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hudson___wy

Brandy Boy

hudson___wy
10 years ago

Our GH Brandy Boy's are doing awesome to date. This is the first year we have planted them but very impressed so far - they are our first GH tomatoes to ripen. Of the 3 varieties we planted - German Giant, Better Boy and Brandy Boy - Brandy Boy has been the most prolific and hardy of the three. Next will be the taste test!

Comments (122)

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Sey - What the heck are you doing in NC? Is this a temporary move? You had the PNW well figured out but you should have much better success in NC. You may have to stop and visit Craig LeH.....!? Yes - I-90 has great views. Almost as pretty as our area over here by Yellowstone National Park! You should have good results with Brandy Boy and Brandywine Sudduth in NC - and most other varieties too!! Keep us posted - please.

    KK - That's cool to compare with your results in Asia - Hope you will post lots of photos of your farm and the plants you grow!! You will have a large operation - can't wait to see your set-up. I bought marbonne seeds - then never planted them because I realized they were a commercial variety (thick skinned and not very good reviews for taste) - they sure looked good though - maybe I made a mistake! I am also interested in your success with hydroponics - hope you will share !!

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    7 years ago

    Hudson, I could never figure out PNW. Very challenging climate for growing tomatoes. I have gardened in Atl, GA before and am familiar with the deep south climate. But there is a big difference between GA and NC. Over there the soil is red clay, good to make bricks with. Here it is sandy, good to make concrete mix with it. hehe

    sey

  • tarolli2011
    7 years ago

    Brandy Boy beats the hell out of Brandywine - in production and (for me) in taste. I adore acid tomatoes. In summer, I have to take prilosec because i eat 3-4 acid tomatoes a day. Brandywine has that horrible habit of being part ripe, part green, part rottin, all on the same piece of fruit. And the skimpy production is terrible.

    Marmande is the most popular tomato in France. But it is mushy shortly after being picked. Burpee has a new hybrud cultivar "mme marmand" that i will try this year. I think some of your mar... are variations of Marmande.

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Tarolli - couldn't have said it (Brandy Boy) any better !!!!

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    7 years ago

    Hudson, how do you rate BB to BW Sudduth strain ?

    Sey

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Sey - I need to grow Sudduth a few more years to be accurate - but after one year - Sudduth surprised me! I was expecting just another Brandywine with bleak performance - although great taste. Instead Sudduth performed more like Brandy Boy - very prolific with great taste! Brandy Boy out performs Sudduth - more aggressive - prolific - desease resistant - and I can't tell any difference in taste - love them both !! I like that Sudduth is an Heirloom as I am saving seeds of them both this year. I want to grow both and give Sudduth more time. I also want to grow Cowlicks & Croatia next year !

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    7 years ago

    Thanks, Hudson.

    I will also grow them both next year as my main pink/red varieties.

    Sey

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    So you will be growing in NC next year Sey? Have you ever grown Gardener's Delight cherry tomato? Did you like it? It is an heirloom so it caught my interest.

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    7 years ago

    Hudson, yes I will be gardening in NC next year. Right now I am making a garden.

    I have not grown Gardener's Delight and don't remember reading any review about it. Right now I have too many choices and have to cut it down in number. However, I would like to get : PRUDEN;S PURPLE and EVA PURPLE BALL. Apparently they do well in the deep south.

    sey

  • 14tomatoes_md_7a
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hi
    all --- first time posting here (zone 7 Maryland). So many questions,
    hope you all get to respond to most. I only have enough sunny space
    (btw 8-9 hours of direct sunlight) for only 14 tomato plants. 9 go in
    raised beds, and 5 in containers (18 gal) on my deck. The biggest
    problem we have is leaf spot (Septoria fungus I believe). All the trees
    around our yard have it, so we've finally given up on heirlooms (except
    for Brandywine Sudduth Quisenberry strain --- the best tasting
    tomato by far!). 2017 I'm planting only 2 --- from the 4 planted this
    year, only 3 survived, and after cutting all the dying leaves up to 4'
    from ground level! Since we do organic --- trice a month we sprayed them
    with Serenade Disease Control, Neem Oil and when the thrips showed up
    with Safer Brand insecticidal soap.

