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Picked our first tomato of the season today

18 years ago

My husband went a little overboard this year and planted 24 tomato plants, most of them are heirloom. We picked our first ripe one today - granted it was only a patio tomato and we sliced that little thing into 4 pieces so that we could all enjoy the first bite.

We're going to have lots and lots of tomatoes. I told my 88 year old father I was going to set him up with a tomato stand in the front yard. He can compete with the neighbor kids selling their lemonade.

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Comments (9)

alisande
18 years ago
Good for you! With the salmonella scare going on, a homegrown tomato stand could finance your father's retirement.

Heirloom tomatoes are the best! Fire up the canning kettle, Mcmann . . .
alisande
18 years ago
PS: A tomato in June??? You must live in the tropics!
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I"ve got my first yesterday and today i' got 3 more. YEA HEAT !!! I have sweet 100's that only have flowers, i don't have much hope for them, the early girls i've planted are the ones i've been picking ... the paste and herloom one's ... well i hope to get a few from them. I'm using Jeanne's list of good tom's for next year and also going to make a planting box in my green house.
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Congratulations. It's good to hear you've got results from all the trouble of getting these seeds and nice to know you have a friend who would send them to you. I believe you already know that in extremis you can actually buy them from there using a Visa and have a good expectation of them arriving in your mailbox. I have been growing Dona F1 for over ten years and it is still my favorite. Of course it is a mild flavor but I appreciate it for its subtlety and complexity. Just for general information, Vilmorin is a large plant breeder and has released many tomato varieties. Most of them are aimed at the commercial greenhouse market. I believe that Dona was originally in that category until about 2007, when Vilmorin discontinued it. A few years later they re-released it in response to gardener demand. You can see on the face of the packet where it says "Mes cultures facilitees", which means "My easy growing". That suggests that it is now regarded as a "consumer's" or "gardener's" variety. Fortunately Vilmorin also caters to that market. Interestingly there is another Vilmorin release called Rebelion F1, dating from around 2008. It is one that they claim to taste good, which is a rarity in their promotional material. It is billed as a large beefsteak type with a ribbed configuration. It's hard to discern what the actual parentage may be but I conjecture from the results of a lot of searching that it is largely from the Marmande OP line, via the Spanish RAF and likely has some American Beefsteak in there too. Basically unavailable, even in Europe, through any channel except commercial greenhouse suppliers, but I have a few growing and have high hopes for it. We will see how it works out.
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Our first was Cherokee Purple, we had it Wednesday night. It was a little on the bland side. Our second (we had it last night) was Bear Creek. It tasted about like the Cherokee Purple. I am wondering if it is either because we've had so much rain this summer, or because I am picking them at first blush and ripening them in the house, even though everyone says it shouldn't affect the flavor. The first Mortgage Lifter should be ready for eating in a few days (oh, happy days!) and something that was supposed to be Yoders Yellow but is round and red will be ready at about the same time. Still waiting on KBX, San Marzano, Lucky Cross and whatever the zebra-type tomato turns out to be to even start blushing. And also my little Foundling.
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maryanntx
18 years ago
We've been harvesting tomatoes for about a month.That's just about all that managed to survive the hot dry weather we've been having. Our peppers have made some, but the cucumbers, squash and okra did next to nothing. I'm not sure about the cantaloupes. I better check on them tomorrow.

There is nothing like a vine ripened tomato!!!
roseluver
18 years ago
I too have been harvesting tomatoes, like Maryanntx said, there is nothing like a vine ripened tomato. My DH and I have been enjoyed BLT sandwiches. mmmmmmnnnngood!!
mcmann
Original Author
18 years ago
South Jersey isn't quite in the tropic zone but this June has been hotter than normal. And maybe it was cheating but this little patio tomato plant already had flowers on it when I purchased it last month. There are lots of green tomatoes on some of the regular plants but it will be a while before they ripen.

I'll have to wait a little longer before I can enjoy a BLT or fresh tomatoes, basil and mozzarella.
gwanny2three
18 years ago
I bought a few little ones for the patio. Cherry and yellow pear ones. The cherry tomato plant is loaded with them. The boys nesxt door broke the pear one with a ball that came flying over the wall right after I got it...but it is producing a few anyway....it looks awful but as long as it's putting out something I'll keep nursing it! I love the pear ones too :O(
glenda_al
18 years ago
Lucky you!
pump_toad
18 years ago
Sounds yummy. The last couple of years I planted heirloom tomatoes and they are the best. I had yellow, red, green and purple and they looked so nice plated.
This spring we had so much rain that I only planted 3. One broke off,the rabbits ate the leaves of another so I have one lonely plant.Guess I will have to depend on the Farmers Markets.
Lois
cherbo
18 years ago
Tomatoes here won't be ready for a few weeks yet, I can't wait! Nothing like home grown tomatoes. I never eat the store bought ones, well I will buy the grape tomatoes in the winter time, but they still aren't near as good as home grown.

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