Tomato ‘Brandy Boy’
Burpee's 'Brandy Boy' tomato.
* Common name: Tomato ‘Brandy Boy’
* Botanical name: Solanum lycopersicum ‘Brandy Boy’
* What it is: A higher-yielding and more vigorous hybrid form of the best-tasting tomato of all-time, the heirloom ‘Brandywine’ variety. ‘Brandy Boy’ has similar excellent flavor and pink color as ‘Brandywine’ but with quadruple the yield, better disease resistance and better appearance. Sold exclusively by W. Atlee Burpee Co. (www.burpee.com or 1-800-888-1447), which used ‘Brandywine’ as one of the parents.
* Size: Indeterminate vine (keeps growing and producing until frost) and averages 1-pound fruits.
* Where to use: Vegetable garden or staked as a backdrop in a border bed, fronted by red or yellow flowers.
* Care: Water deeply once a week in dry weather and fertilize monthly with a balanced plant food, such as 10-10-10 or similar. Spray with tomato-approved fungicide every 10 days in damp weather if blight has been a problem in your garden.
* Great partner: Marigolds supposedly repel tomato hornworms, but if nothing else, red, gold or orange marigolds look good at the feet of tomato plants. For an ornamental edible partner, pair with ‘Bright Lights’ Swiss chard.