tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post8354974414110045795..comments2008-08-08T12:07:12.294-04:00Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16158642649837777716noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-48841919704076503642008-08-08T12:07:00.000-04:002008-08-08T12:07:00.000-04:00

This is a great post - thank you for that :) I just decided to grow heirlooms tomato next year :)I learned a lot from this post.Greetings,Ewa

Ewahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02460827662984311538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-12202513761731421972008-07-25T00:30:00.000-04:002008-07-25T00:30:00.000-04:00

I have 3 Brandywine plants, this is my 3rd year even growing tomato plants, but I am growing more each year. Anyway, I was getting several blooms, but no tomato's. I decided to try some bloom spray from Lowe's and about 3-4 days later, I had some tomato's coming on. Maybe it was coincedence, but I don't think so. I put a little on in the evening every 7-10 days. I had my first Brandywine

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-62857492710872313742008-06-04T00:29:00.000-04:002008-06-04T00:29:00.000-04:00

I am crazy about heirloom tomatoes and grow anywhere from 150 to 300 plants every year. And every year we have a new favorite. What turns out to be the very best one year will be surpassed by another variety the next. I think that each year the growing conditions are different, and better for some varieties than others. I am very fond of the "black" tomatoes. In 2003, our Black Brandywines were

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-39779132180287994492008-05-25T17:25:00.000-04:002008-05-25T17:25:00.000-04:00

This is my first year growing heirloom tomatoes got lots of blooms but know fruit. does the fruit set later in the year? Does it get to hot in the desert southwest to grow heirlooms? Any tips or advice would be appreciated.

mikehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15167738034834262018noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-29421272667296879972008-03-19T10:14:00.000-04:002008-03-19T10:14:00.000-04:00

Patrick brings up an excellent point about the quality of the parent plant that the seed came from. I am now being more choosy about where I buy my seed.Thanks for coming by Heirloom Gardener! Keeping pests away is a problem. The best thing to do is keep the plants off the ground with good stakes or cages. I usually loose all of the lowest fruit to ground hogs and turtles. Some would disagree

Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16158642649837777716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-28458782750732174492008-03-18T22:43:00.000-04:002008-03-18T22:43:00.000-04:00

Marc, Thanks for your post. I'll have to try Brandywine! Also, how do you keep the pests from eating them before you do?Heirloom Gardener

heirloomgardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00251841342644205906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-76650302193187035102008-02-22T17:08:00.000-05:002008-02-22T17:08:00.000-05:00

I just came across this thread now.Just to add to why it may seem heirloom tomatoes have lower yields and seem more prone to disease and pest probably has more to do with neglect of the varieties than anything else.Every variety has to be periodically grown out and selected. This is normally with at least several hundred plants over a few years, and someone who knows what they are doing have to

Patrickhttp://www.patnsteph.net/weblognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-1776480300007848282007-08-09T09:42:00.000-04:002007-08-09T09:42:00.000-04:00

You are right that heirlooms are not "prone" to disease, but they are not resistant either. Unfortunately many diseases and insect pests are more prevalent now than they were 100 years ago. This of course is not the tomato plants fault. It is sometimes society's fault and sometimes the individual gardener's fault.If you only get one tomato off of your heirloom plant then yes, SOMETHING is wrong

Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16158642649837777716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-2735265334963003382007-08-08T19:29:00.000-04:002007-08-08T19:29:00.000-04:00

Heirlooms are not necessarily prone to disease, insects, or low production. If they were, they wouldn't have lasted the 50, 100, or more years they have been in existence. Hybrids are bred from heirlooms (or at least open-pollinated plants.) and that's where they get their disease-resistance, etc. from.On the other hand, most hybrids are developed first and foremost to be easy to grow, and good

Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-1023028422707414032007-05-14T11:14:00.000-04:002007-05-14T11:14:00.000-04:00

