heirloom tomato growers

Hi, I write about gardening for a major newspaper and am working on a story about new tomato hybrids based on heirlooms, but bred to incorporate more disease resistance.
I'm looking to talk to any gardeners that have tried heirlooms, but have had trouble with them. (They are known for being disease-prone).
Have any of you tried these neo-heirlooms (i.e. Burpee's Brandy Boy, based on Brandywine, etc)?
Thanks,
Anne Marie

Hello. I grew out 73 varieties of tomato last year that included only 2 modern hybrids. The remainder were open pollinated heirlooms and old commercial varieties such as Heinz and Campbells. I did not find them more disease prone at all.

I did have problems with bacterial spot or speck on a lot of plants but they continued to produce. Some were more affected than others but it was no surprise since last year I had almost daily rain showers. The insect pressure was also different last year with very few horn worms and lots less stink bugs but the fruit borers were overwhelming.

At this point, I'm convinced that most disease problems are a product of cultural practice and weather. The late blight experienced last year in the NE was spread by airborne spores and that's an entirely different situation for which there is no resistance.

Heirlooms are very rewarding both for the taste, the diversity of appearance and the marvelous sense of experiencing history.

Well , , , , ,

Don't mean to be negative, but your question sounds jest a tad loaded. TV infomercials come to mind, you know. the ones that start with someone (always portrayed as inept) struggling with something. Then, voila, the perfect answer is presented for sale.

Every tomato whether heirloom or hybrid is subject to disease, some less so by natural resistance, others hybridized to that end.




This message was edited Apr 14, 2010 5:00 PM

Hi Anne Marie,
Welcome to DG!
DG'ers are a friendly bunch and most would be very happy to help you out for information. Especially if they felt like they knew you a little better.
So, tell us about yourself! How do you do your gardening? How long have you been writing about it?
I saw your post on a previous article you were doing (Wall Street Journal, if I remember right when it came out).

I have grown a couple of hybrids regularly in my garden: Burpee Bucks County, which is a Brandywine cross, and Big Beef, of which I have never traced the heritage of.
I hedge my bets against the weather with several different types of tomatoes. My hope is I get a good harvest of something tomato if the weather doesn't cooperate. Every year is different and each garden is it's own little environment. The big attraction is that tomato you have never heard of or have yet to grow...and never have to eat a store-bought tomato.

Do you mean open-pollinated or heirloom? There is a difference.

IME, OP varieities can be just as disease resistant and productive as hybrids. I agree that it has much more to do with how you grow your tomatoes, not what you grow. In fact, I have much better luck with OP/heirloom varieties than hybrids. Last year, I planted 3 types of hybrids and several OP culitivars. All the OPs (including Brandywine and other harder types) produced at least 2-3 tomatoes, most 15+. Two of my hybrids never flowered and looked sickly. The other only produced one small fruit very late. The previous two years there were only two hybrids that were productive. However, they were not as productive as many of my OPs.

A few things about hybrids. First, they require high amounts of inputs (i.e. chemical fertilizers and water) in order to have increased yields and disease resistance. Second, they have limited genetic diversity within and between cultivars. Therefore, they cannot as easily adapt to changes in the environment. (Remember the corn crisis 20 years ago.) On a good year with added inputs, hybrids will outproduce OP/heirloom tomatoes. In most other situations, they may break even.

Dunno, but hi!

Trying out my first heirloom tomatoes this year, if I can prevent myself from accidentally killing the seedlings before I plant them out.

Grew something last year that Burpee calls Summer Choice, and it was not anyone's choice - super blah blah tomato. Burpee's Big Mama was great, in my inexperienced opinion, and produced well/made some good sauce. I briefly considered ordering seeds for a "new and improved" San Marzano, but settled on the old-school variety. Just a gut feeling that maybe they got it right the first time. We'll see.

achake01 There is a tomato forum which you might try.It is just about tomatoes.

Follow up to this thread:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704448304575195960955885080.html

Well-written article, Anne Marie!

"I cringe when I hear the term 'heirloom hybrid,' " says Amy Goldman, board chairwoman of the Decorah, Iowa-based nonprofit Seed Savers Exchange.

Interesting. I've never heard of this, but I think I would question the terminology as well. It's either an heirloom or a hybrid, not both. You might have a hybrid that has been bred from an heirloom, but shortening that to "heirloom hybrid" is misleading. I think we can make room for both, as long as everyone is clear about what's what.

Lovely photos.

I think both Amy Goldman and Dr. Carolyn Male, among myriad others, would have comments about that presumptive generalization. A better statement might be, "They [heirlooms] are reputed by many to be disease-prone."
 

It would be more accurate as you phrase it, but that generalization pales compared to ones expressed regularly on this board that heirlooms taste better than hybrids and are to be preferred over hybrids.