Way too many things getting in the way of quality time to post here this year, but thought I’d sneak in a tomato posting (pasting?).
Went all organic this year, only used rich mulch and simple mulch tea to feed. Even used a banana/coffee/bonemeal tea to combat some end-rot that started early on just one variety – haven’t seen it on the later tomatoes. But I’ve heard there’s not much you can do, you have to start correctly to avoid the rot (which I though I had). Anyway, no more end rot, and that is good, yes?
clockwise from…
Yellow Pear (start from a friend) – this one is coming back next year, a big hit, produced like this every other day for more than a month, and is still going…
Rutgers (heirloom) – very nice flavor, will return
Violet Jasper (heirloom) – not bad, might return
Cherokee Purple (heirloom) – had a tough time with this one for some reason
Celebrity (start from a friend) – eh, so-so; need a better large, slicing heirloom next year (had some end-rot troubles with this one at first)
A Grappoli D’Inverno (Italian heirloom) – great flavor and very nice vines (see below), can store green and will ripen, bringing back next year
Think I mentioned in passing in my Herb/Tea Garden project posting about a last minute, very late planting of some puny, A Grappoli D’Inverno starts that I didn’t know what to do with. I just couldn’t throw them away, and had already forced some other starts on co-workers. Aaaa, well….
Planted the same on the other side of the pergola, but it doesn’t get as much sun there so it wasn’t as jack & the bean stalk-like, but has plenty of fruit on it (maybe more than this beast, actually).
Violet Jasper while still green (classified as a purple tomato, I believe).
Putting my tomatoes, little finger eggplants, zucchini, garlic, and basil to good use…
Close shot of the Cherokee Purple (since I drive an older, could you say, “heirloom” Jeep Cherokee, I really wanted this variety to do well, but it has only been so-so so far (kinda like my Jeep, really).
“Gardening is cheaper than therapy, and you get tomatoes!” (stole that from Kitchen Gardeners International, I think).
-- There's a box?
9 comments so far
MsDebbieP
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13898 posts in 2137 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 218 days ago
looks so delicious
And well done, I must say!! Everything looks great.
Last year when I had problems with the end rot, I stuck banana peels and comfrey leaves into the soil and the problem disappeared. Way to go bananas!!
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
Bon
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7357 posts in 1917 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 216 days ago
That stir fry looks delicious Joel.Nice job on the tomatoes.
-- Bon,Hastings,Ont.....zone 5a....Always room for one more
justjoel
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892 posts in 1518 days
hardiness zone 7a
posted 216 days ago
A co-worker gave this to me recently.
what…
-- There's a box?
Iris43
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3685 posts in 1767 days
hardiness zone 5a
posted 216 days ago
Thanks for posting this report on the various tomatoes you grew this year, Joel. I especially like the little tomatoes. They are very versatile, being able to eat them out of hand or in salads….and I love the colour. They look great on the plate, adding colour and wonderful flavour.
I grew a purple tomato this year as well…called black krim. The plant grew huge and had many very large tomatoes on the plant….But…I was not taken with the flavour, and they had split shoulders which then would rot. Even the ones that didn’t split didn’t keep well. I will not grow them again…..too bad bc they were an outstanding plant and an heirloom.
-- 'To plant a Garden is to believe in Tomorrow'
justjoel
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892 posts in 1518 days
hardiness zone 7a
posted 131 days ago
So, the A Grappoli D’Inverno that I pulled out of the ground and hung in my shed did indeed keep producing ripe fruit. Only this past weekend did I finally have to throw it away as several days of below freezing tempuratures (including several nights in the single Fahrenheit digits) eventually made tomato “cubes” out of what was left on the vines. But, I did enjoy garden-fresh tomatoes up until the New Year!
Anyone with a root cellar or other storage that doesn’t freeze should consider these this coming season.
-- There's a box?
MsDebbieP
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13898 posts in 2137 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 131 days ago
WOW… that is fascinating. Very impressive.
-- - Debbie, SW Ontario Canada (USDA Hardiness Zone: 5a)
Radicalfarmergal
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3982 posts in 1400 days
hardiness zone 5b
posted 129 days ago
Great tomato post, Joel. I seem to have missed it this summer. You are so fortunate to be enjoying those yellow grape tomatoes well into winter! My only suggestion to your tomato collection is to encourage you to try the Amish Paste tomato. It is my favorite. I use it for sauce, salads, slicing….it tastes great and is very versatile.
-- "To forget how to dig the earth and to tend the soil is to forget ourselves." M. Gandhi
justjoel
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892 posts in 1518 days
hardiness zone 7a
posted 129 days ago
Might have to give that one a try, Farmergal…
-- There's a box?
lavender22
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85 posts in 90 days
hardiness zone 8a
posted 76 days ago
Great tomatoes Joel and love the veggie stir- fry:) It looks delish:)
-- I love hostas:)