Oh, no! The Bloody Butchers have Flowers!

[digitS']

Well, one anyway . . .

This was the year for me to try crossing tomatoes. The BB's are one of those. I want to use them with the Kimberleys. Actually, I want to try the Kimberleys with everything that is small but non-cherry.

My plan is to keep a plant of each in a container here in the backyard. I will need to line up some large pots but, because these are all smallish varieties, they won't need very much room for 1 of each.

Wail!! I don't know if I'm gonna be able to do this ! Those tomato flowers are so tiny.

clumsy digitS' :/

 

[baymule]

Instant mental image conjured up by the title: zombies, covered in blood with machete in one hand and a boquet of flowers in the other....... what's that got to do with tomatoes??

 

[digitS']

Oh, I thought everyone would know that some people (who should be named and prosecuted) thought that "Bloody Butcher" would be a good name for a vegetable.

So, they named a tomato variety and a sweet corn . . !

Bloody Butcher! Bloody Butcher! Bloody Butcher! Butcher! Blu BluBlublu! AAAAAaaaaahhh!

You know what we call them at our house? Jolly Ranchers. There. They can sue me! The tomato is a delight. Small, very, very early and with the flavor of a real good beefsteak. Beefsteak??! Never mind.

The story behind the variety ~ the little bit I know ~ is that it was developed by Dutch growers during the 1950's for commercial purposes. Apparently, it bombed. But, before it disappeared in Dutch history, some home gardeners discovered it. Lots of plant varieties have histories like this. I am sure that there is 99% more to it than that but I like the variety and it is already to make fruits! (Makes for a Jolly Rancher .)

Steve

 

[digitS']

All is well and good with this Bloody Butcher. So, how are its potential mates? Kind of pathetic! I won't show a picture of them.

What my idea for hybridizing came down to was using the 2 potato-leaf varieties Bloody Butcher and Kimberley as the male plants and the regular-leaf Buisson as the female. I was guided in this decision by Marshall's idea on knowing if a cross was accomplished by having the PL males. Buisson is a first rate, juicy tomato and might make up for Kimberley's hard core. Kimberley, however, really must like it here since its fruit is more than twice as large in my garden, as it is supposed to be. Bloody Butcher is just a high-achieving early variety. All three have small plants and I thought they'd be okay here at home in containers.

Kimberley doesn't look so great. Buisson looks terrible. I don't think there is a flower on the plant, altho' there is 1 green fruit. Can't very well pollinate something that won't flower!

What these things are showing the world is that Steve doesn't do such a good job with plants in containers over the long haul . . . Hybridizing, is on hold.

Steve

 

[ninnymary]

Steve, I finally planted Bloody Butcher and I'm disappointed. The tomatoes are about the size of a large cherry tomatoe and there doesn't seem to be very many on the plant. I probably won't be growing them next year.

P.s. Other than Sungold, I don't like cherry tomatoes. They are just too small.

Mary

 

[thistlebloom]

I've grown BB's also, but just once. They did well but never really ripened very many before frost. Musta been me. My Cherokee Purple even ripened before them. I don't know. It was kind of a weird summer that year.

 

[digitS']

I am fairly pro-Butcher . . . .

This ripe fruit is just about the size of my thumb so, no, they aren't a beefsteak or anywhere close. Still, I think they pretty much have the flavor of a beefsteak.

They have always done just fine and this one is doing just fine in a pot. I think it is 2 gallon, as are the others. It is just that the other plants, don't seem very happy. I'm not looking forward to having an excuse for not even having a chance to try hybridizing tomatoes. Wasted a lot of energy.

Steve

 

[thistlebloom]

I was actually planning on growing some this year since I had some leftover seed. But when I got the packets out the BB one was empty.
Rats.

 

[digitS']

I went back and reviewed what Marshall told us and realized that I have it exactly opposite! I need to use the 2 potato-leaf varieties Bloody Butcher and Kimberley as the mother plants and the regular-leaf Buisson as the father. I guess this process should have been started during the earliest flowering. Maybe waiting until the high temperatures drop down out of the 90's will allow for some more blooms. But gosh, those flowers are tiny!

Meanwhile, out in the garden . . . I had 3 more Sungold cherries today and there is a Casey's Pure Yellow changing color! I like that tomato but have to realize that despite its name - it ends up as an orange tomato! Last year, I ate the first of these small beefsteaks when it changed to yellow and was disappointed. Later, waiting until it was orange resulted in a wonderful experience. I believe that tomato afecionados have different ideas about color than the rest of us poor gardeners. I mean, some of the purples aren't purple. And, it isn't just my poor color vision - reports have come in from other folks !

Right now, I have no idea what Casey meant by calling it "Pure Yellow!"

Steve

edit: Here is a sliced Casey's. I enjoyed it last year with a few chocolate macaroons .

 

[digitS']

I wanted you to see one of these Casey's Pure Yellows (in the early morning light ):

There's nothing all that unusual about any of these tomatoes or they could go on V's thread. It is kind of odd that I've got a picture of the plant here in the Propagation forum . . . maybe, I'm trying to distract you from the obvious -- I haven't done any hybridizing . Yet!

Anyway! These little plants are all loaded with fruit! This isn't the plant that has the one that is changing colors but there must be . . . I don't know, many that should develop over the next couple of weeks! They probably don't deserve the "beefsteak" designation since they are only about the size of an Early Girl. Only a few, will be larger.

Steve