    To no avail --- the first ones to die off were Azoichka Yellow
    (before any fruit ripened), next were Bulgarian Druzba (on the deck ---
    one plant survived in a raised bed, bore late fruits of mediocre
    flavor). On a whim I bought 3 Better Bush plants late in May, and by
    mid July we had a few ripe ones with surprisingly good taste for a
    hybrid. Then, leaf spot attacked them, and after cutting all the
    yellowing branches, production became low. Finally I started spaying all
    tomatoes with Liquid Copper in August --- don't know how organic it is
    --- but, it saved the 3 Better Bush, 3 Brandywines and 1 Druzba. So,
    from 14 plants, only 7 survived, and the pickings were not great. This
    was the worst summer with high humidity, 90+ temps, rains, etc.

    Liking the slightly tangy Better Bush super compact plant (we love
    acidic tasting tomatoes) I planted one from a cutting in mid July in a 5
    gallon bucket --- it produced 11 ripe tomatoes by September 25th. I
    brought it inside to a sunny window, and it is still setting fruit,
    although taking forever to ripen.

    Hudson --- I read your posts on Brandy Boy and also on the other
    hybrid Big Brandy. Also read that Big Brandy has nowhere near the
    complexity of flavor and the incredible taste of the Original Brandywine
    Sudduth, but if it is highly disease resistant, I'll try it. Aren't
    green house grown tomato breeds more resistant to disease, since they
    take much longer to grow --- or is zone 3 so cold that you don't have
    the pest problems we do south of the Mason-Dixon line?

    Here is what I plan to grow next year (please, feel free to recommend
    other higly disease resistant tomatoes, with nice acidic taste!).

    2. Better Bush Hybrid ------ (F1, V) not really that much of disease protection, but nice tangy tomatoey taste.

    3. Celebrity Hybrid ------------ (AS, F, N, TOMV, V) high disease protection, hope it tastes like a real tomato should.

    4. Bolseno hybrid tomato --- (F2, TOMV, V) supposedly The most tangy, acidic tasting tomato!

    3. Charger hybrid tomato --- (AS,
    F3,
    V,
    L,
    TYLCV) -- superb disease protection, not sure of the taste.

    2. Brandywine Sudduth --- The Best...will keep spraying from day one!

    Sorry this post got so long. All tips you good folks have are welcomed. Thanks!

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    14Tomatoes - I agree with you about taste. Brandywine Sudduth strain is hard to beat and Brandy Boy is right there with BWS for us. Big Brandy had good taste for us but not as good Brandy Boy and BWS. I can't give you a review regarding the disease resistants of Big Brandy because the variety was not any different in our GH when compared to other Heirlooms and Hybrids. I wish I could be of more help when it comes to disease resistant tomato varieties. Growing inside a GH in our cold climate - I don't even consider disease resistant when choosing a variety - it's all about taste and production for us. We have very few disease problems as long as the temperature is below 80° - the humidity is between 30-70% - and the GH is well ventilated. We are able to grow both Heirloom & Hybrid varieties. We do have an advantage in a cold climate with a GH!

  • 14tomatoes_md_7a
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hudson --- thanks for the info. Do you use wood ash? We have a huge stone built fire pit where we grow 4 BWS in the summer. They were the greenest hugest plants with large abundant fruits in years past. Last year we didn't use the fire pit, plus this summer was horrible with humidity in he 80-90s, heavy rains and high temps...and they barely produced 80 fruits total from 3 plants that survived.

    To fill the fire pit we used 20 bags of 50 lbs top soil, mixed with the wood ash there, added 2 bags of composted cow manure, 2 cubic feet of coconut coir, 1 cubic foot of perlite and 2 lbs of lime to balance the PH.