Ethan and Blackswamp_girl - I hope you have better luck with getting more tomatoes this year if you try heirlooms again (and I think you should!)Ottawa Gardener - I hope you havesuccess again with your tomatoes. Good luck fighting those cucumber beetles!Gotta Garden - I am a beginner with heirloom tomatoes. You sound like the experienced expert! I am looking forward to the Caspian Pinks. Thanks

Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16158642649837777716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-26156250860044088592007-05-13T20:31:00.000-04:002007-05-13T20:31:00.000-04:00

I have not had any serious problems with heirlooms and pests (ask me about squash however - cucumber beetles prefer pontimarron squash in my garden though they did fend them off).

Ottawa Gardenerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14486499450332482461noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-71653525133729805242007-05-13T18:39:00.000-04:002007-05-13T18:39:00.000-04:00

Great post. :) I only got one 'Black Krim' the year I planted them (which was admittedly not a great year for tomatoes) but it was absolutely delicious!

Blackswamp_Girlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14395380166485303934noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-62453100062786371962007-05-13T12:26:00.000-04:002007-05-13T12:26:00.000-04:00

low yields is an understatement. last year was the first year i grew brandywines, and i got TWO tomatoes from the plant. TWO. they were, however, ridiculously tasty, and they made very special sandwiches, let me tell you. i'm thinking i'll probably grow them again this year, but i haven't made up my mind.oh, who am i kidding, that's a yes.

~ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12332417973907774338noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-31693084910780345832007-05-11T20:51:00.000-04:002007-05-11T20:51:00.000-04:00

Good luck! I've grown Caspian Pink for a couple years and love it! I like the pink tomatoes! I don't remember it having a low yield, but maybe I just don't know any better! I got seeds from TT this year, too! Either Black Krim or Pruden's Purple reseeded for several years, too...(but I still like the pinks best...and big beefsteak tomatoes...and Sungold cherry tomatoes...you know how it is!)

Gotta Gardenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05858358103234856020noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-82613490895082716022007-05-11T11:27:00.000-04:002007-05-11T11:27:00.000-04:00

The only one of these I've grown is, of course, Brandywine. Can't wait to read the results!

Jane M.http://www.blogger.com/profile/08122774353258119197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-26120568177752696862007-05-11T11:22:00.000-04:002007-05-11T11:22:00.000-04:00

Anthony - I'm glad to see that Black Krim is worth growing again a second year. The fact that you had a low yeild validates the third "con" on my list.Let us know how your Black Krims do this year. I think you already know that I will be writing about how my heirlooms do.

Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16158642649837777716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-41245087478569409662007-05-11T11:02:00.000-04:002007-05-11T11:02:00.000-04:00

Garden Desk is becoming the Wikipedia of Tomatoes. Another great tomato post. Black Krim are delicious but I think I only got about 5 tomatoes from my plant last year. Very low production. I'm growing them again but I'm trying some different things like even more compost & manure and I'm going to use a foliar spray made from seaweed. Maybe I'll get six this year. :)

Anthonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06836531596317603886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-81054930650075266722007-05-11T10:20:00.000-04:002007-05-11T10:20:00.000-04:00

Heirloom can be a loose term. To me the definition is a known open pollinated variety that has not been crossed. The reason that I said 50 years is because hybrids began being created by growers around 1960 so true heirlooms would have to be from before that date.Many people use the term heirloom to mean anything that is open-pollinated where the daughter plants will grow true to the parent.A lot

Marchttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16158642649837777716noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2193521694438426371.post-17745733018122925702007-05-11T09:17:00.000-04:002007-05-11T09:17:00.000-04:00

Is there an "official" definition of an heirloom? You mention that they've been around 50 years and haven't been crossed. Where does that definition come from? Is there a book that gives a decent explanation of what heirlooms are, how heirloom culture got started etc?Arthur Allen, freelance writer, Washington, DC, beginning work on a history of the tomato

artnewshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08425558490454998656noreply@blogger.com