What have I gotten myself in to!?!?
 

I started [URL="http://tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=24939&highlight=short+list"]this thread[/URL] a few weeks back asking for input. I'd just gotten interested in Heirloom Tomatoes.

I've since found myself reading, studying, deciding, and ordering seeds. I've currently got 30 on my "list" ...when everything gets here. What's more ridiculous is that on my slightly-more than-a-half-acre, I only garden on 64sqft of it (using Mel Bartholomew's New Squarefoot Gardening book as a guide.) This past year, I only grew 8 tomato plants. I'm going to have to get creative!

Please feel free to comment on anything above, or the varieties selected below.


Abraham Lincoln
Arkansas Traveler
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Beauty King
Black from Tula
Black Krim
Brandywine Red 'Landis'
Bulgarian Triumph
Cherokee Purple
Costoluto Genovese
Garden Peach
Green Giant
Hillbilly
Indian Stripe
Japanese Trifele Black
Jaune Flamme
KBX
Kellogg's Breakfast
Lyuda's Mom's Large Red Ukrainian
Marglobe Supreme
Money Maker
Mortgage Lifter
Mortgage Lifter 'Estlers'
Olena Ukrainian
Pink Berkeley Tie Dye
Pink Honey
Porter 'Herring'
Razzleberry OP
Rutgers (I'll have to double-check this one)
Sekai Ichi
Sweet 100

It's occurred again. Another inductee in the Hall of Fame, Tomato Addicts Wing.

Welcome, Initiate, into the Order of the Way of the Tomato!

Over a hundred tomato plants in my suburban backyard this year. Even some red varieties this year. And around five hundred varieties in my collection....so far......bwah, ha, ha!

I can help you expand that garden. Start saving newspapers. Find a source of old spoiled hay.

Don't worry about plowing tilling shovelling cultivating hoeing or raking. Just in the spring Mow the lawn short lay out the papers up to 6 layers think and cover with old hay mulch. You are done for the year in all ground prep and weeding tasks. When your tomatoes are ready to transplant just pull the mulch away from a small area and poke a hole through the paper with a bulb planter or hand trowel. Transplant and pull the hay back around the base of the tomato plant. You are done.

Welcome to the dark side, and the red side, and the pink side, and the green-when-ripe side...

Welcome to the world of tomato addicts... hmmm... sorry... tomato lovers! :)

I also started with only 3 varieties at the beginning of this century, and I now have 2700+ tomato varieties in my seed collection. No attempts to get it under control were successful. :lol:

I hope you already came across Tatiana's TOMATObase. If not, then perhaps you'll find it useful in your search for some great tomato varieties!

The ones on your list that I love are Aunt Ruby's German Green, Black from Tula, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Green Giant, Olena Ukrainian, Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, Jaune Flamme, KBX, and Mortgage Lifter.

Tatiana

Salix, good one !

[QUOTE=Tania;306960]I hope you already came across Tatiana's TOMATObase. If not, then perhaps you'll find it useful in your search for some great tomato varieties![/quote]Your reputation preceeds you. I've been to your site several times a day. Thanks for the awesome resource

[quote]The ones on your list that I love are Aunt Ruby's German Green, Black from Tula, Black Krim, Cherokee Purple, Green Giant, Olena Ukrainian, Pink Berkeley Tie Dye, Jaune Flamme, KBX, and Mortgage Lifter.[/QUOTE]

Of the ones on your list of the ones on my list... I've only ever grown Black Krim. I've fallen in love with it over the past 4-5 years. I mentioned in my earlier thread that I had some exposure to Ukraine this summer that I hadn't anticipated, hence the sprinkling of Ukrainian varieties that I'm excited to try, particularly Olena Ukrainian. I grew Mortgage Lifter once a couple of years ago w/ pitiful results ...which led me to believe that it was me, not ML that was at fault.

