Give Brandywine Another Chance?
 

6 seasons out of 7, Brandywine (from Johnny's and/or SSE) has failed for us - the plant hasn't set many fruit, and they have ripened late and been watery and tasteless.

1 season out of 7, it was the best tomato we've ever had - by far. The stuff of legends The stuff of addiction, the stuff of obsession.

Should we give it one last chance? Or move on? What would you do under these circumstances?

What I've done with potentially great tomatoes that often disappoint performance wise is put them on a less frequent grow out schedule, or ensure a friend or neighbor tries it (to get a fruit or two and fresh seed). I admit to having done this for Brandywine, growing, instead, Stump of the World, which for me has very similar taste but higher yield.

We gave "ole Brandywine" a grow this season - my source was saved seed from Livingstons Seed Co. in OH -
And while the few fruits we did get were outstanding - there weren't enough of them for it to come back - may be an environmental thing - In the future I'll try it again ...

~ Tom

ps. I need this:
[IMG]http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e94/tomstrees/Tomatoes%202007/Start2007Cont.29008.jpg[/IMG]

lol ~

I'm going to give Brandywine and Brandywine Sudduth's Strain a try for the first time this year.
I also have Stump of the World that I will grow.

I hope they do well.

Worth

Perhaps try new seed, maybe from someone who has had better results?

I have had the same results with Brandywine. I hear wonderful things about it and I keep trying. One year they were tasteless. This last summer, I planted 1 plant that I am not sure where I got it from. Not from seeds. Probably from either Do Rights or the Arboretum Tomato Sale. It was planted in a EarthBox and the plant was very healthy, very few fruits but they were pushing close to a pound, tasted FANTASTIC. I will be trying again in 2008. I will attempt seeds this time. I have been working on my to buy list and it is right on top of the list.

Nancy

greggf,

5/6 "off" seasons , for me.

But, it'll keep coming back every year. Start them a little earlier, to see if they'll ripen earlier. Thump the blossoms, to see if they'll produce more. Make a raised bed just for that one plant, to see if it'll warm the soil more. Mix a special soil for that one plant...

Five out of six years it still makes a good sauce. In a great year, it doesn't go anywhere near the stove.

Tormato

Gregg, quite honestly, considering your gardening zone and you know I know it b'c I'm just a few hundred miles south of you, I'd move on.

Most of the time the frosts hit too early. Now this past Fall summer went on forever, but that's not the normal routine.

Just me own wee opinion.:)

Without going to the hassle of searching and looking for a long time.

What is the score on Brandywine in the south, say (Central Texas.):?!?:

Worth

There was some confusion about the plants I called BW Sudduth this summer, but they came, as I remember from TGS. I know I labeled them correctly when I planted seeds and transplanted seedlings. These were the best plants I had this year. It was amazing how much they produced, and no problems with disease or insects. The shining star in the garden in 2007. I posted pictures on here and some thought they weren't BWS. Whatever they were, the seed came out of a BWS labeled packet however.

Anyway, Worth, I'm a little south of Memphis and we have really hot and dry late summers. The BWS sure did good for me here.

Don

Thanks for the responses...................

I wonder what the most temperamental varieties are overall - the ones people stubbornly try year after year. The ones we want to FORCE to make work. (Brandywine is surely one of them.)

Well, I think Carolyn hit the nail on the head. Some varieties just want a long, warm season. Gregg has a long, deep [B]white[/B] season.:)

We have a long, warm (hot) summers here. I start my plants from seeds in mid-March and plant out at the end of April-early May. Brandwine (Sudduth, from TGS) has given me excellent production and the taste is tied with EF for number one. Stump of the World also has excellent taste, but for me wasn't quite as productive as BWS. I haven't grown Stump every year, so the comparison hasn't been head to head every year. The variety I can't grow is Cherokee Purple!:no: I got my seed from TGS. From what I've observed, it's the correct variety. But the plants are just not healthy. Go figure.:)

greggf, send me a PM and I'll send you some seeds. You are probably the closest of anyone here to my climate, and my Walmart seeds by Ferry-Morse in 2004 have given me great tomatoes for 4 straight years. True, its not the highest yielding, but I've gotten at least 15#'s per year every year.

Barkeater,
If you have enough room, why don't you grow a plant or two of Brandywine Sudduth every year? Maybe your batting average will improve with it. If you're strapped for room, I'd take Carolyn's advice.....Douglas(who want's to give BWS a try this year, after a long absence in my garden)

Maybe I missed it Gregg where is your seed from? I grow Brandywine every year from seed purchased in 2000. It was packaged by Botanical Interests,Inc. Broomfield,CO.
Would not replace it with anything else.Period. Yes it does have to have a long season and no it does not produce bushels of fruit. But it never disapoints and it seldom leaves home. Other Toms may make it to work or school or to the neighbors but not my Brandywines.
They get the sunniest spot in the PVC Hoop House and the best spot under the lights as seedlings.
This is the first year I have saved seeds and hopefully I did it right. The 2000 year package is almost empty.

Note to Worth, if you stop over in Seattle to work on my "Helper Garden" I'll send a Brandywine home with you. Just pick the right weekend to stop by.:)) :twisted: