Brandywine Cowlicks

[Hudson_WY]

I decided to compare Brandywine Sudduth, Brandywine Cowlicks and Brandy Boy this year in our GH. I already have a thread on BW Sudduth and Brandy Boy so here is a thread from our experience with BW Cowlicks that we are growing for the first time this year. A Tomatoville member was kind enough to send me some BW Cowlicks seeds from Tatiana's Tomato Base (who sent them - I forgot and need to say "Thanks"!). I planted all three varieties the same day and I am taking care of them in the same way - they are planted side by side.

Here are some photos of BW Cowlicks as they look today. They look identical in plant size and trusses per plant as Brandy Boy but Brandy Boy has more blossoms per truss. The Brandy Boys and BW Cowlicks plants are a bit larger at this point than the BW Sudduth. We have fruit set on Brandy Boy and Cowlicks but not Sudduth as of yet.

[Hudson_WY]

Seed Source for this comparison is Tatiana's Tomato Base.

[carolyn137]

Didn't we just have a very long comparison thread about these two and one more? Yes, we did b/c I know I posted and gave links to the Cowlick one that Camo, aka Mike Henry,got from the Cowlick nursery and he had no idea of what it was and nor did they.So it could have been the Sudduth/Quisenberry one, as well,who knows?

And I posted several more links about that.

In that other thread I really appreciated Bill from Alabama posting that one year one would come out on top,the next year reversed.I thanked him for that and posted all the variables that play into performance, seed source and taste.


Oh well.

Carolyn

[Hudson_WY]

Thanks for the info Carolyn!

I noticed all three varieties have their own share of Megablooms/fused blossoms but Brandy Boy appears to have more fused blossoms than the BW Sudduth and Cowlicks. It may just be because Brandy Boy has more blossoms per plant too. Apparently it is typical for plants that produce larger tomatoes to have fused blossoms. I never pinch them out - although I have read on forums that some gardeners do pinch them. My understanding is that fused blossoms are somewhat harder to pollinate and an electric toothbrush will help if you want a more rounded normal looking fruit. I am using an electric toothbrush to see if that actually works for us. What do most of you do with your fused blossoms?

[Randall]

I usually pinch them. I don't like big, unevenly ripening tomatoes and I don't care about growing giant ones, etc.

To each their own, though!

[Spartanburg123]

These are some awesome flower pics, highly detailed. Keep 'em coming!

[jmsieglaff]

Nice thread! Thanks for posting.

I will be doing a similar comparison Brandywine grow-out in 2018--Sudduth's, Cowlick's, and maybe 1 more--either OTV or from Croatia.

[carolyn137]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Nice thread! Thanks for posting.

I will be doing a similar comparison Brandywine grow-out in 2018--Sudduth's, Cowlick's, and maybe 1 more--either OTV or from Croatia.

I see some possible problems here.

The Sudduth/Quisenberry one is Ok so I won't link to that one

Cowlicks could well also be a Sudduth ,Mike just bought the plant for it at Cowlicks Nursery and no way to know what it was and also discussed recently in the other very long thread about comparisons

OTV is not a pure Brandywine

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/B..._(Off_The_Vine)

Brandywine from Croatia has always been a mystery to many

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/B...e_from_Croatia

And in the above link look at the last line under history as to what it truly might be,or not.

Carolyn

[Hudson_WY]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

Nice thread! Thanks for posting.

I will be doing a similar comparison Brandywine grow-out in 2018--Sudduth's, Cowlick's, and maybe 1 more--either OTV or from Croatia.

Hi jmsieglaff - We planted Brandywine OTV last year. Here is the thread if you would like to compare with your results should you decide to plant Brandywine OTV

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=Brandywine

We planted seeds this year for Brandywine Croatia but I had forgotten that Croatia has RL and any Brandywine with RL has been very low production for us so i didn't plant the seedlings. I know - a Brandywine with RL may be a stupid reason for not planting the seedlings but we have had better success with PL.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by carolyn137

I see some possible problems here.

The Sudduth/Quisenberry one is Ok so I won't link to that one

Cowlicks could well also be a Sudduth ,Mike just bought the plant for it at Cowlicks Nursery and no way to know what it was and also discussed recently in the other very long thread about comparisons

OTV is not a pure Brandywine

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/B..._(Off_The_Vine)

Brandywine from Croatia has always been a mystery to many

http://tatianastomatobase.com/wiki/B...e_from_Croatia

And in the above link look at the last line under history as to what it truly might be,or not.

Carolyn

Carolyn, I blame you for the OTV being on the list, based on what I've read in your book, sounds like a terrific tomato.

I don't mind if it isn't a 'true' Brandywine and don't mind the cloudy history of from Croatia--just looking to see if I have a favorite of the group for my palate in my garden.

[jmsieglaff]

Originally Posted by Hudson_WY

Hi jmsieglaff - We planted Brandywine OTV last year. Here is the thread if you would like to compare with your results should you decide to plant Brandywine OTV

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ght=Brandywine

We planted seeds this year for Brandywine Croatia but I had forgotten that Croatia has RL and any Brandywine with RL has been very low production for us so i didn't plant the seedlings. I know - a Brandywine with RL may be a stupid reason for not planting the seedlings but we have had better success with PL.

Excellent thread! Thanks for pointing me to it.

[Hudson_WY]

The Brandywine Cowlick's plants are keeping up with Brandy Boy currently but Brandy Boy has more fruit per plant. By just looking at the plants - they look almost identical and one could not tell the difference if they were not labeled (except that Brandy Boy has more fruit per plant).

[Hudson_WY]

The Brandywine Cowlick's plants are keeping up with Brandy Boy. They are setting about 3 fruit per truss though where Brandy Boy will have 3-8 fruit per truss. The plants look identical to Brandy Boy and Brandywine Sudduth in height.

[Hudson_WY]

Brandywine Cowlick's is blushing - won't be long now! Brandywine Sudduth is not blushing yet so Cowlick's has the earlier ripening fruit this year.

[ddsack]

Just got around to reading this thread on a rainy morning. Nice photos as always, Hudson! And I'll be waiting to hear about your taste test results when you've got some ripe from all three. I don't pinch out megablooms either - lots of meat in those big tomatoes to chop up for salsa or tossed salads, how many perfect slices of tomato are you going to need anyway? I'd rather have an early lumpy tomato than a perfect one that is two or three weeks later. Short season for me, so I am not picky.