2009.01.26
Looking ahead to summer
While it's cold and cloudy (and preparing to dump some form of nasty precipitation on us), let's think about summer. Ahhh, summer. Time to grow and harvest big, plump, juicy tomatoes still warm from the sun.
It may not be too early to think this way. Gary Ibson, the founder of TomatoFest.com (a great site for buying heirloom tomato seeds), has already sent out a list of what are expected to be the most popular heirloom tomatoes this summer. If you are planning your garden, take note:
Brandywine (pink)
Paul Robeson (purple/black)
Aussie (red)
Julia Child (pink)
Cherokee Purple (purple/black)
Black Cherry (purple/black)
Kellogg's Breakfast (orange)
Gold Medal (yellow/red striped)
Aunt Ginny's Purple (purple/black)
Carmello (red)
The Brandywine and Cherokee Purple were also popular last year, I believe. Black tomatoes like the Cherokee are beautiful in many dishes. If you haven't grown any, give it a shot.
What are you dreaming of planting in your garden this year?
I am really looking forward to the garden this year. It is one of my goals to have some really tasty tomatoes this time. I love to make sauce with my tomatoes.
I already have my tomato seeds! Last year I used heirloom seeds and had some delicious tomatoes. They did come out some really strange shapes, though! This year I'm going to try some of the more conventional types that are not heirloom to see if I like them better or worse.
I also have zucchini seeds - which are supposed to be easy but I didn't have much luck with last year. I'll have to look over my gardening journal from '08 to see what might have gone wrong. I cook a lot of things with zucchini so I am hoping for a big turnout this time. My favorite is Chocolate Zucchini Cake.
Comment by Michelle — January 26, 2009 @ 2:02 pm
OK, let's see -- if I can keep the blasted CHICKENS and RABBITS out... I'm ready for some wonderful GRAPE tomatoes. I grew some last year in the "upside down" mode, and it worked out tremendously well until the hanger on the pot gave out and my tomato plant turned instantly to SQUASH. Speaking of that, I need to keep the squash bugs OUT of the squash. Then there are leaf lettuce, kale and collards. I planted potatoes for the first time last year. Didn't turn out well, but I'm going to try THAT again. Corn was a bust and takes up too much room, so that's out (my garden is only 16' x 16'). Green beans always do well, so they're a keeper. I'd LOVE to grow cantelope again. Did one year and it tasted like liquid sunshine, but they take up a HUGE amount of room. Of course, there will be tomato plants. I'm big on Beefstake and Big Boy, but Early Girls are nice for early tomatoes. Oh yes, you're right -- ripe, juicy tomatoes right out of the garden -- just like they are, or with a dollup of cottage cheese, or dredged in cracker meal and fried. OH my!!! I'm a BIG fan of tomato gravy on mashed potatoes. Wow, I'd better quit now because there's NOTHING good about tomatoes this time of the year, CERTAINLY!!!
Comment by Susan — January 26, 2009 @ 2:07 pm
I've watched and helped with a lot of gardening, but never had my own garden. Last year I did tomatoes in pots. I was planning to till up a big square in my backyard this spring, but I think I'll start out a bit more slowly. I am planning on turning a vacant bed along the side of my house into a tomato garden. It gets full sun. I will start there with a few tomato plants and see how it goes this year. The way the economy is going, I think there will be plenty of time and plenty of reasons to perfect my gardening skills in the next couple of years.
Comment by lindseynair — January 26, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
I have VERY limited space for my garden, so I mostly plant tomatoes. BETTER BOYS! They did awesome last year, bet you my eight plants supplied 8-10 people all summer w/ plenty left over for home! My wife planted two plants, supersonics I think, and they did great as well. In fact she actually had the first tomato and they were really good. SO, we'll try those again, and I usually plant a few jalapeno pepper plants. Last summer we also tried a few heirloom tomato plants and they ALL bombed! Probably will not try that again.
Comment by Dennis — January 26, 2009 @ 5:50 pm
For a myriad of reasons, I was unable to have a garden last year. I'm renting a tiller at the first sight of mud and plan on the following:
heirloom tomatoes of many sorts, cukes, eggplant, watermelon, lots of leaf lettuce, onions, zucchini, and tons of herbs. There's nothing like fresh herbs. I'll see what else strikes my fancy when I go seed shopping.
Oh...I cannot wait for a tomato sandwich made with maters fresh from my garden this summer!
Comment by Amy — January 27, 2009 @ 9:41 am
I've been wanting to try lettuce. My mom has grown it in Richmond with pretty good success, but I'm not sure how it would work out here. Has anyone tried it?
I grew cherry tomatoes and baby watermelons last year (I was starting out small, literally) and had more tomatoes than I could deal with. Something ate all but one of my watermelons, but the one I got was delicious.
Comment by Amy — January 27, 2009 @ 10:09 am
Amy, my dad grew a variety of lettuces in our garden in Alleghany County when I was younger. It can be done in these parts.
Comment by lindseynair — January 27, 2009 @ 10:57 am
Susan,
Scanning the blog, I noticed your problem w/squash bugs. An old solution to the problem, which I've tried, is to scatter wood ashes around the base of the plants and up on the stems a little, since the beetles tend to bore into the stems at or near the ground. It isn't fool-proof, but it helps. If you have a wood stove or fireplace you're in business.
Comment by gary nair — January 27, 2009 @ 2:17 pm