    This September I seeded all growing areas with radishes for cover crop. I understand that radishes release a chemical compound that is a bane for nematodes, also, when they decompose after the winter they make for nice nitrogen filled green compost once raked in the spring.

    I plan to start dumping the ashes from the fireplace in the winter. Also, next year I'll start using Azomite. P.S. We feed the tomatoes with Tomato Tone (3-4-6), and the rest of the veggies with Garden Tone (3-4-4), also kelp liquid.

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    7 years ago

    I am in the process of making new garden. I have added lots of wood ash along with fall leaves and pine straw. From what I have read, wood ash, in addition having high pH , is very rich in Potassium and calcium. Tomatoes love high dose of potassium and probably can make tomatoes taste sweeter.

    Next spring , after I till my garden, before plant out, I will get a soil test to see what the pH is and what is lacking. Otherwise, not knowing your soil chemistry is like shooting in the dark.

    PS: my native soil, before doing anything ( amendments ) had a pH of about 5.8.

    sey

  • 14tomatoes_md_7a
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Sey --- once I added lime to the large amounts of wood ash left in the soil, the PH balance about 4 weeks before planting was 6.5 --- a month later it stabilized at 7. Lime seems to work slowly, but effectively.


    P.S. Forgot to state once a month I water all plants at the roots with 1 full table spoon of Epson Salts to 2 gallons of water.

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Sey - you will be several months ahead of me this year. It will be fun to follow your lead for a change. I will probably plant seed about the 2nd week of February so I can move the seedlings to the GH the first week in March. This year I plan to just heat the GH in March with our propane heater and not mess with the light bulbs and frost blankets.

    14tomatoes - I do not add wood ash to our alkaline soil. Our PH is already at 6.5 - in fact - I plant all of my container seedlings now in a growing medium - Sunshine Professional Growing Mix - without any soil. I only add compost to all of our raised beds. I mulch with compost when the seedling is about 8-10 weeks from seed. I do add epson Salts once or twice a year when I think about it - haha. I have to start writing it down on a calendar or I forget.

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    7 years ago

    Hudson , I will start about one month before you plan to do it. But there is no guarantee to have a lead. I am just anxious to push the season. I might not be able actually to plant out in mid March unless the weather turns out early or I get prepared to protect my plants in case of some cold snaps. But I am hopeful to have a better success in my new location.

    We shall see.

    Sey

  • 14tomatoes_md_7a
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hudson --- I went and got the Brandy Boy seeds from Burpee!

    So, here are the final 18 for 2017:

    3. Margo Hybrid ------ (F, V, TYLCV) good disease protection with medium red fruits on a dwarf plant.

    3. Better Bush Hybrid ------ (F1, V) not really that much of disease
    protection, but nice tangy tomatoey taste with large red fruits on a
    dwarf plant.

    2. Momotaro Hybrid -------- (F1, L, N, TOMV, V) high disease
    protection, hope its supposed sweet taste is balanced off with tangy
    notes!

    2. Bolseno Italian hybrid --- (F2, TOMV, V) good disease resistance, and supposedly the most tangy, with pronounced tartness, tomato!

    2. Charger hybrid tomato --- (AS, F3, V, L, TYLCV) -- superb disease protection, not sure of the taste.

    2.
    Brandy Boy Hybrid --- (F, TOMV, V) good disease resistance, and supposedly close in taste to BWS with better production.

    2. Brandywine Sudduth --- The Best...!!!

    2. Rowdy Red --- not a hybrid, so you can save the seeds! (Created by Gary Ibsen and named after Clint Eastwood)
    ------ (F, V, TYLCV) good disease protection with real tomato flavor with tart notes!

    We love tomatoes that are tangy (with a hint to pronounced tartness) --- no sweet stuff here!

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Nice line-up 14tomatoes! Although I have never planted most of them - we are in the same camp as you with the tangy/tartness taste - we are looking forward to your reviews!

