January 22, 2009: Tomato Bonanza!

I happened upon a wonderful website a couple of weeks ago. WinterSown Org offers tomato seeds for nothing more than a SASE. They have a list of varieties available, and you can chose six of the ones you want. You must also chose four alternates, just in case some of your first choices are no longer available. I figured it was worth a try. What could I lose besides an envelope and three stamps?

EUREKA! My seeds arrived yesterday!

I had requested the following, and I received all the ones that I have in bold red. In most cases the seed count is approximate, I didn't want to open the packages.

First choice:
Stupice
New Yorker
Amish Paste

Black Cherry - 17 seeds Clusters of plum-brown fruits, 1" across, delicious, IND, 65+ DTM

Cherokee Purple - 25 seeds Deep, dark rose-tone beefsteak, known for great flavor, most fruits over a half pound, IND, about 80 DTM

Brandywine - 12 seeds Pink fruits can weight up to a pound or more, IND, 85 DTM

Alternates:
Tumbling Tom - 12 seeds Loads of red cherries on dwarf plants are perfect for pots or hanging containers, DET, about 70 DTM

Green Grape - 10 seeds Compact plants crop loads of yellow-green fruits about 3/4" long, great flavor, about 70 DTM

Marglobe - 13 seeds Great flavor from yesteryear, this fine cropper deserves a spot in every garden, red 6 - 7 ounce globes, DET, 75 DTM

Kellogg's Breakfast - 9 seeds Pale-orange beefsteaks can weigh a pound, IND, 80+ DTM


They also enclosed the following, which were not on my list:

Miracle of the Market (tomato)- 25 seeds Siberian origin, red fruits about 2 - 4 ounces, IND, 60 - 70 DTM

Nyagous (tomato) - 25 seeds Clusters of brick-brown fruits, about 6 ounces each, productive, IND, 80 DTM

And even some squash! Too bad I just bought an entire package of these, so if anyone wants them just email me.

Waltham Butternut Squash - 9 seeds


That's nine varieties of tomatoes I'll be attempting to grow this year! Guess what? I am going to have to make a few changes in my garden plans. I think corn is out and (more) tomatoes are in!

I really wanted to try the Tumbling Toms in containers this year. Maybe even a couple of upside-down hanging buckets.

I hope the Green Grape are the same as some my dad grew a few years ago. They were sweet as sugar, and I remember standing by his kitchen sink and consuming an entire day's picking and not even looking at a salt shaker!

I love cherry tomatoes. I usually only plant two of whatever variety happens to be displayed at my local nursery. I'm very anxious to try Black Cherry this year, as I have heard nothing but good things about it.

I'm really excited about Nyagous after reading about it! "The Nyagous Black Tomato is a very rare black tomato variety from Russia. This variety was originally introduced to the United States from the collection of the famous tomato enthusiast, Reinhard Kraft of Germany. Of late, Nyagous Black has become one of the more highly sought after Russian tomatoes by tomato lovers. Nyagous produces wonderful globe shaped tomatoes in small clusters of 3 to 6 tomatoes each. The tomatoes produced by Nyagous have a very smooth, round shape which makes this an ideal tomato for market growers. Unlike many other black tomatoes, Nyagous Black is much less prone to cracking or cat-facing. The tomatoes are typically a dusky-red color (but lighter and darker variations do exist, ranging from typical red to a near black with an emerald green interior) with meaty flesh and possess a sweet, aromatic taste."

I just hope I'm successful at starting my own plants for the 2009 garden. I normally don't return to my home in Washington in time, but this year I'm pushing Mr. H to return two weeks earlier than usual, which will give me about eight weeks of growing time before the warm weather plants can go outside.

Of course, I still have to devise an indoor seed starting area. I plan on using the "plant window" in my laundry room. It faces north, so it's not the perfect spot, but I think it's wide enough to fit a 4' double shop light under one of the shelves. Or, if I get real ambitious, maybe even under two of the shelves (there is another adjustable shelf that isn't shown in this photo)!




*Friends of WinterSown donate their extra seeds to be shared through their Seeds for SASE programs. Please help and donate your extra seeds. For information about donating seeds please visit WinterSown Org Seed Donations