Mark's 2018 crop

[AKmark]

I finally had to start lowering plants to keep them producing. We also trimmed off about 400lbs of leaves and suckers, I got a bit behind, so it was work.

The plants get moved sideways after I drop them down a couple of feet, they move in a big oval. The rollerhooks are supported on airplane cable.

[AlittleSalt]

There is one tomato variety that I would like to grow if I had your setup. It's called WOW, and is a cherry tomato. It doesn't grow bushy, but with long tall vines. It would be interesting to see.

[greenthumbomaha]

Wow, so far I have one little marble sized tomato on my sole Mat-Su Express container plant. I've been parking my car in front to shade it and now there are a ton of blossoms. The tomato will be a birthday gift for my friend that visited Wasilla last summer.

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

There is one tomato variety that I would like to grow if I had your setup. It's called WOW, and is a cherry tomato. It doesn't grow bushy, but with long tall vines. It would be interesting to see.

Salt, Red Debarao is another very tall vining tomato. I have a friend growing it out this year from my seedling. I hope the wind didn't knock it down. I met a kindred spirit at a plant sale today. He was buying two 4 packs of Parks Whopper because the wind (prior to the tornados in the area tonight) had broken some of his plants. I had to ask how many he grew -50 plants.

- Lisa

[AKmark]

These are Bloody Butcher x Chapman F2 in the pics. I decided to go with these smaller BB type to move the line forward. They really produce, they have an excellent flavor, and have a nice shape. In short, Improved BB, but not quite as early.

I ate an AK Sunrise, which is a 2013 selection that was a mystery cross of Brandywine Sudduth's. It is still the best out of all. The taste is something else, Old fashioned tomato with an a nutty wrap around that? It destroys everything in taste, but comes in last in DTM, and yield, so its future is breeding stock.

[Gerardo]

RED is what springs to mind with those little ones. Very nice.

[Barb_FL]

Thanks for posting the pics of your plants being lowered. I hope you keep posting them as the season progresses.

Those tomatoes with the large green calyx look really good. I think you are onto something. I bet they sell well.

[AKmark]

SANY1924.jpg

SANY1926.jpg

SANY1929.jpgHere are some plants in 3 gallon containers that are doing okay, and a pic of lots of red tomatoes.

[Salsacharley]

I count 99 ripe red tomatoes, including partial views.

[ContainerTed]

Let's see. Great crystal clear photography, lots of wonderfully healthy tomato plants with super fruit set, ripe fruits in the 10's of dozens, and a system that has my eyelids a deep shade of envious green. Soooooo...... painful to see when my pitiful mater patch won't hold a candle to it. Add to all that and my stash of tomato juice, "my precious" tomato juice is down to only four quarts left until harvest. My nerves are jumpier than a field full of grasshoppers.

I think I am now officially ......... clinically depressed !!!!!

Mark, I know you sell a lot of your harvest locally as fresh fruit. Have you ever considered making a "market" quantity of heirloom tomato juice? Maybe Alaskans would like the taste of summer in midwinter. I might stand in line if I can get my share of about 500 gallons.

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Let's see. Great crystal clear photography, lots of wonderfully healthy tomato plants with super fruit set, ripe fruits in the 10's of dozens, and a system that has my eyelids a deep shade of envious green. Soooooo...... painful to see when my pitiful mater patch won't hold a candle to it. Add to all that and my stash of tomato juice, "my precious" tomato juice is down to only four quarts left until harvest. My nerves are jumpier than a field full of grasshoppers.

I think I am now officially ......... clinically depressed !!!!!

Mark, I know you sell a lot of your harvest locally as fresh fruit. Have you ever considered making a "market" quantity of heirloom tomato juice? Maybe Alaskans would like the taste of summer in midwinter. I might stand in line if I can get my share of about 500 gallons.

Hi Ted, I hope you get your juice stash refilled in time. We do tomato slop, and also can lots and lots of spaghetti sauce that also contains our peppers and onions.

I can't produce enough tomatoes to satisfy the ones in need. I would rather sell them tomatoes that they can can themselves. On another note, that heirloom juice could bring a good price. I am not sure on regulations for stuff like that, I assume there may be lots of red tape

You take care my tomato friend, I will post some pics of the Brandywine soon. I will also post some pics of my Brandywine Sudduth's selection from 2016. One of them threw very nice shaped fruit, and it seems to have carried on. The taste... oh my.

[AKmark]

I have grown every BW anything I could find, several are good, a couple were not so great. I also grew many plants of each type.

Of the real BW's I like Sudduth's strain, and Cowlick's, Glick's was okay. For crosses I like OTV, Liams, Mat-Su, and Brandy Boy. My most consistent for delivering legendary taste was Sudduth's.

In 2016 I had a very interesting plant that stood out among other Sudduth's plants. The fruit had a very nice shape, and the taste was spot on BW. Anyway, it seems that the shape stuck, those seeds are growing nice shaped BW. They are pink even though the pic makes it look like they have a red tinge.

[AKmark]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

I count 99 ripe red tomatoes, including partial views.

I never thought of that. LOL

[efisakov]

AKmark, as usually nice setup. Picture perfect setup.

I am so impressed with your results. That picture (I am assuming it is your son) of the hand next to the bucket tells more than words can. Your containers are so small for what I always considered the right size for a tomato plant. Amazing. I see it and still can not believe what I see.


I agree with you on Brandywines, Brandywine Sudduth to me tastiest of all. The fruits are beautiful as well. We pick at the end of the season all greenies and let them ripen inside. Brandywine Sudduth has an excellent shelf life.

One very nice lady was very kind and shared with me seeds of Mat-Su Express. They germinated couple of days ago. Thanks for creating it and sharing with TVlians.

Best of luck with all that you do.

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by efisakov

One very nice lady was very kind and shared with me seeds of Mat-Su Express. They germinated couple of days ago. Thanks for creating it and sharing with TVlians.

Great news about the germination, I loved the flavor and size, and the potato leaf. And they are tomato machines, cranking them out!

[efisakov]

Originally Posted by ginger2778

Great news about the germination, I loved the flavor and size, and the potato leaf. And they are tomato machines, cranking them out!

Thank you, Marsha.