Which Brandywine strains, and your experiences with them?

[KathyDC]

Unfortunately nothing identifying on the "Brandywine Pink Cherry" baggie I have. But I did come across Tormato's "Blue Suede-uth Shoes" - anybody else around for that one?

[Ginger2778]

I have grown the Brandywine Pink Cherry. Meh! It won't take up my garden space again.

[KathyDC]

I have grown the Brandywine Pink Cherry. Meh! It won't take up my garden space again.

Very good, I'll scratch that one off! I'll throw it in the pile of things to grow out and give seedlings away next year.

[MissS]

I have a pack of Gary's Blue Suede-uth Shoes but have yet to grow them. I did manage to start Miss Scarlet in the Kitchen with a Knife this year though.

[Shule]

I have grown the Brandywine Pink Cherry. Meh! It won't take up my garden space again.

That's good to know. Was it the flavor, production, or both?

[Ginger2778]

I have grown the Brandywine Pink Cherry. Meh! It won't take up my garden space again.

That's good to know. Was it the flavor, production, or both?

Flavor

[zendog]

I believe Landis Valley is a variant (improved?) version of red brandywine, which is different than the pinks brandywines like Sudduth, Cowlick, Joyce's, etc.

I'm in Arlington, VA, so the same conditions as you. Last year I grew Cowlick, which was very tasty. It was a little later to produce than Stump of the World, Aunt Ginny's Purple and some other pinks, but worth the wait. It also didn't produce a big cluster all at once like some of the others, but had fruits in ones and twos along the plant throughout the season. But that was only one plant and I grafted it to a vigorous disease resistant rootstock like I do with all my tomatoes, so not much of a sample. I'm not growing it this year, but plan to grow it again next year. You've made me think about adding Joyce's and Sudduth to the list to compare.

This year, the only brandywine in the garden is Yellow Brandywine, which is growing right next to KBX. We'll see who wins that competition. But I'm thinking that Persimmon, may take them both for taste. We'll see.

[Shule]

The closest tomatoes to Brandywine I'm growing this year are these:
* B.S.X.: a cross between Brandywine (Sudduth's Strain) and possibly Black Cherry; so far, its bigger than a cherry; it's PL, has above-average seedling freeze/cold tolerance, and is producing lots of fruit (which are growing fast compared to fruits on most other plants). I got the seeds in a trade or as a gift.
* Cold Black Brandy (I'm not sure if this is related, but the name is similar.)
* A bunch of tomatoes that are part Brandy Boy F11 and part something else.

[PlainJane]

Brandywine Black is the only B-wine I’ve tried twice. Heresy, I know, but I’ve never been wow’d by Sudduth’s or Cowlick’s. Plus production was poor. This year - no Brandywines at all.

[MissS]

Brandywine Black is the only B-wine I’ve tried twice. Heresy, I know, but I’ve never been wow’d by Sudduth’s or Cowlick’s. Plus production was poor. This year - no Brandywines at all.

You made a wise decision. Brandywines do not do well in the south at all. This is one tomato that does not set fruit in the heat and therefore is best only grown in the north.

[MissS]

I have grown Brandywine, Cowlick's, Suddoth's, Black and this year I am trying the Landis Valley Red. I get great production from Brandywine. I have grown it now for 30 years and it never disappoints me. No I am not going to say that this is now Patti's strain. I just keep this one going because it does well for me and I bought my first plants as Brandywine's and have saved seed ever since. Suddoth's has always gotten some ailment and only given me one or two fruit. I did not care for the Black at all but it did produce well for me. Cowlick's was good and tasted like Brandywine but it did not produce as well for me.

[LK2020]

Unfortunately, I too skipped any Brandywines this year. A couple years ago I grew both Sudduth's Strain and Brandywine Red Potato Leaf (both from Tomato Growers Supply) at my community garden plot, and even though I only got a few tomatoes each, they were absolutely sublime. Last year I eked out a Brandywine Red (from a 5-gallon container, no less) that I still think about. But that was the only Brandywine tomato I got. I got zero from 2 Sudduths and zero from another Red that was in-ground. I've had a couple other years with basically zero fruits also from Brandywines, so I took a break this year. Maybe it's the Jersey heat. I had the Brandywine Red right next to a Big Beef that pumped out tomatoes. Other varieties were also very productive (Orange Minsk and Lillian's Yellow were close by and did well, and Carbon was great). So I think the strain is just difficult in my garden, unfortunately. When I have access to the community garden it's better (more sun, better amended soil over a longer time). But the community garden was cancelled last year (don't ask, they close it more than it's open), and then this year, the pandemic happened so no go. I've made hard choices with very limited space in my backyard. But I do still think about those yummy Brandywine Reds ... mmm mmmmm.