    Besides Brandy Boy and the Dwarf Project commitment varieties - We are sticking mostly with Brandywine this year in an attempt to find the best strains. For sure I'll be planting:

    Brandywine Sudduth (I saved my own seeds last year - Sudduth was a great tasting and good producer for us!)

    Brandywine Croatia

    Brandywine Cowlicks

    Brandywine Yellow

    I have already ruled out Brandywine Red, Brandywine OTV and Brandywine Pink. They all tasted great but there was not enough production per plant for my limited GH space. If I were growing in a garden I would grow more varieties including some of these that I have already ruled out.

    I am glad you are planting Brandywine Sudduth so you can compare the varieties you are trying to BWS. BWS is a proven winner IMO!!





  • 14tomatoes_md_7a
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hudson ---we had 2 Brandywine Yellow, their fruits ripened about a week after the Brandywine Sudduth. The Yellow had about the same production with the same size fruits. Tomatoes were a gorgeous deep yellow color, inside was creamy bright yellow, the flavor complexity was excellent --- but, the taste was not as pronounced as the Sudduth...it was more on the mild side, less tangy.

    p.s. which dwarf varieties are you growing?

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Just the assigned varieties from the Dwarf Project - Dwarf Gold Finch (yellow) and Dwarf Grinch (green). They are in the dehybridization phase. Neither are available commercially.

    Thanks for the info on Brandywine Yellow. I expect exactly what you experienced. Knowing it is unlikely that I will grow it again - because it is Brandywine - I want to grow it at least once.

  • 14tomatoes_md_7a
    7 years ago
    last modified: 7 years ago

    Hudson ---the Brandywine Yellow we gave to a friend to taste (who only grows tomatoes available as plants at Home Depot...Early Girl, Big Boy, Supersonic, etc.) and he said that was the best tasting tomato he ever had!

    So, for those who have never tasted the Brandywine Sudduth --- the Brandywine Yellow is an exceptional tomato (wonderful yellow color with complex flavor)! I love yellow tomatoes since I tasted one in Europe about 30 years ago, but still cannot find one here that gives me the desired tangy, sweetness balanced with pronounced notes of tartness (with high disease resistance for our humid, rainy season here). So, we've given up on yellow tomatoes.

    Afterward, I cut a Brandywine Sudduth for my friend --- and his only words were: WOW, WOW, WOW!

    From the hundreds of tomatoes we tasted over the years, nothing beats the Brandywine Sudduth! In 2015 we had Black Krim --- it came close in flavor, but not in texture, very delicate and soft (mushy) if you missed to pick it before fully ripened. The 2016 Brandywine Yellow beat the Black Krim in flavor.

    From the Black Russian heirlooms --- only Black Krim held its own, the rest were disappointing in flavor (from bland to nearly tasteless) ...Black Prince (short in height, but very bushy and productive with mediocre taste); Chernomoretz (Black Sea Man)...less productive short bush with more bland taste than Black Prince; Black Russian Pear, even less productive with the most bland taste.

    I'd recommend that you try Better Bush (since disease control is not your priority) --- for your dwarf plants. It produced from 3-4" gorgeous red juicy fruits with nice tangy flavor. I'll rate its taste, texture and juiciness above Black Krim (but way below in flavor complexity).

  • tarolli2011
    7 years ago

    I want to second Hudson's experience with Big Brandy in a totally different growing situation: outside in Ohio zone 6a. It tastes very good, but I prefer Brandy Boy and Genuwine (Costoluto Genovese x Brandywine) in taste. Also both of these Brandywine hybrids are much more productive here than the smaller Big Brandy plant. One problem may be New Big Dwarf as one parent of Big Brandy's. It grew like a dwarf. Of my tomatoes in the raised beds, Big Brandy was my smallest plant- by a wide margin. Also acted like a determinant. I got one cluster of 13 fruit, then very few after that. I do not plan to grow it again as long as I can get Brandy Boy seed. I am also sticking with Genuwine in my garden.

