Vincent Watts 50 Seeds

Vincent Watts is a unique and spectacular pink fruit from Lee County Virginia, given to him in 1956, and subsequently saved for over 50 years. I retained these seeds from Berea, Kentucky seed saving family Bill and Michael Best of Sustainable Mountain Agriculture. The fruit is so similar to the Brandywine, but with subtle differences that give this tomato its own character. Vincent Watts is a large fruit that is the same shades of pink and crimson. Unlike Brandywine, with that distinctive blush of orange; greens and yellow streak the base and shoulders near the stem. Common rose fruit shapes are very large one-to-two-pound, round or heart shape with small seed cavities. Plants bare early, in around 85 days with no noticeable delay from temperature, or disease pressure. The growth structure is a typical vine pattern, the habit is very much like an indeterminate type, that produces stems, foliage and suckers throughout Spring to Autumn. Unlike the tree structure, strong stiff stems of a Brandywine plant, Vincent has many leaves and suckers, and would do better with twirling in a vertical space, or hedge rows where vines can take over and recover with fruit sites. Leaves are not potato shape, and have a dainty profile, leading me to believe Watts’ pink heirloom selections would do well in a greenhouse (they do), as well as field production. This allows the plant to grow under cooler, cloudy days of March and April, perspiring less water with the reduced foliage. Early plantings are forgiven. Hot humid conditions of a rainy July are rewarding! This American heirloom represents the roaring nineteen twenties through to the atomic age. Maintain and grow Brandywine and Vincent Watts differently, but eat them both just the same.