Indeterminate (sometimes of the Dwarf variety, sometimes not), producing ripe fruit mid seasoning in about 80 days from transplant. Most of seeds circulating of Blane’s today are no longer dwarfs. The Thong was developed by master tomato breeder Blane Horton and a lady named Lurley. The details of the parent tomatoes is foggy. Blane said in a tomato forum that it was a segregate from his “Caught in a Mosh” line which is “Indigo Rose” crossed with “Bubble Gum Dwarf” or “Red House Free Standing” crossed with “Stump of the World”. He later suggested that it could also be a seed mix up with “Rumpelstiltskins” because she had damaged her plant labels. Well — whatever. We’ve all heard stories of lost plant labels.
What’s perhaps more interesting is the story behind its name. Which Lurley tells quite brilliantly. Apparently the name is not named after the underwear but for the sandals rather. In Lurley’s words “I took my tractor (a new holland compact) out to till one fine dry day. I drove from the barn to the field and was halfway done with the initial tilling when I looked down on the dash and saw a mouse sitting there, looking up at me as cocky as could be. I stopped the tractor. (after screaming from being startled), but he didn’t go anywhere. I took off my flip-flop (which Blane still calls a thong) and batted that mouse off the dash and into the field. I thought nothing more of it. The next day before starting the tractor, I searched under the hood, seat, everywhere I could before starting it and heading to the field. Once again, after several passes with the tiller, there was a mouse sitting on the dash again! Now, I don’t know if it was the same mouse, but once again he didn’t move when I stopped the tractor and screamed. So, once again, I took off my flip-flop….and as soon as I did, before I could swing it at him, he jumped off the dash and hopped across the field to the woods and I haven’t seen him since.”
The fruits are green and purple striped beefsteaks with dark purple insides. There is some anthocyanin expression on the shoulders too. They are pretty decent sized, some getting to be a pound. The flavor is tart and complex.
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$10.00