Couple of tomato ?s

[croixflats]

Anyone ever see a striped Brandywine?

Next question when tomatos cross pollinate do the atributes from the other tomato show up the same year or the next generation?

The reason I ask is I planted Brandywine and other varieties, started from seed, this year and I have a few Brandywines ripening that look to be striped. The suspect crosspollinator is a Striped Cavern.

So if I created a new strain do I get to pay my mortgage off,

I dont remember Brandywines ripening this way. These are the Bradywines

And this picture below is Striped Cavern

And these are the leaves from the 2 plants as you can tell thy are seperate varieties. Left lef is a Brandywine The right Striped Cavern.

[Dotch]

Not a tomato expert, I leave that to Ken and Steve, but I do understand the mechanism that tomatoes use to pollinate somewhat. They can cross pollinate but don't do so very often. They are self fertile but don't actually self pollinate. They need the wind to vibrate the bloom just right to deposit the pollen on the pistil or with the help of a bee. Bumblebees are what are most frequently used in some of the greenhouse tomato operations such as Bushel Boy in Owatonna. Walking around in there a few years back I noticed all these little boxes with a hole in them placed all over the greenhouse. After seeing the bumblebees going in and out decided it was best not to kick one to see what was in it. Since bees are involved it's always possible to get a small percentage of cross pollination. My guess is it won't show up until the next generation.

[Steve Foss]

I haven't grown Brandywines for years, but don't remember that they were striped. Yours do show pretty classic Brandywine shape and growth habit. While Dotch provided an excellent explanation of how tomatoes self-pollinate, I think in your case it was either cross pollination by bees with the striped variety, or a planting or labeling mistake was made at the greenhouse.

I'd lean toward the cross pollination but have one question. Are all the Brandywines striped or just some of them?

[Dotch]

BTW, your tomatoes look wonderful croixflats. The Brandywines we grew last year in the buckets were striped. Wonder too what kind of impact environmental conditions (water, sun, fertility) may have on their appearance. They were good but not terribly prolific. Container size may have been too small. Was the only time I've grown Brandywines and I bet I know where I'd be sleeping if I accused my wife of mislabeling them!

[croixflats]

Thanks Dutch and Steve,,

The 4 Brandywine I planted in the back yard all looked to be Stiped. The ones I planted in the front yard are growing slower but they also appear to be striped. Now that I think about it the 2 separate plots being cross pollinated the same way may be unlikely though in the front I also do have a Striped Cavern planted close to the Brandywine.

Its six in one and six in the other for witch way it can go as for if its cross pollinated or not. I talk myself into it then talk myself out.

I thought about the mislabeling and I do have some other varieties that were mislabeled that showed up someplace unexpected but the leaf and the size of the plant makes me lean towards that they are Brandywine.

Ya, how do I tell mom she mislabled them

I'm not disappointed in them rather think its pretty cool how nature gives us that little twist of surprise.

Thanks again, Mom and I are having a blast with the tomatoes this year and she is thinking of set up at the local farmers market just for kicks if we have enough leftover.

[Steve Foss]

Given your added details, I think they are probably just striped all on their own, or as Dotch mentioned, perhaps driven somewhat by environmental impacts on them. There are Brandywine crosses that are specifically developed for striping. Maybe you have one of these. Or maybe it's just the way Brandywines have evolved over time.

Might have to try one again next year.

My comment about mislabeling was aimed at the greenhouse, not Mrs. Croixflats.

[croixflats]

Well I think I've got it pinned down to cross pollination.

These three tomatoes were taken off two Brandywine plants next to each other. As I mentioned earlier I have a Striped cavern close by I also have a Black Krim close by. The Brandywine seems to be the only variety to be affected by cross pollination.

OH! And talk about juicy and tasty that they are!!.