April 6, 2008

tomato sowing day!

Here’s my planting list: Tomatoes, New Girl (6 for mom, 3 for me)Tomatoes, Big Beef (6 for mom, 3 for me)Tomatoes, Orange Blossom (3 for mom, 3 for me)Tomatoes, Brandywine (3 for me)Tomatoes, Pink Beauty (3 for mom, 3 for me)Tomatoes, Cherokee Purple (1 for mom, 3 for me)Tomatoes, Purple Calabash (1 for mom, 3 for me)Tomatoes, Giant Belgium (3 for me)Tomatoes, Oxheart Red (3 for me)Tomatoes, San Marzano (3 for me)Tomatoes, Tomango (3 for me) The numbers listed are the numbers of plants I would like in the garden.…

April 6, 2008

free tomato seeds

With my seed order, Sand Hill Preservation Center sent me a package of free tomato seeds. The variety is Tomango. Its a stuffing variety, which is almost like a bell pepper. I’ve never heard of this. Tomango: late, Ind, 2 to 4 oz., not quite as hollow, stuffing type, red with yellow streaks.Solanum lycopersicum

February 9, 2008

tomato seeds

These are the tomato varieties I’m growing this year. I haven’t grown tomatoes from seed for many years. By growing my own, I’m looking forward to having more unusual varieties. I have ten varieties so far. They should be planted indoors around April 5th. Heirlooms: Brandywine: One of the best-tasting tomatoes. Brandywine’s luscious flavor is “very rich, loud, and distinctively spicy.” The large fruits, often over 1 lb., have deep pink skin and smooth red flesh. 78 days. Cherokee Purple: Unusual variety with full flavor. Pre-1890 Tennessee heirloom is reportedly…

November 3, 2007

lots of green tomatoes

Yesterday I picked all of my tomatoes, since I thought it might frost. It got down to about 38F – no frost yet. I’ll put this box in the basement and try to remember to check it regularly. Last year pretty nearly all of my green tomatoes ripened within a month of picking. Solanum lycopersicum

November 1, 2007

November tomatoes

The plants are a little cold nipped on the top, but still lots of tomatoes. The day before we get a frost I’ll pick all the tomatoes and take down the plants. Solanum lycopersicum

October 17, 2007

fall tomatoes

I’m picking my tomatoes when they show a little red and letting them ripen inside. This seems to work better in the fall than vine ripening. The squirrels occasionally try a few bites and the slugs sometimes find them. I’d rather grab them ASAP and keep them in a big bowl inside to ripen. Its already late October! The tomato leaves are starting to yellow and some are drying up and turning brown. Our temperatures have cooled off here in the Boston area (zone 6b), but my guess is maybe…

September 19, 2007

bigger not always better

Here’s an article I found at Kitchen Gardener’s about high yield commercial vegetable varieties that are getting bigger and less healthy. A recent study they cite found that “the more a tomato weighs, the lower its concentration of lycopene, a natural anti-cancer chemical that makes tomatoes red. There is also less vitamin C and beta carotene, a nutrient linked to vitamin A.” Also, “higher-yield crops decrease the concentrations of cancer-fighting chemicals and anti-toxins — known as phytonutrients or phytochemicals.” Well, I’m growing some really tiny veggies: carrots, garlic, etc. But…

September 13, 2007

dimpled beauty

A ripening Brandywine.

September 9, 2007

winner of the too-tall-tomato vine contest!!!

I was really impressed with The Tiniest Tomato of the Year at May Dreams Gardens and at The Gardeners Anonymous Blog. Wow! I’ve always wanted to win a contest, so I’m entering myself in the Tallest Tomatoes Vines contest and am officially declaring myself the winner! It seems there has never been a contest before for tall tomato vines, but nevertheless, there is one now. What clued me in to my unusually tall vines was when my neighbor stopped by. He looked over the garden fence and said “What’s with…

September 8, 2007

tomato salad

All from my garden! A Big Girl tomato, garlic, purple onions and basil.

weeks and counting until my last spring frost

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