[Shule]

The tomato I grew in 2015 that might have been Brandywine didn't set fruit in the dry heat, either. That was our hottest year on record (and strangely, the record temperature was in late June instead of late July or early August). It set fruit fine when it finally got below 90° F., though, but it didn't produce as well or taste as great for me as it did in a friend's straw bales in 2014 (I think our clay-type soil is a bit too insulated and cool for it, even when the air is very hot; plus, I transplanted them pretty deeply—think multiple feet—and gave them too much potassium sulfate and basalt rockdust; that was the year I experimentally grew super long tomatoes indoors early, and dug deep holes for them with an auger-type post hole digger; at least one tomato was about 5' deep).

Has anyone here grown Brandywine in straw bales?

[MissS]

I'm sorry Shule but I can't stop laughing. 5 feet down is as deep as I am tall. It sounds like you were burying them along with coffins.

[Ginger2778]

Brandywine Black is the only B-wine I’ve tried twice. Heresy, I know, but I’ve never been wow’d by Sudduth’s or Cowlick’s. Plus production was poor. This year - no Brandywines at all.

Yeah. This. I gave them all up about 7 years ago. Too many super delicious pink PL beefsteaks with far better production, at least here in S. FL. Yes, even Cowlicks, from 2 different sources, had meager production. Try Daniels, Elgin Pink, African Queen, Pruden's Purple, Olive Hill instead. Same quality of a rich luscious flavor, much more fruit. JMHO, and YMMV.☺

[KathyDC]

I believe Landis Valley is a variant (improved?) version of red brandywine, which is different than the pinks brandywines like Sudduth, Cowlick, Joyce's, etc.

I'm in Arlington, VA, so the same conditions as you. Last year I grew Cowlick, which was very tasty. It was a little later to produce than Stump of the World, Aunt Ginny's Purple and some other pinks, but worth the wait. It also didn't produce a big cluster all at once like some of the others, but had fruits in ones and twos along the plant throughout the season. But that was only one plant and I grafted it to a vigorous disease resistant rootstock like I do with all my tomatoes, so not much of a sample. I'm not growing it this year, but plan to grow it again next year. You've made me think about adding Joyce's and Sudduth to the list to compare.

This year, the only brandywine in the garden is Yellow Brandywine, which is growing right next to KBX. We'll see who wins that competition. But I'm thinking that Persimmon, may take them both for taste. We'll see.

Hi neighbor! I live in Maryland, but barely - about two blocks over the line from DC. We should compare growing notes sometime.

[KathyDC]

Brandywine Black is the only B-wine I’ve tried twice. Heresy, I know, but I’ve never been wow’d by Sudduth’s or Cowlick’s. Plus production was poor. This year - no Brandywines at all.

Yeah. This. I gave them all up about 7 years ago. Too many super delicious pink PL beefsteaks with far better production, at least here in S. FL. Yes, even Cowlicks, from 2 different sources, had meager production. Try Daniels, Elgin Pink, African Queen, Pruden's Purple, Olive Hill instead. Same quality of a rich luscious flavor, much more fruit. JMHO, and YMMV.☺

I have African Queen and Pruden's Purple, I do believe, in my seed stash, so maybe I'll stick them in my grow list for 2021. It feels very strange typing that year not ironically! I end up growing a lot of cherries so I'm looking specifically to grow some nice beefsteaks next year. I have one plant that I started from what was supposed to be Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye, but it very much was not that plant. Likely a stray seed from something else because it always comes true. But it ended up being a tasty big red beefsteak that sometimes had green shoulders. No idea what strain it is -- someone once guessed Marianna's Peace -- but it grows really well for me.

[slugworth]

I bought 2 more brandy man F1 plants today.

[Mark_Thompson]

I bought 2 more brandy man F1 plants today.

I have a six month old Brandy Boy, at what age does it become a Brandy Man?

[slugworth]

I think it gets hairier where suckers usually grow