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Brandywine Tomatoes - Get the Most From This Heirloom Variety

by Evelyn Fielding

Looking for something else?

Maybe you've heard the buzz about "heirloom" tomatoes and want to get in on the action and try growing a few of your own. The Brandywine tomato variety is a great place to start. These plants are slightly different from the ones you might be used to growing, and benefit from just a little more attention.

If you're a rabid tomato gardener like I am, you already know a lot about how to succeed with the mainstay hybrids (Beefmaster, Early Girl, etc.). These standards have been developed to have consistent, excellent results. The first year I grew Brandywine tomatoes, I learned that they are not quite like the hybrids--and that's a good thing.

I always buy garden starters from my local greenhouse so I have a leg up at harvest time, and I recommend this to everyone I meet.

When it comes to raising healthy, productive Brandywines, I discovered they needed a little more love than some of my other tomato plants. Try these tips:

Use 1-3 inches of mulch (mulch keeps your tomato crop clean, reduces weeds and helps keep the roots cool and moist)
Vines tend to sprawl, so use tomato cages or be prepared to stake a whole lot
The skins might crack, so pick them promptly when they're ripe
The leaves look a lot like potatoes
No two plants look identical
They usually produce about 90 days after transplanting
Fruits look more pink than deep red
Fruits weigh 1 to 1 1/2 pounds (that's big)
They are intensely "tomato-y" so prepare for taste bud overdrive

A Nice Bit of Historical Background

In 1982, Ohio gardener Ben Quisenberry brought the Brandywine variety to the Seed Savers Exchange. He traced its history back to Doris Suddith Hill, who claimed the seeds had been in her family for 80 years.

Brandywine seeds were advertised in the Burpee catalog as far back as 1882. There's even a rumor that Amish settlers brought Brandywine seeds with them when they came to the United States.

Did you know that Marjoram, Rosemary, Dill, Sage, Bay Leaf, and Thyme all love to party with Brandywine tomatoes? And it just so happens that you can find this very combination of herbs in the Beyond Basil Herb and Spice Adventure. Check into it and ensure your Brandywine tomatoes get the best treatment possible. Evelyn Fielding is your personal tour guide on the Herb and Spice Adventure of a lifetime. Evelyn offers a unique delivery program to help you learn about great cooking: receive a select group of herbs and spices by mail order, complete with easy and delicious recipes starring that month's herb or spice, and all at a comfortable pace. No long term commitments, no surprises. Subscribe to an Herb and Spice Adventures Series and elevate your food from good to truly superb. Book a culinary adventure now at www.10000seeds.com Article Source

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Articles about Vegetable Crops for the Garden

DISCLOSURE:

Brandywine Tomatoes - Get the Most From This Heirloom Variety

A Nice Bit of Historical Background