Marlow Charleston Tomato

[tantaw0]

I have got a question. I have been growing tomatoes for more years than I care to remember and I have never seen anything like this variety (Marlow Charleston). One of my customers gave me a few seeds about 5 years ago. I have only picked one tomato so far and tried to same the seeds. There was ZERO seeds in the tomato!

My question is has anybody grown this variety and if you have did you have the same results that I had?

[mjc]

Truly seedless...no locules (seed spaces)? no gel?

Or it has them and there are just no seeds?

How close are the others to being ripe?

[dice]

I have had seedless fruits like that set in very cold, early
summer weather. I also have Marlowe Charleston seeds
that I got in a trade last winter (I have not grown them yet),
so it does normally produce fruits with seeds.

[mjc]

Yes, if it is weather related, then fruits set during a warm spell should have seeds.

But if it is all the tomatoes on this one plant, you may want to consider rooting some cuttings to overwinter and see if they are still seed free next year, under different growing conditions.

[carolyn137]

Marlowe Charlston, and there is an "e" on the end of Marlow, has long been listed in the SSE YEarbooks.

But what you show doesn't conform to what others have gotten for that variety.

Your picture shows a red fruit but all those who list it say a large PINK variety, fruits usually in the one lb plus region, FLAT pink fruits, indet, with PL ( potato leaf foliage).

Does you plant have PL foliage?

Is perhaps the color off in the photo and the fruits are really PINK? You can tell the difference by peeling off a bit of the thin epidermis and holding it up to the light. If it's clear the fruits are pink and if it's yellow the fruits are red.

All of those who list it are offering seeds of it to other SSE members and no one has mentioned seedless fruits.

Parthenocarpic varieties have no to very few seeds early in the season, but Marlowe Charlstone isn't parthenocarpic. By any chance did you use the product Blossom Set, which can induce parthenocarpy?

Lastly, how many plants do you have out there and how many fruits have you sampled so far? Just the one this season? And in past years did all of the fruits have seeds?

I'll wait until I see your answers before I say a bit more.

[mjc]

Gee. Carolyn137, I don't know how many times I've seen you mention that Blossom Set bit, this summer, but it keeps slipping my mind...

tantaw0, a picture of a sliced one would be helpful, too.

[tantaw0]

Carolyn the picture is not a picture of the tomato. It is the picture that is on all my postings. The tomato was pink and the truth is I am going to have to check the plant tomorrow to see if it is regular or potato leaf. I have lots of tomato plants and I just don't remember. The plant was started in my greenhouse and planted in "normal" West Texas hot weather in late May. It did have gel in it but no seeds. I have been collecting seeds from tomatoes MANY years and I have never seen anything like this.

It was only the first tomato harvested and the others may indeed be different. I hope so because what little I ate tasted great. I am a big fan of pink tomatoes! I'll let you know if the others have seeds or are "seedless".
Thanks,
Dave

Originally Posted by carolyn137

Marlowe Charlston, and there is an "e" on the end of Marlow, has long been listed in the SSE YEarbooks.

But what you show doesn't conform to what others have gotten for that variety.

Your picture shows a red fruit but all those who list it say a large PINK variety, fruits usually in the one lb plus region, FLAT pink fruits, indet, with PL ( potato leaf foliage).

Does you plant have PL foliage?

Is perhaps the color off in the photo and the fruits are really PINK? You can tell the difference by peeling off a bit of the thin epidermis and holding it up to the light. If it's clear the fruits are pink and if it's yellow the fruits are red.

All of those who list it are offering seeds of it to other SSE members and no one has mentioned seedless fruits.

Parthenocarpic varieties have no to very few seeds early in the season, but Marlowe Charlstone isn't parthenocarpic. By any chance did you use the product Blossom Set, which can induce parthenocarpy?

Lastly, how many plants do you have out there and how many fruits have you sampled so far? Just the one this season? And in past years did all of the fruits have seeds?

I'll wait until I see your answers before I say a bit more.

[carolyn137]

Carolyn the picture is not a picture of the tomato

*****

Got it, my bad.

So do check for PL foliage and do let us know the seed status of fruits to come.

[tantaw0]

Thanks Carolyn. I am in the seed business, mostly heirloom tomatoes and we have been harvesting our seeds and I just have not had tome to check this plant. We have a small seed farm and my son-in-law is harvesting the fruit. Thank goodness!

As an aside Carolyn I mentioned I am in the seed business. I am in this business for several reasons but the number one reason is because I read your book about heirloom tomatoes a long time ago and it spiked my interest. Started saving a few seeds for myself and friends and after about three years I started my small seed company (I also sell heirloom tomato and pepper plants). Most of the time I want to thank you but it has really developed into a "real job"! I thought I had retired but this keeps me pretty busy.

Seriously I have read MANY books and publications about heirloom tomatoes and your book is BY FAR THE BEST!

Dave