Banging in the last of the 6 or 8 foot stakes for the tomatoes

A few more weeks somehow snuck by. It’s been both delightfully busy, and delightful - some talks, lots of gardening, and an appearance on a great long-time NPR radio show and podcast, Science Friday. You can listen to the episode here - Ira Flatow asked me about the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project.

Let’s get right to it. On May 8, the following seedlings were planted in straw bales.

Tomatoes - Sgt. Peppers, Abraham Brown, Polish, World War II, Big Sandy, Lucky Cross, Bisignano #2, Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom, Brandywine, Green Giant, Cherokee Purple, Cherokee Chocolate, Dorothy’s Green, Earl, Little Lucky, Cherokee Green, Price’s Purple, Purple Dog Creek, Bing, Webber, Captain Lucky, Potato Leaf Yellow (heirlooms), Cancelmo Family Heirloom X Green Giant F3 selection potato leaf, Cherokee Purple X Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom F3 selections (four different ones, including a name selection Lillian Rose), Ferris Wheel X Striped Sweetheart F2 - a potato leaf and a regular leaf selection, Cherokee Green X Earl F1 hybrid, Little Lucky X Blues Bling F3 selections - one potato leaf, one regular leaf, Cherokee Green X Caitlin’s Lucky Stripe F2 potato leaf selection, Don’s Double Delight X Cancelmo Family Heirloom F2 potato leaf selection, Cherokee Chocolate X Stump of the World F3 selection, Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom X Zena’s Gift F1 hybrid (all results of crosses between indeterminate heirloom varieties).

Peppers - Chocolate Bell, Orange Bell, Shishito.

Eggplants - Mardi Gras, Midnight Lightning, Twilight Lightning.

Bush Beans (direct seeded) - Celine, Goldilocks, Marbel.

Melons (direct seeded) - Minnesota Midget, Lambkin, Eden Gem.

Summer Squash - Eight Ball, Sunburst, Bennings Green Tint, Zephyr.

On May 16 or May 18, the following were planted in 5 gallon grow bags.

Tomatoes - Coyote (two plants - from 2013 and 2017 saved seeds), Pink Princess, Sun Gold hybrid, Fairy Fee, Fairy Gold, Fairy Elf, Fairly Snack, Ruthje, Egg Yolk, Mexico Midget (all indeterminate varieties), and dwarf tomatoes Peppermint Stripes, Wherokowhai, Shimmering Beauty, Mr. Snow, Uluru Ochre, Sara’s Olalla Emerald, Choemato, Awesome, Swirly Heart, Big Valentine, Sonrojo Monster, Betts’ Beauty, Gloria’s Treat, Marlin’s Slicer, Emerald Giant, Confetti, Langston, Sweet Sue, Chilli Chick’s Wonder, Phyl’s Ivory Beauty, Lilly F3, Charisma (chartreuse leaf Jade Beauty possible mutant), Harmonic Convergence.

Peppers - Royal Purple, White Gold, Carolina Amethyst, Fire Opal, Jalapeno.

Eggplants - Skinny Twilight.

This will be a fascinating - and delicious - garden! If all goes well, I will be sampling 70 tomatoes, 8 peppers and 4 eggplants. Add the 115 tomatoes from the Veterans Healing Farm (which I will report on in the next blog)

Don’t forget - I will be talking tomatoes at the Hendersonville Public Library this coming Tuesday evening, June 13, at 5:30 - there is no charge to attend.