HEIRLOOM TOMATOES

I now have my garden all planted.  One of my three raised beds is devoted to heirloom tomatoes, also known as "heritage tomatoes".

What makes a tomato heirloom?

According to Wikipedia: "An heirloom tomato (also called heritage tomato in the UK) is an open-pollinated (non-hybrid) heirloom cultivar of tomato. Heirloom tomatoes have become increasingly popular and more readily available in recent years. They are grown for historical interest, access to wider varieties, and by people who wish to save seeds from year to year."

However, like the term "organic", it can mean somewhat different things to different people.  Since heirloom tomatoes have become the fashionable, more companies have pushed the envelope of what they label that way.

From Gary Isben's TomatoFest

Where did the term "Heirloom" plants begin?

"The term "Heirloom" applied to plants was apparently first used by Kent Whealy of Seed Savers Exchange, who first used "heirloom" in relation to plants in a speech he gave in Tucson in 1981. He had asked permission to use the term "heirloom" from John Withee, who had used the term on the cover of his bean catalog. John said sure, that he had taken it from Prof. William Hepler at the University of New Hampshire, who first used the term "heirloom" to describe some beans that friends had given him back in the 1940s."

Here is a link to a list of heirloom tomato varieties offered up by Teresa O'Conner - garden blogger extraordinaire over at Seasonal Wisdom.

I was introduced to heirloom tomatoes last year when I was given several plants by a neighbor who grew them from seed in her garage under grow lights.  We had several varieties I don't remember, but one favorite that I do recall is the    brandywine .  I've long known home grown tomatoes taste far superior to anything you can buy in the store, but these were especially spectacular.

This year we are trying a few different things.  I've included links to other blogs and websites that are good resources for info about and/or ordering heirloom tomatoes.  There's some great information worth exploring.

We've planted

German Queen    (photo by Gary Ibsen's TomatoFest)


Mr. Stripey  (photo by Veggie Gardener)



Red Beefsteak (photo by Gary Ibsen's TomatoFest)



Cherokee Purple  (photo by Vegetable Gardening Online.com)













Marglobe (photo by Bonnieplants)


plus some sort of cherry tomato, not sure of the variety.

I can't wait for my first garden grown BLT followed up with some yummy homemade salsa!

As the song says, there's only two things that money can't buy - that's true love and home grown tomatoes!   Guy Clark singing "Home Grown Tomatoes".

Lyrics from Guy Clark's 1997 Keepers album:


Ain't nothin' in the world that I like better
Than bacon & lettuce & homegrown tomatoes
Up in the mornin' out in the garden
Get you a ripe one don't get a hard one.

Plant `em in the spring eat `em in the summer
All winter with out `em's a culinary bummer
I forget all about the sweatin' & diggin'
Every time I go out & pick me a big one

Homegrown tomatoes, homegrown tomatoes
What'd life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can't buy
That's true love & homegrown tomatoes

You can go out to eat & that's for sure
But it's nothin' a homegrown tomato won't cure
Put `em in a salad, put `em in a stew
You can make your very own tomato juice

Eat `em with egss, eat `em with gravy
Eat `em with beans, pinto or navy
Put `em on the side put `em in the middle
Put a homegrown tomato on a hotcake griddle

If I's to change this life I lead
I'd be Johnny Tomato Seed
`Cause I know what this country needs
Homegrown tomatoes in every yard you see

When I die don't bury me
In a box in a cemetery
Out in the garden would be much better
I could be pushin' up homegrown tomatoes.

My peas are up!!

I've got one of my three grow boxes planted with hardy things that can tolerate cooler temperatures.  I planted snow peas on March 22 and they are coming up nicely.  The seed packet says I will get to harvest them in 75 days so it will be interesting to see how close they come to that schedule.

I also put in garlic, Walla Walla sweet onions, spinach, and Swiss chard.   I took a chance and planted three baby cucumber plants today.  A friend brought them over this weekend when he saw I already had my box started.  My tomatoes plants I am moving into the garage at night and won't put into the ground until the frost danger is passed, but I figured I could risk the cucumbers since they will be simple to replace if they get nipped.

If this year's garden is anything like last year we'll again have an abundance of veggies to carry us through all summer.  However, if I try to plant more than two zucchini plants this year, would somebody please just slap me??  Seriously, last year I thought my neighbors were going to band together and call an intervention if I didn't stop stalking them with bags of squash.  We threatened to check up and down the street for cars with unlocked doors where we could off load it.  Don't get me wrong, I really LIKE zucchini.  But since I have limited space for growing, this year I want to put in more variety.

Egyptian Walking Onion

I'm trying something new in my garden this year.  I got a lovely cluster of Egyptian Walking Onion from a neighbor.  From what I have read it is not likely to grow top sets this first year, but as a hardy perennial onion once it is established it will come back year after year so by next year I should have some to share.  I'm excited to see how it does.