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    7 years ago

    I think I have mentioned this before and I say it again. I planted 3 Brandy Boys in 2015. One of them that got more sun, gave good crop. The other 2 were crowded out and got not much sun and thus not much fruits. I think my cool PNW climate combined with lot of shade ( 4 to 5 hours of direct sun) was responsible for the poor performance. So I am hoping that in my new location (seen suffixed to my user name ) big fruiting tomatoes should be better. We shall see.

    sey

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    tarolli - I purchased Genuwine seeds last season and then read some mediocre reviews and they got sidelined. Do you have some photos you could share of your Genuwine plants and fruit? You have renewed my interest. Others have had success saving Brandy Boy seed - one gardener planted F10 last year - I believe . I will plant F1's this year along with new Burpee seeds. It seems to make sense to start saving seeds while the seed quality is controlled by Burpee? Saving seeds may be an option for you.

    Sey - It will be interesting to compare your success this year in NC with Brandy Boy and your other varieties with your success in the PNW!

  • Labradors
    7 years ago

    14tomatoes,

    Brandywine Sudduth is a PINK tomato with PL foliage.

    Could you have been thinking of the yellow Brandywine "Platfoot Strain?" I tasted one of those this summer and it was excellent.

    Linda

  • 14tomatoes_md_7a
    7 years ago

    Linda --- corrected it: "So, for those who have never tasted the Brandywine Sudduth --- the
    Brandywine Yellow is an exceptional tomato (wonderful yellow color with
    complex flavor)!"

    The point being Brandywine Sudduth tastes even better than the Yellow.



  • John A
    7 years ago

    This "Snowbird" is back in FL now. I have several started, although they will be a little late for FL. Included are Brandy Boy F12 and BW Sudduth Strain. So yes, my Brandy Boy seeds are saving true.

    John A

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Hi John, You are the gardener I was thinking about that had saved Brandy Boy seeds! Is there any chance we could swap some seeds? I would love to start with F12 Brandy Boy seeds this season rather than my F1 Seeds that I saved last year?! I have about 20 varieties of various seeds that I could swap with you - if you have an interest.

  • Labradors
    7 years ago

    Got it 14tomatoes. Thanks for explaining.

    I plan to grow BW Cowlicks this year. I hope it compares to Sudduth!

    Linda

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    7 years ago

    Me too Linda - someone was kind enough to send me some of Tatiana's - Brandywine Cowlicks seed. Indet, PL, dense meaty flesh. Another strain of Brandywine, found by Mike Henry at a Nursery called Cowlicks. He bought it as a plant in the mid 2000s. It was labeled Brandywine but out preformed all other strains of Brandywine tomato plants that Henry planted that year. It was more productive, earlier, tasted better and produced larger and prettier fruits - according to Tatiana's description. I am excited to see how it performs in taste and production this year.

  • Labradors
    7 years ago

    Thanks for adding the "blurb" about Cowlicks Hudson. I adore the taste of BW, but find it so frustrating to grow because the fruit ripen so late for me that they tend to split and rot in the process. I'm excited to try Cowlicks because it is earlier.

    I will also be growing the bi-colour Little Lucky which has BW as a parent. It is also late, but being smaller it ripens fine for me and the taste is sweet and delicious.

    Linda

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Brandy Boy - 2017 - producing ripe tomatoes in June!

  • yolos - 8a Ga. Brooks
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Hey Hudson, I was just thinking about you. I just harvested a few Brandy Boys and was trying to remember what my largest size was the year you did the BB contest. This was 1 lb 6 oz. I think that is my largest one yet. I have been harvesting since late May. I used season extension to get them to ripen earlier than normal.

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Here is your post Yolos. You are right - 1 lb 6 oz is your largest. Both are nice sized tomatoes!!

