Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
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March 12, 2016 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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Brandy Boy Hybrid
I have to wave the "Brandy Boy" flag again this year - but this time on the Tomatoville Forum! This variety is incredible for us! I'm going to have to stabilize the BB seed for our own use. I know there are growers who are growing F10 seeds with success. To date, I have found no other hybrid like it for production, disease resistance and taste! I know it doesn't do well for a lot of growers but for those it does - I get constant "Thank You" for sharing our results. I will interject photos from years past as I post the progress of Brandy Boy during the 2016 season. We already have many trusses on our plants with 15 - 18 blossoms/buds per truss. We planted the seeds on January 1st. All the Brandy Boy plants are 2-3' in height today and many have already set fruit.
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March 12, 2016 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SE Florida Zone 10
Posts: 319
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Wow, those plants are loving whatever you are doing. Not sure if I have seen or if you have shared, but what fert and delivery schedule do you use in your GH.
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March 12, 2016 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Montreal
Posts: 1,140
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Hudson, amazing again! I am one of those who grew BB one year and didn't have the best results, although I realize it was probably not the best growing year but that being said, there were too many other tomatoes to try, so I have not tried it again.
Sharon |
March 12, 2016 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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jpop - I have posted information about Brandy Boy on another forum for several years but just joined Tomatoville. All of our tomato plants receive the same treatment in our GH regardless of the variety - Hybrid or Heirloom! I fertilize them manually with a liquid soluble fertilizer on a weekly basis. Brandy Boy has out performed them all in every aspect. But I only have about 2,000 more varieties to trial - haha.
Sharon - I hear ya - you have to find the variety that likes your growing environment. Once you do - it is fun to share your results with everyone in hopes that they will enjoy the same growing experience!! |
March 12, 2016 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
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Nice pics.
For what it's worth, BB didn't do well for me. I think it did not like the high temperatures in my high tunnel in the early summer sun. I'm glad to see it doing well for you, though. Maybe avoiding the heat is the trick. |
March 12, 2016 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
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Do all of the flowers on the truss size up fully?
Or do you get a smattering of sizes when they all ripen? |
March 12, 2016 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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Hi PureHarvest
Here is my best attempt to answer that question! The Tomato Gods are smiling down on Brandy Boy - IMO haha Last edited by Hudson_WY; March 12, 2016 at 03:34 PM. |
March 12, 2016 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Norway
Posts: 1,049
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I grew it last season in my greenhouse. The yield was good, but the taste was bland.
Steve |
March 12, 2016 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Finland, EU
Posts: 2,550
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Very nice leaves, flowers and fruits. Practically, everything is beautiful.
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March 12, 2016 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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Steve - Both of us growing in a GH you would think our results would be similar? I don't grow in soil, I use a sterile professional growing mix but I grow in a bed not a container. I set my min temp at 55 degrees F and my max at 85 degrees. I have never tasted a better hybrid. So similar to it's parent - Brandywine - I can't sometimes tell the difference. But taste is subjective and I do have 2,000 varieties that I have yet to trial!! Bland has never been a word we've used to describe Brandy Boy's taste grown in our GH. But I believe you when you say that's the way it tasted for you!
Narnian - Thanks! I haven't grown another tomato variety that likes our GH any better than Brandy Boy!! Here is some of the ripe fruit .........ummmm love the taste !! Last edited by Hudson_WY; March 12, 2016 at 08:47 PM. |
March 12, 2016 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Indialantic, Florida
Posts: 2,000
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WOW!!! On your earlier photos, I thought the plant (leaves) were beautiful. But the amount of fruit set is phenomenal! If I had fruit set like that I would grow about 5-10 plants and that would include the new ones to try.
On your raised bed, do you have native soil under your potting mix or is it on flooring? |
March 12, 2016 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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Hi Barb,
Our soil drains very well - very little clay - so we built the 24" high and the 12" high beds on top of the existing soil. Then filled the beds with the potting mix. I do add a layer of compost every year but I have not yet needed to replace the potting mix. But I will replace it when it becomes necessary. Brandy Boy is an incredible producer for us! I don't pinch out any blossoms because most the fruit weighs between 10 - 16 oz anyway !! |
March 12, 2016 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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My Avatar - 14 oz
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March 13, 2016 | #14 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wasilla Alaska
Posts: 2,010
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I also like the variety, great taste and production. Nice plants, thanks for sharing the pics.
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March 19, 2016 | #15 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Smoot, Wyoming
Posts: 523
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Our Brandy Boys are looking good - as always! After they grow to about 4' high and it gets a little warmer - I like to put down a good layer of compost as a mulch to help keep the planting medium at a somewhat constant moisture level and supplement nutrients for the plants. We spaced them further apart this year (36") to compare with previous years of 24" and 30" spacing. I plan to pinch of less suckers with the wider spacing. These plants are 11 weeks from seed now.
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