About my 2021 garden - what's different, what's exciting for me, what's stressful!

Thunderstorms building behind Davis Mountain, behind our deck geraniums

I am going to take a time out from reporting on specific varieties (already - I just started covering the new hybrids) to chat just a bit about what this particular garden is about. I’ve been gardening for 40 years and rarely have I had so much fun. And…rarely have I been so on top of things.

The 2021 garden is really a combination of show garden, research garden and passion garden. The course that is being created with Joe Lamp’l, Growing Epic Tomatoes, puts my tomato growing expertise up front and on display. It is being video documented throughout, and that video, combined with material from Joe’s garden in Georgia, is the foundation of the course. For the first time, I get to - I must! - practice what I preach, and utilize the suggestions and techniques I’ve used throughout my gardening years - hence the stress!

evening view of the garden - sans chaos!

There is a heavy amount of research and development going on in the garden. The new hybrids I created last year, and being grown this year, are evenly split between investigating what happens when two great heirloom indeterminate varieties are crossed, and the creation of 8 new dwarf families. There are growouts of hybrids I created two years ago - using microdwarfs, a fuzzy leaf determinate, and selections from two new dwarf families to hunt for interesting things. I will be doing some new crosses - one of which (Dester X Dwarf Gloria’s Treat - the Glory family) seems to have succeeded. I am also continuing dehybridization work on sweet peppers and eggplants.

There is also confirmed joy that will emerge from the garden, as I am growing a nice collection of our favorite eating tomatoes, as well as some with sentimental value. Add to that summer squash and green beans, garlic and lettuce, spinach and collards, cucumbers and a wide range of flowers (both annual and perennial) and it all adds up to very satisfying fun.

Aunt Gladys blossoms waving in the breeze

I’ve been posting some video tours of my garden on my Instagram TV channel - I am @nctomatoman there. I am becoming a bit more active on Facebook as well, but spend most time there in a private group for the tomato course. I also hope to increase my Instagram Live sessions - often impromptu, but saved to my Instagram TV channel as well.

I love this time of year - I love growing tomatoes - I love gardening in general, spending hours outside with my wife Susan as we assess our flowers, relocate unhappy specimens, or just lay in the hammock and view the garden and experience the wonder of growing things.

snaps, astilbe, clematis and more

Let's start talking about this year's tomatoes - part 1. There are many mysteries growing out there!

June 10 view of the straw bales and grow bags with vigorously growing tomatoes. Beans and Squash growing in bales are at the left edge of the pic.

2021 is off to a fine start out in the garden. Today was a milestone - the first summer squash of the year. (I direct seeded it into prepared straw bales in mid April, so came in about 50 days from planting the seeds). I expect to have a good picking of bush beans this coming week - also direct seeded in mid April. We’ve been enjoying Sugar Snap peas for a few weeks (sometimes cooked, often just eaten raw right off the plant). Our recent salads include spinach (starting to bolt) and lettuce.

This blog is supposed to be about tomatoes, though, so let’s get to it. Last year we had 133 tomato plants growing in straw bales and containers. The main varieties for this season number 62, but recent additions here and there take the number up to 90. That will keep us very, very busy if all goes well. One thing very different about this year’s tomato garden will be better behaved plants. Indeterminate varieties will be pruned to either 2 or 3 suckers, meaning 3-4 fruiting stems. When those stems reach the top of the stakes, I will top them. So far, so good - the plants are nearing 4 feet tall and are far more in control than with any previous garden. After all, eventually I must practice what I preach!

Growing collards and garlic from fall to spring, the raised bed now contains lettuce and microdwarf tomatoes.

First look at my new indeterminate X indeterminate hybrids.

All planted into straw bales on May 1, the plants are all over 4 feet tall, loaded with blossoms and setting fruit. I’ve pruned these vigorous plants aggressively, allowing 3 suckers to grow on - along with the central stem that gives 4 fruiting branches. The big time question I hope to answer with these 8 hybrids is this….when two great tasting varieties are crossed, will the hybrid be equal or even better than the two parents?

Blue’s Bling X Little Lucky - plant

Blue’s Bling X Little Lucky - developing fruit

Blue’s Bling X Little Lucky F1 hybrid - Variegated regular leaf foliage, large oblate purple fruit crossed with potato leaf foliage, medium round yellow/red bicolor. My prediction for the hybrid is a medium sized tomato that is either pink or red (depending upon the skin color of Little Lucky…if it is clear, the hybrid should be pink. If it is yellow, the hybrid should be red). I am interested in average fruit size, fruit shape, color and flavor. Growing out saved seed should provide lots of interesting combinations - the real needle in the haystack would be a potato leaf variegated bicolor with darker hues from the “black tomato” genes in Blue’s Bling.

