Blue Bayou

Boutique Tomatoes · June 16, 2012

Here is a picture of Blue Bayou one of the Tom Wagner varieties I have going in this years blue tomato grow out.

I have various degrees of color in the blue varieties, but several of them currently look like this, practically black.

A neighbor did a walk through with me and asked what should have been something I thought of earlier, how do you tell when these dark varieties are ripe?

janezee · June 16, 2012

By feeling them.

My first time growing Green Zebra, I was so frustrated having to feel my way through the summer.

When I was giving the list of tomatoes I had available, everyone wanted red, so that they could tell when they were ripe. One friend didn't even want SunSugar or Sungold Select, and she's had them before!

Glad they germinated for you! They sure look healthy!

I find those kind of disturbing, myself, but I was shocked at Chocolate Cherry the first time, too. Can't wait for a taste report, mark!

j

Boutique Tomatoes · June 16, 2012

That was my guess, but of course he looked at me funny when I said it so I started questioning myself.

Blue Bayou was one of the better germination varieties, I ended up with 8 plants of it. At least so far it appears to be fairly uniform, some of the other varieties are showing some variability, but I expected that.

Blue Fog for example is blooming and setting like mad, but not showing the same kind of immediate coloring as the darker varieties, there are various degrees of blue showing up on different plants of that one.

Douglas14 · June 16, 2012

Wow, those are dark! Please keep us posted on the taste, etc.
I'm surprised you have tomatoes that far along in NE Wisconsin already.

Boutique Tomatoes · June 16, 2012

Probably more than half of mine have at least 1 cluster of fruit set, which is exceptional for my area. Unfortunately the warm weather has also come with a drought, hardly any rain in since the end of April.

I'm hoping to do a blue tomato taste test with some local restaurant folks once most of the blue varieties are producing. I'll be sure and post some details here!

meadowyck · June 16, 2012

That is one incredible looking little mater. I want to know the taste as well, but really interested in a cut picture.

Mudman · June 16, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by marktutt

Probably more than half of mine have at least 1 cluster of fruit set, which is exceptional for my area. Unfortunately the warm weather has also come with a drought, hardly any rain in since the end of April.

I'm hoping to do a blue tomato taste test with some local restaurant folks once most of the blue varieties are producing. I'll be sure and post some details here!

Mine are very far along too. Fortunately I keep getting rain.
Those are really dark. I am growing some of the P20, but I am still not convinced that any of the blues are more than a novelty. I have never heard anyone say they taste good.

Granite26 · June 16, 2012

Last year Helsing ★★★★★★★★ Blue had great taste...especially late in the season.

janezee · June 16, 2012

Great! I have one or two of them ready to go in the ground as soon as it warms up.

j

GaryStPaul · June 16, 2012

Mark, do keep us posted on how these develop. Like Doug, I'm amazed you have tomatoes that far along. I'm just now getting some small fruit on the earlier varieties (and I planted out fairly early for this part of the country). Good for you!

livinonfaith · June 17, 2012

Those are some of the darkest ones, and most evenly so, that I've seen! (Except for on seed packs and such, where they put their very best photos)

Good job! Hope they are tasty for you. (If not, eat them anyway because they are supposed to have lots of good nutrients)

Boutique Tomatoes · July 13, 2012

Starting to get a few ripe ones now, but mostly the smaller ones and none of the ones that are pure blue black all over. Still this one was pretty close, you can see the red wine colored blush on the bottom.

And a picture of it cut.

Taste of the early ones is good, between a 6 and 7 on my personal scale. To compare it I had a Barlow Jap afterwards which was a good solid 8.

meadowyck · July 14, 2012

Mark this looks so good, nice balance between meat and juice.

Granite26 · July 14, 2012

Nice looking tomato! My Bayou are pretty small yet as I got them in late but your photo gives high hopes for them.

June 16, 2012	#1
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	Blue Bayou Here is a picture of Blue Bayou one of the Tom Wagner varieties I have going in this years blue tomato grow out. I have various degrees of color in the blue varieties, but several of them currently look like this, practically black. A neighbor did a walk through with me and asked what should have been something I thought of earlier, how do you tell when these dark varieties are ripe?

June 16, 2012	#6
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	That is one incredible looking little mater. I want to know the taste as well, but really interested in a cut picture. __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

July 14, 2012	#13
meadowyck Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Brooksville, FL Posts: 1,001	Mark this looks so good, nice balance between meat and juice. __________________ Jan “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” -Theodore Roosevelt

June 16, 2012	#2
janezee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Whidbey Island, WA Zone 7, Sunset 5 Posts: 931	By feeling them. My first time growing Green Zebra, I was so frustrated having to feel my way through the summer. When I was giving the list of tomatoes I had available, everyone wanted red, so that they could tell when they were ripe. One friend didn't even want SunSugar or Sungold Select, and she's had them before! Glad they germinated for you! They sure look healthy! I find those kind of disturbing, myself, but I was shocked at Chocolate Cherry the first time, too. Can't wait for a taste report, mark! j

June 16, 2012	#4
Douglas14 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Minnesota Posts: 602	Wow, those are dark! Please keep us posted on the taste, etc. I'm surprised you have tomatoes that far along in NE Wisconsin already.

June 16, 2012	#8
Granite26 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2009 Location: Western WI Posts: 359	Last year Helsing ★★★★★★★★ Blue had great taste...especially late in the season.

June 16, 2012	#10
GaryStPaul Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: St Paul, MN Posts: 158	Mark, do keep us posted on how these develop. Like Doug, I'm amazed you have tomatoes that far along. I'm just now getting some small fruit on the earlier varieties (and I planted out fairly early for this part of the country). Good for you!

June 17, 2012	#11
livinonfaith Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina Posts: 1,332	Those are some of the darkest ones, and most evenly so, that I've seen! (Except for on seed packs and such, where they put their very best photos) Good job! Hope they are tasty for you. (If not, eat them anyway because they are supposed to have lots of good nutrients)

July 13, 2012	#12
Boutique Tomatoes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Northeast Wisconsin, Zone 5a Posts: 1,109	Starting to get a few ripe ones now, but mostly the smaller ones and none of the ones that are pure blue black all over. Still this one was pretty close, you can see the red wine colored blush on the bottom. And a picture of it cut. Taste of the early ones is good, between a 6 and 7 on my personal scale. To compare it I had a Barlow Jap afterwards which was a good solid 8.