    Yolos 2015 - Here is my biggest Brandy Boy to date. 591.5 grams (1 lb 5 oz). This BrandyBoy is not a fused blossom. So far, I have harvested 8 Brandy Boys from one plant and zero BrandyWines. The plants are next to each other and getting the same water and nutrients.

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Tomato Juice: My wife has figured out how to capture the wonderful flavor of Brandy Boy in a bottle of tomato juice!! It is the best tomato juice I have ever tasted and I love it. If you want to give it a try - here's what she does.

    We collect the harvested ripe tomatoes on the counter and when there is about a tray full of ripe Brandy Boys she cuts them up into a large Tupperware bowl and puts them in the freezer.

    When more are ripe - she pulls the bowl out the freezer and fills the bowl to the top and puts them back in the freezer. When she has two Tupperware bowls full of frozen tomatoes she sets them on the counter to thaw on a day she has time to process the juice. I think the key for getting the great Brandy Boy taste is freezing the tomatoes and then removing two cups (there is more fluid) of watery fluid from each bowl before she processes the juice. You can see the watery liquid around the perimeter of the thawing out tomatoes in the next photo.

    Then she processes the juice by bringing the tomatoes to a boil - straining the liquid and running the solids through the juicer and again mixing the solids processed with the juicer with the previously strained liquids.

    The result is a thicker (but not too thick) juice that captures the Brandy Boy flavor and has the same "kick in the butte" zangy tomatoy old fashioned flavor that you get every time you take a bite from a fresh ripe off the vine Brandy Boy!!

    She processes the juice using the water bath method because the Brandy Boy Tomatoes grown in our GH is acidic enough that the juice does not need to be pressure canned. Be sure to check this out yourself though at your county extension office as you will want to use the proper canning method that is safe for you and your family.

    Absolutely the best tomato juice we have ever tasted. The key is using Brandy Boy Tomatoes that have the great old time heirloom tomato taste and removing the two cups of watery liquid from the tomatoes after freezing the tomatoes and before processing - IMO. If you like tomato juice - you may want to try this method.

  • rgreen48
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Hudson, I do a similar process when I make tomato sauce. I freeze the tomatoes whole for sauce, and then remove the skins after I take them out of the freezer. I stack the skinned, whole tomatoes in bowls like your wife. I leave mine to thaw overnight. Here's the thing I learned that your family may also enjoy...

    That first drain off of liquid that fills the bowls of the defrosting tomatoes. Does she toss it out, or is that blended back in? If it's tossed out... don't. What I learned is that it makes a fantastic base for minestrone soup. Just take whatever beans and veggies you may have (I do it in the winter, and I clean out my pantry canned goods, and take all the veggies in the freezer that need to be used up soon) and toss them into the soup. Of course, saute onion, garlic, celery, some carrots if you want first then build the soup on top. In go the kidney beans, cannolini beans, green beans, broccoli raab, kale, broccoli... you get the idea... whatever you like... Then, a few minutes before it's all done, toss in some pasta. I use whole wheat myself, but any preferred pasta will work. I'm sure you could even use rice.

    The tomato liquid (especially if broccoli raab is used) brings a refreshing zing to the soup. And it's from that liquid that usually just gets thrown out.

  • rgreen48
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    I should add that I freeze the extra soup after it's made. I have no idea if such a varied recipe is safe for canning.

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    6 years ago

    Thanks for the info rgreen - she does toss the liquid. I'll share your suggestion - thanks for the tip!

  • mnwsgal
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Not a minestrone soup fan but sounds good for those who like that soup. Good use of an otherwise discarded product.

    The tomato juice sounds wonderful. Wish I had more than one Brandy Boy tomato plant. Am still waiting for the first ripe one. I will copy your wife's technique to use another time.

    Thank you both for sharing.

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    6 years ago

    I don't have as many Brandy Boy plants but do have lots of good tasting heirloom/OPs . I make mostly sauce ( spaghetti consistency). Before boiling the cut up tomato pieces I mash them with potato masher and get a good amount of juice. I strain it to get the seeds out then boil its and can it or keep it in the frig for drinking. Right now I have a gallon of it in the frig. In a hot day down here, nothing is more refreshing than cold fresh tomato juice.

