The Italians called them love apples. The English were convinced that they were poisonous because they are part of the nightshade family. I am, of course, talking about the quintesential summer fruit - tomatoes!Next weekend I am planting this season's selection and they should be ready for you to plant by around Mother's Day. This year, I am doing someold faves and adding some new ones to the portfolio. They are $2.50 a piece, and I am taking orders now and will have a limited supply available on a first-come, first served basis when they are ready for pick-up in mid-May.
Cherry Tomatoes
- Chocolate cherry:
Plants are super productive and produce one inch chestnut and port-wine
colored fruit with a delicious, multifaceted flavor.
When I grew these last I was particularly impressed with how they ripened from green to beautiful little bursts of summer after picked in late October. When I took out the tomato vines there was cluster upon cluster of small green globes that I parked on a platter in the dining room to ripen. (Indeterminate, 70 days)
- Sun gold: The unique flavor of this tomato gives it an almost "cult" following. The plants will be loaded with clusters of eight to fourteen tomatoes about an inch in diameter throughout the summer until frost. May be grown in containers with support. (Indeterminate, 57 days)
- NEW! Yellow pear: These plants are described as being loaded with hundreds of small 1-2 inch fruits. (Indeterminate, 75-80 days)
Sauce/Paste Tomatoes
If you haven't grown tomatoes for sauce yet, I recommend that you give it a try! We were amazed at the bounty and the flavor of homemade sauce. Mark exclaimed that it was summer in a jar each time we opened some throughout the year. Some take little to no space, while others are tall and roomy.
- Heinz: "A
reliable, early-maturing standard processing tomato that produces
ripened fruit all at the same time. Dependable producer even in cooler
weather. (Determinate, 75-80 days).
I have grown these before and had great success with them. This year I plan to grow 30-40 of these plants at our community garden plot. Sauce-o-ramma!
- Nova: One of the earliest roma types to ripen in Territorial seed's trials, "Nova
exploded with fruit before most other saucing types." Meaty, lipstick
red, 1 1/2 inch by 2 inch fruit is elongated with a pointed end. (Determinate, 65 days)
- Ace: Round fruit, on sturdy, compact plants. Robust flavor with lower acidity. (Determinate, 80 days)
- San marzano: This classic Italian paste tomato is considered by many to be the world's best! A low sugar, low-acid tomato, it has a high solids content and excellent flavor. The oblong red fruits are 3"-4" long and 1.5" wide. (Indeterminate, 80 days)
Slicing Tomatoes
- New! Ananas Noire: This tomato is a show-stopper because it's skin can be a combination of green, purple, orange,red, and yellow when it is ripe. It looks amazing on a plate and tastes great too. This was my mega producer last year. (Indeterminate, 85 days)
- New! Kellogg's Breakfast: I can't remember the reason for the name, but I've wanted to grow these for years and my friend Judi had the occasion to have one from a friend's garden and exclaimed how delicious it was. I don't need any more reason than that to try it out this year! Territorial describes these as easily reaching 4-5 inches across or larger, the brilliant, orange slicers are rich, meaty, and full flavored. (Indeterminate, 85 days)
- Brandywine: Amish heirloom with famous distinct flavor, grown since 1885. Fruits are 10 to 14 oz., dark reddish pink, tender and juicy. (Indeterminate, heirloom potato-leafed plants, 85 days)
- Burbank slicing:
Developed by Luther Burbank around 1915. Determinate and fairly early,
Burbank Slicing is a heavy yielder of majestic 3-4 inch fruit. The fruit
has a very deep red color and a traditional bold tomato flavor. This
was the only variety that Mr. Burbank raised for canning. (Determinate,
75 days)
- Red Siberian: I selected this one because of its short growing time - 55 days! - it is described as a Russian heirloom that delivers heavy yields and excellent flavor. Sounds like a great combo to me! (Indeterminate, 55 days)
- Pineapple: Large, irregular yellow fruits are suffused with red streaks that radiate from a red interior. The flavor is rich and fruity. (Indeterminate, heirloom, 95 days)
- Gold medal: This whopper is unbelievably early for its size. The large yellow fruit have an interior blush of red and weigh over 1 pound, some reaching 2 pounds. The plants grow well in cool nighttime temperatures. (75 days, Indeterminate)
- Japanese Black Trifele: Pear-shaped fruit has green-streaked shoulders, deepening to a burnished mahogany and finally to a darkened, nearly black base. The meaty interior has similar, opulent shades and an incomparable, almost indescribably complex and rich flavor to match. The fruit reach 2 1/2-3 inches long and wide and are very crack-resistant. Despite the name, this thoroughbred has its origins in Russia. (Indeterminate, heirloom potato-leafed plants, 80-85 days)
- Pink Oxheart: Beautiful big, oval, pointed fruit with a fine sweet old time flavor! (Indeterminate, 85 days)
- Green Zebra: This unique tomato is very flavorful and sweet,
yet has a zingy and well-balanced taste that isn't too acidic. Mature
fruits are golden green with forest green stripes and reach 3 inches in
diameter.
This is one of my absolute favorites. The green and yellow tiger striped fruit are eye catching and the the taste is to die for - oh, and they are super producers!
- Grandma Oliver's Green: The
packet describes this tomato as an attractive green heirloom tomato
that produces large fruit whose skin is green with a yellow blush and a
creamy lime interior - sweet, tangy flavor. (Indeterminate, 80 days)
Last year I kept seeing these beautiful green slicers at the farmer's market. I couldn't bring myself to buy one since I had so many in our garden to eat, but I vowed to try growing them myself this year.
- Black Krim: Dark red-purple fruit, rich sweet flavor. An heirloom from
Russia with very unique looking, large fruit. (Indeterminate, 80 days)
My sister introduced me to this variety a couple of years ago and it is a staple in my garden. Stunning to look at, delicious to eat. - Indigo rose: A new release from Oregon State University, this tomato has deep purple skin where sunshine hits the fruit to red/orange where a leaf or stem shields an area from the sun. The fruits are excellent in salads and for snacking. (Indeterminate, 70 days)
