Which Tomatoes have the best FLAVOR ?

[GardenJester]

I hear Brandywine is great for slicing. Gold Sun is pretty good cherry tomato, Yellow Pear is also pretty good. I'm gonna put it to the test this year, I'm planting Brandywine and Yellow Pears.

[tedln]

I hear Brandywine is great for slicing. Gold Sun is pretty good cherry tomato, Yellow Pear is also pretty good. I'm gonna put it to the test this year, I'm planting Brandywine and Yellow Pears.

What zone do you live in? I am also planting some Brandywine tomatoes, but have been told they may not hold up well to my zone 7 high summer temps. I planted them anyhow and will know by the end of summer if they can't take the heat. I will also know if they are a great tasting tomato as reported and if they are low producers or high producers. I've heard it both ways.

The really interesting thing I've noticed about them is the fact that they grow like they are competing in the Indy 500 race. They started growing the moment the seed germinated. While some of my other varieties struggled to survive and grow.

Ted

[GardenJester]

Zone 5, just north of Pittsburgh. My Brandywine are still in 4" pots, not ready to transplant for at least another 2 weeks. I haven't noticed particularly fast growth, if anything the Yellow Pears I planted about 2 weeks later is catching up pretty fast to the Brandywines. We can compare notes, thou I suspect you will be eating Brandywines long before I do.

[garden5]

I've hear some people say that you do not get a good yield from brandywines and I've heard others say that's not necessarily true. I'll be growing some this year to see how they do for myself.

[tedln]

I understand there are about five different Brandywine strains. I bought my seeds from Pinetree seeds and believe they are the Sudduth strain which is supposedly the original strain dating back to the late 1800's first introduced by the Sudduth family.

I would think with that many varieties or strains, you could have different growth rates, production, and taste. That could account for the various opinions people have about them. Everyone thinks they are growing the same tomato but they aren't. Mine are potato leaf, and I think some strains are regular leaf.

Carolyn Male, who I consider the authority on tomatoes; made this statement back in 2007 concerning the Brandywine.

I grew many different accessions of so called Brandywine and often say I was Prez of the anti-Brandywine Association of the US. LOL It wasn't until Craig sent me the Sudduth/Quisenberry strain that I had good luck with my Brandywine growing."

I guess I will just wait and see what mine do.

Ted

[BrianSkilton]

Yellow and Pink Brandywine have very good flavor. I have tried a few hybrids but none that I have tried had any flavor. Try Amana Orange, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Costoluto Fiorentino. I don't know if you can find any heirmlooms at garden centers, however last year I did find a few in my area.