Re: [tomato] Re Caspian Pink
John Sorge (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Wed, 31 Mar 1999 22:23:58 -0600
I would like to have some seeds if you will send them to me.
John Sorge
510 E Temperance Ln
Deer Park, TX 77536
----- Original Message -----
From: Celeste or Dave Anderson <Gtoughchile@mail.greatbasin.net>
To: <Tomato@GlobalGarden.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 31, 1999 11:33 AM
Subject: [tomato] Re Caspian Pink
> > Recently there has been a big hoopla about "Caspian Pink"tomato. In the
> > back of my mind lurks the thought, "Terminator Gene." I, for one, don't
> > plan to plant it until I get seed from some trusted person who has
> > personally grown it out. There's just too much chicanery going on.
>
> I don't remember that much "hoopla" about Caspian Pink. I do remember
> that one of the first SASE's that requested Caspian Pink seeds was
> from you Chuck. What I don't understand is why you asked for seeds if
> you had no intention of growing them. Someone else could have used
> them.
>
> I received the Caspian Pink seeds directly from Seminis Vegetable in
> Saticoy California. They were formally named Petoseed and called
> themselves "The Hybrid Vegetable Company". Even though they hybridize
> tomatoes and peppers I think this is interesting.
>
> In their "Home Garden and Local Market Wholesale Catalog they list:
>
> 44 hybrid and 38 open pollinated tomatoes
>
> 20 hybrid and 20 open pollinated sweet peppers
>
> 9 hybrid and 20 open pollinated hot peppers
>
> Doesn't sound like hybrids are taking over the home garden market
> does it?
>
> Here's some information on Caspian Pink from a Seminis flyer. The
> author is Jim Waltrip:
>
> "Caspian Pink Tomato - Compare the taste with your favorite. This
> heirloom is said by many to be the absolute best. Discovered in
> Russia by a Petoseed employee shortly after the cold war ended, this
> stood out as something really different. Fruits are large, kind of
> flat, pink in color and have absolutely knockout flavor. Thank
> goodness the Russian people saved it; it's a treasure. It had no
> other name than "Pink Fruit", so we're calling it Caspian Pink
> because we found it in an area between the Caspian and Black seas.
> Black Pink just didn't seem like a very good name. Fruits average 10
> to 11 ounces when plants are pruned, and they ripen from the bottom
> up. By the time the shoulders have turned pink, the flesh is very
> soft, succulent and juicy. Harvesting just before that time is my
> recommendation. The taste is mild and very sweet. Plants are
> indeterminate with non-potato leaves. Fruit set is not as good as
> hybrids, but you'll love the tomatoes you do get. Maturity: 80 days."
>
> I planted my seeds on 2/11 and had germination in 3 days. The plants
> are now in 4" pots in the greenhouse and are about 6" high with 5-6
> true leaves. I still have a few seed packets left if anyone would
> like to try them.
>
> Seminis did not have enough seeds to sell in the general market so
> they sold what they had to Shumway seeds for 1999. It should be
> widely available in 2000.
>
>
>
>
>
> Dave Anderson
> Tough Love Chile Co.
> http://www.tough-love.com
> e-mail Chilehead@tough-love.com
>