I see that only Patbarr and I have joined in the International Tomato RR that ZZtopsoil, (Lelan), is organising. Come on the rest of you! I've been buying seeds in preparation for this both locally and across the border in France. So far I have the following to share with those who join the RR:
"Cerise"- tiny cherry type; "Cherry Delight" - early red cherry type; "Cuor di Buey" - large Italian beef tomato; "Des Andes" - long, pointed S. American heirloom tomato; "Gardeners Delight" - famous cherry type; "Gartenperle" - tumbling tomato; "Marglobe"-red, round, popular here; "Marmande VR"-big tasty fruit, popular in SW France; "Matt's Wild Cherry" - Mexican variety; "Muscat" - tasty, red, traditional variety; "Roma Rio Grande" - the one they use round here for making sauces; "Roma VF" - disease-resistant pear tomato; "Saint Pierre" - traditional large-fruited variety good for stuffing; "Yellow Brandywine" - yellow heirloom variety......
Doesn't that tempt anyone else to join???? Just thinking about these tomatoes is bringing a breath of summer into my life at the moment!
Maggi xxxx
Tomatoes, anyone??
Maggi i do have some, namely seed I have kept from my own, I used to get some from Totally tomatoes, but they stopped. I tried my own last year, and they grew really well, plus one other I got from the States. I have Opalka (v. large plum shape and meaty, gorgeous), Big Beef, Fantom (a keeper), Keepsake a large tasty keeper, and Healthkick - it has lots of small very tasty toms.
As tempting as it is, i just don't have the space to grow more, I use my neighbours sunny greenhouse to grow them. I have a shady greenhouse and garden, I can't grow them outside although I have had good results they always get blight.
So this is my reason for not getting involved!
What a pity Wallaby! You mean you can't persuade your neighbour to put up another greenhouse?? What a meany!!
Maggi xxxx
I grew far too many tomatoes last year for my greenhouse, so I put all the spares that I didn't sell or give away in rows squashed between the brassicas. They did extremely well and were just left to their own devices - tied to canes. They were better flavoured than the ones in the greenhouse too. I suppose less water gives a stronger flavour.
So you could try a few more. My favourites are Black Plum, an intense smokey sweet flavour, delicious sliced and grilled on top of cheese on toast. Then Amish Paste which makes lovely red tomato soup and cooks well generally. Sun Gold is a cherry type with the most wonderful flavour - children (and adults) eat them like sweets. My favourite beefsteak variety is Abraham Lincoln with an excellent flavour, large and fleshy with few seeds, I prefer it to Brandywine which I was rather disappointed with.
Have I tempted a few more people to join the tomato seed swap?
That's the ticket Patbarr! We may inspire interest yet. Your black plum tomato sounds great - I may have to beg a few seeds of that off you after the RR, as you're after me on the flight path!
Maggi xxxx
Hi Maggi, I can send you a separate selection of the Black Plum and a few others if you let me have your address.
Pat
Pat, that's very kind of you. Do you want any of the ones I've got? I'll Dmail you my address.
Maggi xxxx