|
Post by darthslater on Mar 4, 2011 17:23:11 GMT -5
This is a tomato I grew last year, only I had the pink version. I am growing the Purple version this year. It is a PL and can get pretty big 10-16oz. A natural cross between Brandywine Sudduths and an unknown Black. The pinks tasted very good, so hopefully the purple will be better. I got my seeds from Bill {Pap} Jeffers
|
|
|
Post by frogsleapfarm on Mar 4, 2011 22:24:05 GMT -5
The "black" PL version is one of my favorites
|
|
|
Post by blane on Mar 5, 2011 0:47:42 GMT -5
The "black" PL version is one of my favorites amazing.... I will post results in June...by the good lords will! And hopefully Mark- Grow them again in the Fall
|
|
PVP
Tomatophile
head spellerer
Only an Amateur
Posts: 798
|
Post by PVP on Mar 5, 2011 5:03:31 GMT -5
Blane, do you have fresh seeds from 2009 and 2010 on this one? Dean asked me to send you some because Big Cheef has been my best producer in the heat and drought both recent summers and set fruit right through it.
|
|
bammer
Tomato Fanatic
Turkaconus Freak & Mater Head
Posts: 361
|
Post by bammer on Mar 5, 2011 6:39:12 GMT -5
Blane, Paps is right, this does very well down here in our neck of the woods, It did great for me last year, I'll have another row growing this year. Thanks Paps
|
|
|
Post by blane on Mar 5, 2011 8:08:56 GMT -5
Blane, do you have fresh seeds from 2009 and 2010 on this one? Dean asked me to send you some because Big Cheef has been my best producer in the heat and drought both recent summers and set fruit right through it. I have your F6 that you sent me a couple of months ago- The packet says "Purple" I have plants up now, about 8 to 10 inches high, thanks Pap. Placed one in the ground today, rollin the dice- If we get a cold snap, Ill just have to cover it up, but dagnabit! Im ready!
|
|
|
Post by willyswoodpile on Mar 5, 2011 18:10:16 GMT -5
Blane, do you have fresh seeds from 2009 and 2010 on this one? Dean asked me to send you some because Big Cheef has been my best producer in the heat and drought both recent summers and set fruit right through it. From all that I have read about problems setting fruit [during the hottest times] in your climate, it sure looks like you guys have found a winner. What's the History on the Big Cheef? Nice pics guys.
|
|
PVP
Tomatophile
head spellerer
Only an Amateur
Posts: 798
|
Post by PVP on Mar 6, 2011 0:23:12 GMT -5
What's the History on the Big Cheef? In 2006, a fellow named Rickie in Murphreesboro, Tennessee, sent me F2 seeds from a tomato he'd grown that year from seed taken out of a Brandywine Sudduth tomato. He told me up front his vine was regular leaf, showing his Sudduth had crossed with stray pollen. So, we took a chance ... When I grew out the seeds in 2007, I got some potato leaf plants and some regular leaf plants. One of the potato leaf vines gave me the tomatoes Darth showed in the original post in this thread. Early in the season, you might get some lumpier tomatoes due to sketchy pollination in cool weather, like this: But most of the tomatoes are smoother like the ones in Darth's picture and like these here: Here's a close-up of the sliced tomato: So, I kept growing this tomato year after year because it's one of the best tasting and most productive tomatoes I grow, very much like Spudakee. The name is Big Cheef because that was Rickie's nickname at GardenWeb and Tomatoville. I don't see him posting any longer. He was the store manager at one of the O'Charlie's in Murphreesboro, but I've lost track of him. Rickie sent other folks F2 seeds same year he sent me those first ones. AmiDeutch (Ted) in Germany grew it out, too. He got a red tomato. Last year Ted sent me seeds from his, and I got a pink tomato on a potato leaf vine, rather than red. It's a good one too. I sent some seeds from my maroon Big Cheef to Michael Johnson in England a few years back, and he got one he said was yellow. I grew the seeds he sent back, but got a very pale, cream colored tomato instead. I'd almost call it white: I think the pale yellow one is weird tasting. The pink one is good. But the maroon one is the best, in my opinion, and I'm at F6 with seeds this year. I hope everyone will agree to only call the maroon line Big Cheef and all the others that came from those original F2s something else, because I've made detailed selections on this maroon line to try and capture the best I could. Bill What are you gonna name the yellow one Pap? Pale Face...hehehe
|
|
jcm05
Administrator
Posts: 1,685
|
Post by jcm05 on Mar 6, 2011 7:39:55 GMT -5
Nice post PV. Yet another great variety comes from a brandywine parent.
|
|
elkwc
New Member
Tomato Veteran
Posts: 24
|
Post by elkwc on Mar 6, 2011 15:02:38 GMT -5
I grew it last summer from seeds PV sent me. A great tomato. Will grow more plants this year. And thanks for sharing the seeds PV. Jay
|
|
|
Post by willyswoodpile on Mar 6, 2011 21:49:56 GMT -5
Thank you for that most excellent History lesson. I like the name too, it's catchy. How close are you to stability?
|
|
PVP
Tomatophile
head spellerer
Only an Amateur
Posts: 798
|
Post by PVP on Mar 6, 2011 22:42:58 GMT -5
Willy, I took great pains to closely examine each young plant before setting certain traits out into the garden each year since 2007. I culled heavily both before planting out and after the plants began to flower and set fruit. Each year I saved seeds only from the best examples. My plants in 2010 were the most productive so far. And although the tomatoes remain among the best tasting in the garden, I was not able to retain the unbelievably rich flavor of that first F2 shown in the pictures. I may go back to the F2 and F3 seeds and try to find that intense flavor again. Meanwhile, the F5 maroons in 2010 appeared stable enough for the traits I selected for, and I'm satisfied they will please the hobby grower.
|
|
amideutch
Breeder in Training
Golden Cherokee
Posts: 139
|
Post by amideutch on Mar 7, 2011 13:15:02 GMT -5
Did somebody say Big Cheef. Here's a 770 gram from my Red PL plant grown in 09. Ami Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by willyswoodpile on Mar 7, 2011 18:11:00 GMT -5
Did somebody say Big Cheef. Here's a 770 gram from my Red PL plant grown in 09. Ami That's a beauty Amideutch.
|
|
|
Post by blane on Mar 7, 2011 21:16:29 GMT -5
I was born a southern Indiana, backwoods, Melon tossin, Corn eatin, Mater pickin, Bean shellin, Dirt Bike ridin, Girl watchin, football playin, guitar pickin, average kid- and our Mushroom Teachers back in the day, didnt have the Metric class, or did I sleep thru it? ;D Is 770 grams....converted to be around a Pound and 3/4? If so....This one super nice Big Cheef ya got there Ami!
|
|