Most of our 'regular' tomatoes ('Bucks County' & 'Brandy Boy') are much larger than other years - like, 6" across. Some have big bulging 'shoulders', as well. They're kind of unappetizing, to look at. The cherry tomatoes are normal, as are the beets and basil. We fertilized with 5-10-5, 1#/100 sq ft, tilled in; other years, we've used just turkey manure.
Any thoughts on why this would happen?
TIA, George
To George from George in metro Denver. I planted Bucks County, Big Beef, and a couple of Park's Whopper. The Bucks County are smaller than in previous years, about 3 inches average, and many with blossom end rot, but the plants are loaded with tomatoes. The Big Beefs and Whoppers are producing huge quantities of huge tomatoes. In fact, it's the best crop I've had in thirty years, in spite of the BER.
The main reason for my post is to get your opinion of Bucks County vs Brandy Boy. I didn't hear of Brandy Boy until too late for this season. Bucks County has been my favorite since I started planting them. How do they compare in flavor, size, yield, etc?
George
Short story: I don't know.
Long story (kind of pathetic): We start the plants indoors. When we start, we carefully keep track of which is which. Later, we move them outside to harden off, and to larger pots. Finally, we put them in the ground. By that time - every year - we don't know which is which. And, every year, we swear we're going to do better next time.
In general, WRT flavor, we don't (IMO) get very good flavor from any tomatoes. This may have to do with the soil, which is somewhat alkyline, or the location (Syracuse NY), which is less sunny than some places.
Sorry, not much help.
GMy Bucks County taste much like Brandywine, as it is a Brandywine hybrid. They are spherical, not irregularly shaped like Brandywine, usually up to 4+ inches in diameter, but not this year. I have plants loaded with 2 to 3 inchers. We get first frost anytime after Labor day. I'd like to hear from anyone who has experienced Brandy Boy.
My personal and entirely unscientific experience with Brandy Boy is that they do not outperform Brandywine in any respect. I was captivated by the prospect of the production of Better Boy commingled with the flavor or Brandywine and was disappointed in both for two years in a row. My individual Brandywines and Better Boys produced more, and more flavorfully than any Brandy Boy. That said, I am not a professional or scientific gardener. Just a backyard amateur in Zone 5A north of NYC.
This year, BTW, the Carmellos have outproduced everything in terms of flavor and quantity. Luck of the draw, as far as I am concerned.
J.
George wrote:
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