Thanks for the heads-up - will have to check them out - especially if the seeds are less expensive than the Brandy Boys. Already getting orders for Brandy Boy plants for next spring. :(

Dave

A few things to note about Brandymaster:

Jung Seeds is claiming they are "hybrids" by which I assume they mean F1 hybrids and that they are crosses of Brandywine with another variety and hinting (or attempting to verify at another tomato board) that the other parent is Beefmaster or similar. They also are claiming they are potato leaf hybrids. Yet, in the catalog photos, each of the three types are shown framed with normal serrated edge leaves.

Another issue is how is it that they have a pink and a yellow if indeed they are F1 and one of the parents is a red "Beefmaster" and red is dominant over both yellow and pink. I guess they're using Yellow Brandywine x another yellow/gold "master" tomato? LOL.

So, okay, let's drop the Beefmaster rumor altogether. How is it that there are two fruit sizes with the pink being 12 or so ounces and the red and yellow going a pound in size? I guess anything is possible when you're crossing Brandywines ... as has already been proven. LOL.

Another issue ... first year of intro as a hybrid and seeds are 30 for 1.95? How does that compare with some of their other "exclussive" hybrids or other of their F1 hybrids? Hmmmm. Interesting. Must be a loss leader. LOL.

Lastly, just for fun ... see how many duplicate photos you can pick out where the same shot is used for two different varieties in the 2010 Totally Tomatoes catalog. Some hints to help you:
Hint #1: one photo is duplicated for 2 varieties that actually are the same variety listed twice under two of its different names.

Hint #2: the duplicate photos used to picture different varieties are either flipped left to right or cropped or both.

Hint #3: JT and I were cuttin' up havin' a laugh over this and so far tonight found 4 individual photos being used to picture 8 different tomatoes (4 pairs) in the TT 2010 catalog.

Hint #4: one of the pairs pictured with the same photo (cropped and flipped) are yellow/gold varieties.

Hint #5: one of the tomatoes pictured using the same photo as another variety is named for a famous dictator.

Okay, that's plenty of hints. See what you can find.

All in good fun as I intend to order from Totally Tomatoes as I do each year and one of the things I will order is the yellow Brandymaster just for kicks.

I've also noted the "smoke and mirrors" in some of their photos. But I didn't notice the serrated leaves on the Brandymaster photos -- good eye!
-WC

LOL Bill! I never noticed the duplicate pics or confusing descriptions. When I was young I remember trying to find the hidden "items" in Highlites magazine while waiting at the dentist. It would take away some of the anxiety I felt being there! So, next time I must go to the doc or dentist I will take my TT catalog with me and see what I can find! LOL

And yes the Jung description is the same as TT. All PL with pink being smaller by 4 ounces. And only $1.95 for 30 first year hybrid seeds? What does Burpee charge? $19.95? (Inject sarcasm and hyperbole here)

Now, changing gears to serious mode: I was not very pleased with some of my seed orders (1 wrong variety and 1 no germination)and delays years ago with TT. Then I've been reading here over the years that they had gotten better. Well, last year I decided that since they had my fave varieties of peppers as plants I'd order my pepper plants from them rather than starting my own here at home. I ALWAYS start my own tomato plants because I'm tomato crazy but decided this price is so low for plants and pepper plants take forever to germinate without a heat mat/pad that I'd save some time and order the plants. I was shocked and dismayed when they arrived. The leggiest starts I had ever seen. Like they were grown in a dark closet rather than a greenhouse! Like 16 inches long (I cant say tall cause they would flop over) with only a few top leaves and growing in a few nano units of potting soil! Total Waste from Totally Tomatoes...:(

What a complete joke! Just a big scam to dupe people into spending more money to have the "LATEST AND GREATEST" new varieties. All the more reason to buy seeds and plants from REPUTABLE sources like Victory, Sandhill, TGS or Selected Plants to name a few. I have never ordered from TT and never will as a result of this garbage. I wonder if they are as dishonest with the care they take to package their seeds?

$1.95?

There is profit in stability. They're OPs.

Yeah, I changed my mind, JayTee. If they send me a small sample of seeds for the Brandymaster yellow, I'll give it a trial run. If it comes out potato leaf, I'll send them a couple of bucks. If it comes up regular leaf, it'll go the same place as their Dixie Golden Giant went. Cull heaven.

Have received my order for Pink Brandymaster and received back order notice on Red and Yellow Brandymaster from Totally Tomatoes. Will be comparing the Pink Brandymaster to the Pink Brandyboy.

George

LOL! Catalog been out a week or so and the Brandymaster's already are back ordered. Amazing.

hoosier, I've only had the catalog THREE days and the Master's are back ordered? LOL!

George, I hope you and others do indeed see what you get with them. My space is already full for next season. Plus, if they are derived from Beefmaster I am not a big fan. I grew Beefmaster years ago a few years and it was average to me and nothing special.

Trudi, they claim they are hybrid. Two packs @ $1.75 each and 1 at $1.95. 30 seeds per. And they call it a modern STRAIN of classic Brandywine! And Bill is correct, the pics show RL foliage NOT PL like the description claims. I do agree with Dave that Burpee's Brandyboy is a winner but I have serious reservations on these "Masters"...:)

It could be a marketing ploy using Master to have people think that one of the parents of Beefmaster are in Brandymaster. Yet I'm interested in how that yellow brandymaster was made? Guess I'll have to wait till next year to try it out and compare it to the great Toms Yellow Wonder.

George

HPS has pink brandymaster. I haven't ordered, so I don't know if it is backordered. There is a link below.

Here is a link that might be useful: brandymaster at HPS

The Brandymasters are from Seeds by Design. Their 2010 offering is not on their web site yet, but they listed them in the American vegetable Grower. They are releasing a bunch of hybrid heirloom imitators including Fried green, Gardener's Choice, Heirloom Black, Heirloom Green etc. http://www.seedsbydesign.com/

I have 5 Yellow Brandymaster plants growing and just picked two ripe tomatoes. Unfortunately they were RED! The plants look amazing and are loaded with fruits but I'm afraid there was a mix-up. I'm hoping that it was just the first fruits and won't be all of them, but it's doubtful. This instance and very poor germination rates for Cupid are causing me to reconsider using Totally Tomato's. I guess we'll see how well they handle complaints first.

I have just started some Brandymaster seed. They have just sprouted, but out of 14 seeds, 13 have sprouted, and they all look strong. Only time will tell.