Greens! We are loving salads and stir fries with greens we planted last October and survived all winter under floating row cover
There is just a whole lot going on right now.
First - a few podcasts….my latest with Joe Lamp’l can be found here. I cherish my opportunities to talk gardening with Joe - hope you find something useful in our conversation!
Next - the Open Source Seed Initiative interviewed Patrina and I on our Dwarf Tomato Project work - that podcast can be found here. What a joy it was to be on the line with Patrina - and to think back on the project that over the 14 years of its existence has placed 106 new, stable, dwarf-stature tomatoes into seed catalogs. Pretty much the entire collection can be found from Victory Seed Company on this page. Though the project is “formally closed”, mop up work continues, and we will probably be at 150 or so releases when all is said and done.
Finally - I’ve had two info-packed, fun conversations with Daryl Pulis on her America’s Home Grown Veggies podcast - episodes can be found here. I value my long friendship with Daryl, and love the way that she takes me places along our gardening journeys. All of these podcasts touch on different aspects, and I am grateful to all of the hosts for providing the opportunity to me to share what I’ve learned through the years, as well as to learn from them.
our backyard cherry tree quickly popped open with the spring weather this week.
OK - now on to events. St. Louis was simply wonderful, and being able to present at Bowood Farms as well as the Home and Garden Show was very special. Detroit was similarly enjoyable, and I got to hear and meet gardening friend Carol Michel and Jessica Walliser, both so knowledgeable and talented. I also got to meet some old friends, some who I’ve only bumped into on social networking, and made lots of new ones as well.
Next up are a series of local events - the Sandhills, two at Durham libraries, The Forest at Duke, Apex NC - then comes the US Botanical Garden in DC. All of my upcoming talks - dates, times, locations, details, registration (if needed) and cost - can be found here. Please consider attending one of the local events - each attendee gets a packet of seeds, handouts, a chance to purchase my books - and if between mid April and mid May, a chance to purchase seedlings.
Making great progress on transplanting, but last night and tonight’s frosts mean huddling in the garage
Last topic - and a big one - seedlings! It is almost time. As with recent years, seedlings will be for sale from about mid April to mid May, by appointment only. Please email me at nctomatoman@gmail.com to set up a date and time to come by - I will email you back a Word document with all details.
I’ve expanded the variety list this year with tomatoes, and many of the available Dwarf Tomato Project varieties are so new that even I have not grown them yet.
Below is a selection of what could be available; it all depends upon weather and how the newly transplanted seedlings progress.
Indeterminate (tall growing) varieties
Red – Akers’s West Virginia, Andrew Rahart Jumbo Red, Federle, Red Brandywine, Nepal, Druzba, Italian Heirloom, Mexico Midget, Martino’s Roma, Bisignano #2, Reif Italian Red Heart, Velvet Red, Variegated
Pink – German Johnson, Mortgage Lifter Mullens, Stump of the World, Arkansas Traveler, Eva Purple Ball, Brandywine, Ferris Wheel, Polish, Cancelmo Family, Dester, Anna Russian (very few), Peach Blow Sutton
Purple – Cherokee Purple, Carbon, Black Cherry, JD Special C Tex, Indian Stripe, Black Krim, Black from Tula
Chocolate – Cherokee Chocolate, Japanese Trifele Black, Paul Robeson, Abraham Brown
Yellow – Hugh’s, Lillian’s Yellow, Egg Yolk, Lemon Drop, Wapsipinicon Peach
Bicolor – Lucky Cross, Little Lucky, Gold medal
Green – Cherokee Green, Green Giant, Aunt Ruby’s Green, Abraham Green
Orange – Sun Gold, Dr Wyche Yellow, Kellogg’s Breakfast, Yellow Brandywine, Yellow Oxheart
Striped – Speckled Roman, Berkeley Tie Dye, Pink Berkeley Tie Dye
White – Coyote, Great White
Dwarf (compact) growing varieties
Red – Hannah’s Prize, Maura’s Cardinal, Sarah’s Red, Sneaky Sauce
Pink – TastyWine, Bendigo Dawn, Melanie’s Ballet, Mystic Lady, Bendigo Drop
Purple – Rosella Purple, Velvet Night, Vince’s Haze
Brown – Tasmanian Chocolate, Tiger Eye, Andy’s Forty
Yellow – Egypt Yellow, Jasmine Yellow, Sweet Sue, Summer Sweet Gold
Orange – Blazing Beauty, Sunny’s Pear, Loxton Lad, Uluru Ochre, Laura’s Bounty
Bicolor – Caitydid, Wherokowhai, Russian Swirl
Green - Beryl Beauty, Emerald Giant, Grandpa Gary’s Green
Striped – Beauty King, Firebird Sweet, Fred’s Tie Dye
White – Mr. Snow, Mandurang Moon
Peppers – variously colored sweet bells, and a selection of ornamental or other types of hot peppers – could include a few different Jalapeno, Carolina Reaper (HOT!), etc
Eggplants – a small selection from my dehybridizing work – mostly long and slender, but a few more tear drop shaped.
Ground Cherry Goldie
Dwarf Project experiments (no charge, just need some info on what results you achieve and if possible a ripe fruit or seeds) – many types, particularly dwarf Cherry varieties (Teensy family) – just ask! Lots of fun to be had with them.
Whether it is via podcast, a trip to our driveway, an email, or a chance to speak at an upcoming event, I look forward to the many impending tomato chats that will be happening soon!
Whoops - one more thing - we are dipping our toes into fostering a dog. The fellow below is most delightful - his name is Marlin, he is probably a year old or so, loves Koda and even leaves our cats Pico and Sam be in relative peace!
Marlin doing what he does most of the time - play!