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greenthumbzdude

How much Longer For Brandywines?

greenthumbzdude
9 years ago

These guys are taking forever....when will they turn red? I planted them on May 15th....I water every day or every other day and once a week I give them some organic Neptune fish and seaweed fertilizer.

Comments (15)

  • dbrown2351
    9 years ago

    I picked a few today. Planted May 20. Central Ohio. Have had a bunch of other varieties come in but just the last few days the Brandywines have started to blush. The only thing I have still not ripe is Romas and Big Boys.

    We have had a lot of rain all year so I haven't watered much at all. I fertilize every 10 days or so with MG (18-18-21 I think, pink powder).

    This post was edited by DBrown2351 on Sun, Jul 27, 14 at 19:49

  • digdirt2
    9 years ago

    Depends on which Brandywine variety to a degree but they are basically 85-90 DTM (for what that is worth). Definitely a "late" variety. And the usual 6-8 weeks between fruit set and ripening - more like 56 days for the large beefsteaks. Is watering every other day, much less every day, really necessary? Is it that dry and hot there? Or are they in a container of some sort?

    Dave

  • ilovecucumbers Zone 6b, NE PA
    9 years ago

    German Johnsons are a Brandywine, correct? If so, I have the same question. I did get one glorious ripe GJ...and it is, bar none, the most delicious tomato I have ever grown. It's getting hard to be patient.

  • sharonrossy
    9 years ago

    Brandy wines are late, even the ones like OTV which are supposed to be mid season are late and not very prolific although I do have about 15 on mine. But I don't think they will be back next year. Too many other choices with better productivity..
    Sharon

  • carolyn137
    9 years ago

    No, German Johnson's whether PL or RL are not remotely related to any Brandywine, but I'm glad you like them.

    Greenthumb, which Brandywine variety are you growing, as in Sudduth, Joyce's, OTV Brandywine, etc,

    And I ask since you said you were waiting for them to turn red and most versions of Bandywine are pink, not red, but there are a couple of red ones,

    Carolyn

  • sheltieche
    9 years ago

    I am growing Brandywine Cowlicks this year and from previous experience in my zone I can not get them earlier than end of August. Hopefully it taste exceptionally well but it might not earn its real estate for next year. There are more than plenty of great tasting tomatoes which are productive, earlier and just as tasty. Same goes fro Estlerôs ML and AGG- prime real estate with less than satisfactory performance so far.

  • aegis1000
    9 years ago

    I picked my first blushing Brandy Boy today.

    Had to wait a little, but there's many more on the vine.

  • seysonn
    9 years ago

    Last year my BW fruit never got ripened ti early September when it got diseased. I have had heard that BW does not like too much heat. Then our PNW weather wasn't hot.
    Next year I might try Brandy Boy.

  • edweather USDA 9a, HZ 9, Sunset 28
    9 years ago

    My Brandywine Sudduths is loaded, but only one fruit is currently blushing. Have been eating off of a Stupice for a month.

  • sharonrossy
    9 years ago

    I grew BW Sudduth last year. Tasty but not overly productive. I should have grown out Bloody Butcher or tried Stupice. I think it's going to be forever before I get a ripe tom! And the weather has been awful since yesterday. Predicting in the 50's tonight.

  • peps22
    9 years ago

    Growing two yellow brandwines. Plants are 4.5 feet tall and I've only fertilized twice all summer, not wanting to dump too much nitrogen on them. Thus far, only one fruit. The flowers keep falling off. Not happy as of 7/28.

  • greenthumbzdude
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The ones I got I think are pink brandywines but as you can see from the picture they are lime green color but quite large bigger than my closed fist. The plants are still flowering and setting fruit.....it seems to be doing so in layers.... at the bottom there are large tomatoes and on top there are flowers and tiny tomatoes.I would say that the plants are over 6 feet now.

  • naturegirl_2007 5B SW Michigan
    9 years ago

    Brandywine has been late and fruits were sparse when I grew them for a few years. You may have to be patient and enjoy the few you get to pick late in the year.

    Brandy Boy, an F1 hybrid, has ripened much quicker for me than Brandywine. My family and I find it tastes very much like Brandywine...great for BLTs. It also produces a lot more fruit here in Michigan than Brandywine. So it has become one of the few hybrids I grow each year. I usually start 5 seeds under lights inside with seed available only from Burpee and end up with 3-5 transplants. I'm not thrilled that seed is so tightly controlled, but I'm still starting seeds from a pack I purchased in 2009 so I haven't had to order new every year. Can't complain too much when we get taste, production, and earlier harvests from seed we purchase only every 5 years or so. You might want to give it a try next year if you want Brandywine-like taste in an earlier tomato.

  • jimmy56_gw (zone 6 PA)
    9 years ago

    I haven't picked any of my Brandywine tomatoes either, They are slow going an don't produce as much fruit as some of the others but they are worth the wait, Zone 6 PA.

  • aegis1000
    9 years ago

    I believe that using an electric toothbrush on my plant's flowers aided my production this year ...