Berkeley Tie Dye

[Galina]

Not one of the easiest tomatoes to grow, definitely one that needs to be in the greenhouse unless conditions are very favourable. But this year everything came together and we enjoyed our first Berkeley Tie Dye.

This is one of the first, if not the first, of Brad Gates tomatoes of Wild Boar Farm. It has everything, green flesh overlaid with yellow and a red core. The skin is reddish brown with fine green stripes. Very pretty. But like all of Brad's tomatoes also very tasty indeed with strong flavour and good acid to sugar ratio.

[jayb]

Well done you, looks a beauty, pretty flesh too I bet. I've never been able to get on with it, just doesn't thrive here at all. Yes taste was good, when I've been lucky enough to get some. I've even bought seed a few times, twice from Brad, but still no luck. I didn't get very good results from Beauty King either. But Pink Berkeley Tie Dye and Berkeley Tie Dye Heart grow great guns.

[Galina]

yes indeed, I had one scrawny fruit before and unfortunately I cannot remember whether these were grown from seeds from the awful (but probably more adapted) fruit or the last of the original seeds. Whichever, having failed to grow them before, I was happy that it worked this time. Best spot in the greenhouse with most sun too. And at least two more large fruit to come too. I have taken a photo of it cut open, still in the camera, but will post later.

[Galina]

I agree Pink BTD is much easier to grow with its pink centre, BTD Heart takes a little longer but also easily successful in the greenhouse with it's odd looking, 'squashed flat' beefsteak fruits. Both very flavourful tomatoes too, even if their flesh colours aren't quite as 'psychedelic' as BTD.

Like your striped and variegated tomatoes, these have it all - looks and flavour. Growing and eating something as sophisticated, elegant and tasty is a special joy. These slices want to be seen on the plate and enjoyed raw as a salad - the very opposite from plain, utilitarian cooking tomatoes.

[Galina]

Cut showing the pretty interior. Green gel around the seeds and on the outside, then yellow and a red core.

[jayb]

Beautiful!

I must grow more tomatoes next year

[Galina]

And I think I must grow fewer - but I say this every year ....................