Brandywine Tomato

Today, there are numerous types of tomato hybrids available in the market and so, most people are found to be unaware of the classic heirloom varieties, like, the brandywine tomato. Think of a fresh, ripe tomato that is sweet, meaty and juicy. Such a tomato will be ideal for your sandwich or for fresh eating. If you love such tomatoes, then, brandywine can be an excellent option. While, you may not get it in the supermarkets, some of the local markets may have these tomatoes for sale. Let us take a look at some details about this tomato cultivar.

What are Brandywine Tomatoes

Unlike regular tomato plants, a brandywine cultivar plant has oval-shaped leaves with smooth edges. In case of regular tomato plants, the leaves have serrated edges. They are slow growing plants with the fruits taking up to three months for reaching maturity. The ripe fruits are pinkish red in color and large. Some of them can be around a pound in weight. The fleshy and juicy fruits are said to have a distinctive sweet taste and is preferred for fresh eating. These tomatoes are beefsteak-shaped and may have pronounced ribbing on them. These fruits have numerous compartments for seeds. Even the fully ripe tomatoes of this cultivar can have green shoulders.

You may come across yellow or red-colored brandywine tomato varieties, but, the classic type is the pinkish one with pink flesh. This type is also referred to as Sudduth's Brandywine or Quisenberry's Brandywine. It is said that this brandywine cultivar, introduced in the 1890s, was considered to be extinct, till, Mrs. Doris Sudduth Hill of Tennessee gave the seeds of this plant to the tomato collector Ben Quisenberry of Ohio, during the early 1980s. Thus, this cultivar was once again revived and is now, one of the popular tomato varieties. However, these tomatoes are not cultivated commercially, as they are very slow growing and are not said to be suitable for mechanized cultivation. Even the fruits do not get ripe at the same time. You may grow them at home, but, the thing is that you should not expect them to satisfy your regular requirement of tomatoes.

How to Grow Them

You may grow these plants from seeds or seedlings. If you plan to use seeds, sow them indoors (1/4 inch deep) at least six weeks before last frost. As these plants are sensitive to frost, wait to transplant the seedlings, till the soil gets warm or the temperature raises above 50 degrees Fahrenheit. If you buy seedlings, get the healthy ones without any spots or blemishes on the leaves. The location for planting them must have at least eight to twelve hours of sunlight. Remove the weeds and other debris, before tilling the soil. You may mix equal parts of peat moss, vermiculite and compost, with the soil. Once done, water the soil thoroughly. At this stage, you may also apply a balanced starter tomato fertilizer (if there is no compost). Plant them at least 15 inches apart and if there are more than one row, make sure to keep a distance of three to four feet, between the rows. Another point is to plant the seedlings, a little deeper, so that the plant develops a strong root structure.

Once planted, water them thoroughly, throughout the growing season. You may also water the plant thoroughly, once a week, instead of daily watering. Mulching is also beneficial to retain moisture of the soil and to prevent weed growth. After three to four weeks of transplanting, you have to provide brandywine tomato plants support with trellis or stakes. This is very important, as these plants are vines. You may also use homemade tomato cages for this purpose. Before flowering, you may also resort to pruning tomato plants, so as to encourage growth of new shoots. As the plants start flowering, you may use a fertilizer that is rich in phosphorous and potassium, once in two weeks. You may do away with fertilizers, if you add compost, while planting them. Once the fruit gets ripe, harvest them, at the earliest, so as to avoid cracking of the fruits.

In short, growing brandywine tomatoes is not a messy task, if you know the right methods. The above said is only a brief overview about this tomato cultivar and its cultivation. It will be always better to gain a thorough knowledge about the same, before growing them.