I'd be interested what it is that you like about the ones you mentioned, particularly Olena Ukrainian.

[QUOTE=salix;306956]Welcome to the dark side, and the red side, and the pink side, and the green-when-ripe side...[/QUOTE]
:lol:Good one!

[QUOTE=Tania;306960]Welcome to the world of tomato addicts... hmmm... sorry... tomato lovers! :)

I also started with only 3 varieties at the beginning of this century, and I now have 2700+ tomato varieties in my seed collection. No attempts to get it under control were successful. :lol:

I hope you already came across Tatiana's TOMATObase. If not, then perhaps you'll find it useful in your search for some great tomato varieties!

Tatiana[/QUOTE]
Tatiana, I'm shocked that you only grew 3 varieties at the turn of the century! I feel like an old addict now:lol:.

[QUOTE=Redbaron;306948]I can help you expand that garden. Start saving newspapers. Find a source of old spoiled hay.

Don't worry about plowing tilling shovelling cultivating hoeing or raking. Just in the spring Mow the lawn short lay out the papers up to 6 layers think and cover with old hay mulch. You are done for the year in all ground prep and weeding tasks. When your tomatoes are ready to transplant just pull the mulch away from a small area and poke a hole through the paper with a bulb planter or hand trowel. Transplant and pull the hay back around the base of the tomato plant. You are done.[/QUOTE]
This a great way to make a new garden. It is sooo much easier than the way I used to do it and it works great. I do it a little different by adding compost when I put down the newspaper.
Remy

bwaynef,
I forgot to say sorry as I'm a tomato addict, you'll not get much help from me Unless of course you list something on my never grow again list:).
Remy

[QUOTE=remy;306964]
This a great way to make a new garden. It is sooo much easier than the way I used to do it and it works great. I do it a little different by adding compost when I put down the newspaper.
Remy[/QUOTE]

Agreed! If you got it, use it. That goes for compost, well aged manure, worm castings or any other beneficial soil amendments! But no way should it stop anyone just because they don't have everything needed to make the soil perfect first year.

That is one serious compost-load of tomatoes, bwaynef. I suggest you Tom Sawyer it out a little bit, let your friends and loved ones in on the fun. Give a few people some seeds and instructions, and maybe you can garden vicariously in part. Just a thought. Would that work?

I concur with Redbaron and Remy. Don't let building up a spot to be "good" stop you from getting started. And a lot of tomatoes will surprise you with results, even when neglected. Mow it short enough to mash down with the newspaper layers or cardboard or even old cotton fabric (sheets, blankets, stained clothing, etc). If you can't get old hay, try something else----some store bought bark mulch or cedar chips (preferably something that isn't artificially colored) or trimmings off your yard (if untreated with herbicides).....

[QUOTE=Redbaron;306948]I can help you expand that garden. Start saving newspapers. Find a source of old spoiled hay.[/QUOTE]

I've read your foray into no-till gardening and the methods you're working on testing. It sounds doable, but the SqFt Gardening method works for me. It also helps me keep the yard looking neat enough to meet my wife's approval.

[quote=kilroyscarnival] I suggest you Tom Sawyer it out a little bit, let your friends and loved ones in on the fun. Give a few people some seeds and instructions, and maybe you can garden vicariously in part. Just a thought. Would that work?[/quote]

The past few years I've grown and given away most of the tomato plants I started. I plan to give away most of what I grow this year ...but maybe with the stipulation that they give me some from which to collect seeds.

A great list of tomatoes there! I'm a bit of a "black" freak and I can vouch for your selection of Black Krim, Japanese Black Trifele and Black From Tula. I grow these three every year. They always seem to do well for me. All three are quite similar in taste and I think they taste excellent. Of the three, I find the Trifele and Tula the standouts. They are prolific producers! In my opininion, Japanese Black Trifele is a little underrated. It deserves a spot in everyone's grow list. It really is an excellent tomato. Good luck with your crop.