Friday, July 17, 2009

Lycopersicon Lycodelirium


Green tomatoes are growing steadily now. I got my plants in late, maybe early June. In NYC, you can pot up your tomatoes in early May most seasons. This year I chose determinate varieties and those known for compact habits. Last year my tomatoes plants were enormo! This year's vines do seem to have a more open habit and less leaves.

Bella Rosa -the general slicing/salad tomato.

Milano Plum -my saucy tomato.


Black Russian -the interesting and exotic tomato not yet producing. It seems the more heirloom one gets, the more interesting the flower form.


Orang Pixie -the odd cherry tomato that barely made it out of its seedling stage. As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure this is the orange pix, because I didn't transplant it. I think because of its late-comer growth, its soldier-like uprightness, and its all-over neat habit which struck me as similar to the pixie habit as a seedling. Only fruiting will tell...


Sungold Cherry -the standard cherry.


Hopefully more disease resistant than last year's 'sugar sweetie.' But already getting yellow leaves down low.

These are all from John Scheeper's seeds. What I do not like about their seed packets is that they are not unique to the tomato, i.e. all have the same tomato drawing, same growth info. The only thing different is the tomato name and how many days. I'd like the packet to say if it is a determinate or indeterminate vine and disease resistance (VF, V) -for reference, that's really all. Jeepers Scheepers, can you add that much?!

5 comments:

  1. No, no. Shouldn't be.

    Its way too much work for jealousy.

    Hmm, how bout covetous. All the want, none of the work!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Have any of you Brooklynites gotten the dreaded blight? A few of my neighbors have had half or more of their tomatoes wiped out. I had a few spots, but it didn't seem to spread. Looks like you picked some good varieties!

    ReplyDelete
  3. None of THAT blight yet. Typical leaf yellowing of lower cherry tomato leaves... Its been sunny and dry for the last two weeks too. I cannot say the same for people to the north.

    I hope I did! The issue for me is always blossom end rot because of the difficulty in consistent watering in planters. Funny thing is that even the reservoir type grow boxes get this disease as well. Hmmm.

    ReplyDelete
  4. i only just planted up my sole tomato, a sungold, on July 11. i put my plant in a 5-gal bucket, all of 15" sticking up out of the soil. put in 6' bamboo stakes, towering 5' above the plant. i have named her "optimism".

    i couldn't track down a few [free/cheap] squares of netting to support--i refuse to buy an entire roll for whatever it cost for one plant. so i will do the macrame technique with twine for my solo plant.

    i have a pretty rocky history with tomatoes, given the squirrel population & limited sun. so i am trying a new location. i did order some tomato seeds on sale from thompson & morgan; i guess i am optimistic. i am spraying serenade to help prevent blight. it is quite a problem here. no other veg gardens very close by here but i dont' know how far the stuff can travel.

    ReplyDelete

If I do not respond to your comment right away, it is only because I am busy pulling out buckthorn, creeping charlie, and garlic mustard...