentioning this ... I'm not all that happy about it. I sold plants from that seed ...

The plants looked virtually all the same until they began to develop fruit. I don't know yet if this parent's fruit is worth having in the garden. I do know I have less cherries than I'd planned on.

There are accidents, everyone makes mistakes, and it usually takes 12 months to get a chance to straighten things out. Not all eggs should go in the same basket ... .

I gotta tell you all about Coyote cherries! I still haven't decided how much I like the tiny guys.

Usually, I'm not delighted to pick 'n' pick 'n' pick and after 20minutes still only have a handful. Tasting one Coyote tomato, however, will give you an idea of what you are in for!

The tiny things have an incredible amount of flavor and sweetness! If you are one of those people who claim that Sungold is bland, give Coyote a try.

Steve

I'm a fan of yellow tomatoes so Coyote is interesting to me, I wonder how it stacks up against Broad Ripple Yellow Currant.

 

[digitS']

Well, I've read about the guy finding a plant in a sidewalk crack, @Hal. The Coyote has a story behind it. If I remember correctly, it involves an ethnographer in Mexico finding them growing wild ...

No, just the size would have me shying away. The plants are not large either but I may have set things up against them - taller tomatoes .

They look a little wild. I'm sure if any other tomato could survive in a sidewalk crack, Coyote might join Broad Ripple.

Steve

 

[digitS']

I'm remiss in getting pictures on the picture thread so I thought I'd get back here and "say" something! The wireless router has been down for a few days. That's made using the tablet for indoor pictures awkward to post - now I'm miles from the Coyote and I'm not sure which one in the basket is a Gary O Sena, altho I've a good idea ...

It has been a difficult year for my tomato plants because of the early windstorms. I've learned that when the plant is damaged, not only do the bugs move in on it but, the fruit is often mal-formed. The Dagma's Perfection and Casey's Pure Yellow are far from perfect and I have this unscientific notion that I shouldn't even save seed from the plants. Shoot, I got those plants in cages so the slugs would have more trouble getting at the fruit and that extra height made them more exposed to the wind!

Hunkered down sprawl and crawling out on the leeward side of the bed really helped some of the plants. The healthiest branches and nicest fruit is in the paths!

Anyway, when others talk about their long-season beefsteaks, I can at least think about Gary O Sena. It isn't an heirloom. It is a stable cross between Cherokee Purple and Brandywine. @marshallsmyth has said that the hybrid vigor remains after several generations. Maybe so but it does better than any heirloom of its size that I have grown. It gives me a taste of what folks elsewhere enjoy with their big heirloom beefsteaks.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

Steve, I think I remember reading that Gary O Sena was created only about 30 miles south of me. It is one of the varieties I want to plant next year. Sure hope it does better than some of the things in my garden this year!

 

[digitS']

Mr. Mueller did 3 developments out of the Cherokee Purple x Brandywine, as I understand.

He said Gary O Sena was just for its flavor. There were some other qualities that he was working on for with the variety sisters he named Dora and Liz Birt.

He sells tomatoes to Kansas City restaurants. You may be able to catch him somewhere giving a talk on tomatoes .

Steve

 

[BeanieMan]

Gary O Sena is great. Purple Haze is another one.

 

[digitS']

That's another of his varieties!

I noticed that one on his website.

Yeah, he has a page on how to do cross-pollination. Now, if he'd just show up and do the one I'm interested in .

Steve

 

[Hennible]

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