My tomato seeds arrived today from Tomatofest. I had changed my order since my initial post and I have done a few seed trades as well. My revised list of tomatoes I am growing this year is as follows:Subbath's Strain Brandywine (the original brandywine)
Chocolate Stripes
Jersey Devil
Giant Belgium
Siletz
Dixie Golden Giant
Black Zebria (saved from the grocery store)
Pink Berkely Tie Dye (from Judy's SFG)
Variegated Tomato (from Veggie Patch Re-Imagined )
Purple Calabash (from Skippy's Vegetable Garden )
Hillbilly Potato Loaf
Cherokee Purple
I have been thinking I have gotten a little ahead of myself with all these tomatoes. I am planing on trying three topsy turvy planters this season so that will free up some space well utilizing my vertical real estate. I am also planning on adding two addition raised beds at the top of the veggie patch. This will provide me with a long narrow bed for a couple trellises as well as more tomato room. I think with these additions I can just fit 12 tomato plants into the veggie patch.
This is the area I will be adding the new raised beds to.
This is the planned improvements.This season I am also going to grow my tomatoes in the ground except for the topsy turvy planters. I have grown tomatoes in large pots for the last 4 years, although they have done well it really is a waste of space and they need constant watering. In the spring the city gives away free leaf compost so I am going to try and get enough to fill the two raised beds. I can then grow the tomatoes in 100% leaf mold compost, it is literally black gold.
we are going to have to move to the country sooon....!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI just checked out tomatofest. Those brandywines look amazing.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you have a solid plan for some 'maters this year. Best of luck to you.
Wow good planning, and what an array of tomatoes! Best of luck with it all when you can finally begin sowing.
ReplyDeleteThat's alot of varieties, Dan! Those topsy turvy planters will be quite interesting. I've never seen one in use before, but can't wait to see how yours do. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteEG
Lucky you to have free leaf mold. Pure gold for gardeners. Can't wait to see all your tomatoes this summer.
ReplyDeleteHendria - Yes, I could grow fields of tomatoes then.
ReplyDeleteRed Icculus - The brandywine does look really good, it will be the first time I had tried any brandywine variety.
siskelkk - Thanks for the luck. Most of them will not be started until March unfortunately, got to love winter!
EG - I think it is way too many varieties but it sure will be fun to grow so many. I found an improved topsy turvy planter that has a 4 liter reservoir on top, I hope they work out hanging off the hot south facing brick.
Tina - It is nice that they give it away. You can only take two large garbage cans a day though. I will have to make a few trips.
You will have tomatoes coming out your ears! What fun to make dishes with all those red treats! Cant wait to see your tomoato count this year...
ReplyDeleteSkeeter - I had not even thought of that, my tomato count will most definitely be very high. I am going to have to start looking for recipes to preserve tomatoes before they start coming out my ears.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the book suggestion. ("One Man's Wilderness") I'll look for that.
ReplyDeleteWe went to Alaska in the summer of 2007. Picked up a book there called "Shadows on the Koyukuk". It was about growing up in Alaska's bush country. The author (it was an autobiography) was part native if my memory serves me right. Very interesting.
Marcia - No problem, they also have a program on the book they air on PBS periodically. I will have to look for the book you read as well.
ReplyDeleteHi Dan! That's great that you've found some extra space for more gardening area! Cool! I can't wait to see your garden photos on your blog this summer :-)
ReplyDeleteTopsy Turvy... hmmm, I am going to be watching your blog to see how the tomatoes do that are planted in those. I've seen advertisements for them, but never tried them. But they sound really interesting and will free up some space in the garden and give you the opportunity to grow more tomato varieties.
I'm sending your Pink Berkeley Tie Dye seeds in the mail today. Also, I've tucked some Beauty King seeds in there too :-) They are from Wild Boar Farms. I've been hearing alot of great things about this variety. So even if you don't have room for this this year, you can still save the seed for several years and plant them later. Or, you can use them to trade for other tomato seed varieties :-)
Take care!!
Dan, I forgot to say, be looking for an envelope from Georgia in your mailbox....,
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing your results growing all of those varieties. I think that, judging from my own experience, you will have a more successful yield from growing them in a raised bed than you would in containers. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteSally - thanks for the info. I have never grown a tomato in the ground before so it will be a first for me.
ReplyDeleteJudy - Thanks for the seed, I will let you know when it arrives.
ReplyDeleteI'm jealous. I'd love to put raised beds along my house. I have lead contamination here in the soil but it's the best sunlight I have. I'd need a nice deep bed. Someday...
ReplyDeleteYour tomato list looks great. Thanks for sending seeds for trade to me. I have received them and will send yours tomorrow. Kathy
Kathy - This is my only space I have that will grow veggies and it is a pretty good spot. It is the utility side of the house with the a/c, phone, cable, dryer vent & furnace pipes so it is kind of ugly. It also gets full sun that then reflects off the brick & foundation so there is lots of heat.
ReplyDeleteI had bad soil as well, it was basicly sand & gravel. I built the raised beds, then dug out 18" of sand/gravel and added 5 yards of triple mix. I'm getting tried just thinking about it!
I was just out today looking around and realizing I may not be about to fit all these tom's in. I am sure going to try though.
I love seeing the evolution of gardens. How did you find the topsy turvies did for you? I keep my hot pepper plants in planters and plan on having one cherry tomato in a very large container on the deck. Running out of ground space ;)
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