    Now the remainder is reduced by almost 50%. I cook it, blend it ( w/ stick blender ), strain through rice colander (to get seeds, pulp . out) Then I cook it more to get thicker.Then jar it.

    This way my final product is about 30% by weight of the the tomatoes that I started with. This saves a lot of jars and space. I make some plain sauce and some flavored/spiced , ready to use. I mark the jars accordingly. So far I have jarred about 20 quart of sauce and juice .

    As Hudson said, most tomatoes are acidic enough to be water bath canned. To be on the safe side I add about a TBS of vinegar per quart of sauce and 1/2 TBS of sugar to hide the acidic taste. You can add Splenda if you don't like the calorie in the sugar. Or use lemon/lime juice in place of vinegar.

    Per safety guidelines the pH should be no more than 4.2. That is about as acidic as the most low acid tomatoes. A TBS of vinegar can lower that to unde 3.8.

  • Kansas Farm Girl - Shell - South of KC
    6 years ago

    The Boys and Beef are back in town.

  • Seysonn_ 8a-NC/HZ-7
    6 years ago

    My spring planted BBs, ( March 12, 22 ) seem to have lost steam. I have one growing from cutting/rooting for second round that is growing nicely and has fruits and flowers. It is the fastest growing among the 10 or so second season plants.

    I have found out that BB is much less prone to spoilage due to cracking or for other reason. Big Beef is another one.

    sey

  • Kg Tg Zone 6b IL
    6 years ago


    I love Brandyboy!! They do so well here!!!

  • KBAV_Gal (St. Paul, Zone 4b)
    6 years ago

    Okay, pro BB growers. Wondering whether you might have some thoughts about my struggles with BB and BER. I have a brandy boy planted in an approx. 10 gallon container. Overall the plant has done well. But I've struggled with blossom end rot. I did not include lime when I prepared the soil (note to self for next year!). I have side dressed with lime twice this summer - not sure how effective


    . Have watched leaves for signs of stress or water needs. Pics below. I've picked a few ripe fruit and cut the BER off. Wow! Terrific taste! So if there is way I can get some of these fruit to maturity, I'll be happy.


    See the one lone ripened tomato? Pretty from this angle.


    I cut off the BER and it tasted terrific. But I'd like to not deal with BER!


  • Kg Tg Zone 6b IL
    6 years ago

    sometimes the first fruit will have ber on many types of tomatoes, after the first cycle you should see a improvement. Let us know. I am at the end of my brandyboys and had a couple with ber....maybe one or 2 at the start out of 3 plants....

  • Hnr Hussein
    3 years ago

    Where can I buy organic brandy boy and brandy wine plants. Any help?

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    I think Burpee’s is still the only source for the seed. I save my own Brandy Boy seeds for storage but prefer to purchase a packet from Burpee every year. I’ve never noticed if the offer organic. I have never purchased plants from them either.

  • tripleione
    3 years ago

    I kinda fell out of these threads because of the transition from GW to Houzz, but I just wanted to comment that I've still been growing Brandy Boy almost every year since the 2015 contest. The seeds saved from my BB plants (at least F3, if not F4 hybrids) have reliably produced tomatoes that are basically identical to the original BB plant that I first saved seed from in 2015.


    I want to buy a fresh packet of BB seeds from Burpee and grow them along with my saved seeds just to see if there is any difference between the two. Gonna try that in the spring of '21.


    Thanks, hudson__wy, for getting me to try this variety. Definitely one of the best tasting variety of tomatoes I've ever had.

  • hudson___wy
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    You are welcome tripleione!! I have also saved seeds with success, but purchase a new packet every year and notice no difference in the plants nor their production. I agree with you about Brandy Boy’s taste - the best tasting tomato I’ve ever had!!!

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