Blue’s Bling X Polish - plant

Blue’s Bling X Polish - fruit

Blue’s Bling X Polish F1 hybrid - The most interesting part of this cross is, again, the variegated foliage of Blue’s Bling and the potato leaf characteristic of Polish. My prediction for the hybrid is a large, oblate pink tomato. I am hoping for superb flavor. The most interesting combination from saved seed would be variegated potato leaf pink or purple tomatoes.

Cancelmo Family Heirloom X Green Giant F1 plant

Already interesting - first set fruit on Cancelmo Family Heirloom X Green Giant F1

Cancelmo Family Heirloom X Green Giant F1 - What an interesting cross this should prove to be. Large fruit, heart shape, clear skin, red flesh, green flesh and potato leaf are all in play. Green Giant is one of my favorite tasting large tomatoes, and Cancelmo Family Heirloom is my favorite indeterminate heart shaped heirloom…what’s not to get excited about! It is interesting to note that the heart shape of Cancelmo is somewhat dominant, showing up in the hybrid. I think that what we will have will be a large pink heart, with the flavor to be an exciting mystery to be uncovered. As for what saved seed will produce - how about the possibility of a delicious, green fleshed, potato leaf heart!

Cherokee Chocolate X Stump of the World F1, plant

Cherokee Chocolate X Stump of the World F1, first set fruit

Cherokee Chocolate X Stump of the World F1 - Here is another pairing of two superbly flavored tomatoes. Will the hybrid match or exceed the two components? We shall see. Yellow skin, large fruit size, potato leaf, red flesh, clear skin and dark crimson flesh are all in play. I expect the hybrid to be a large oblate scarlet red tomato. Here’s hoping for great taste. The most interesting find in the F2 will be a potato leaf chocolate colored beauty.

I will take these four at a time - the next set will be posted very soon.

"Who Knows Where The Time Goes?" It is well beyond time for a new blog post!

Yellow Lady slipper orchids spotted during a hike at DuPont

Hello, gardening friends - greetings from Hendersonville, NC. I hope your 2021 efforts are going well. Today has been a good Monday, but as usual. not all of my to-do list will get completed today. We picked strawberries, I took plants and books to UPS and the Post Office, and mowed the front lawn. Mother nature took care of the watering - an hour of steady, lovely rain. But the completion of driving the stakes into the ground for my indeterminate tomatoes will have to wait until tomorrow.

Our flower garden is rounding into shape - highlights include Rozanne and three other cranesbill, Rocket Snapdragons from seed, and clematis Princess Diana.

Looking at my last blog date with my own gardening content - April 2 - it is now more than two months elapsed. So much has happened in those months. The seedlings were transplanted, seedling sales transpired, plant donations are nearing an end. Straw bales were conditioned and planted with tomatoes, bush beans and summer squash. The raised beds produced garlic and collards, and how hold spinach, lettuce and microdwarf tomatoes. Grow bags and various containers were filled with a mix of tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Sugar Snap Peas were planted - far more than last year (there are never enough sugar snap peas) - and we are now feasting on them, as well as enjoying salads with the lettuce and spinach.

Best sugar snap peas I’ve ever grown (or tasted!).

I’ve been doing a fair number of gardening presentations over Zoom - they’ve all been such fun, and I am fortunate to be reaching gardeners from all over the country. More lie ahead. I’ve not changed my decision to leave “the road” and focus on doing gardening talks using technology from my home.

The new gardening course - Growing Epic Tomatoes - launched on line as part of Joe Lamp’l’s Online Gardening Academy. We are in the midst of filling out the course lessons, as it is following this season real time. Joe and his crew have been here twice, and I’ve been his guest once. There will be at least one more in-garden filming here, probably in mid-July. We have 600 students in the course, and all seem to be enjoying it very much. Yes, there is a fee to register, but it is a very high-quality product, essentially a series of lessons spread throughout 10 modules, all live discussions between Joe and I. There is a private Facebook group (very active!) for asking and getting questions answered, and weekly Zoom sessions where Joe and I are on camera from our locations to answer questions live. Anyone interested can check it out here.

Early June view of the garden, with Marlin keeping watch

My time is more than full, and I am seriously enjoying this COVID-easing year. Between our hikes in the Pisgah or DuPont forests or NC Arboretum, daily gardening chores, answering questions for the course students, Zooms, posting on Instagram and answering the many gardening emails that I receive daily (a task I really enjoy and take very seriously), it is no wonder time is flying.

As for my garden this year, I promise to do a follow up blog very soon documenting my plantings for the season. It is going to be fascinating, as I am growing all of the new hybrids I created last year, as well as F2 generations for four other recent crosses. There are many of our favorites, and some that are good teachable type plants for showing the range of expressions of tomato genetics. Watch for that blog post soon - as in within a week or so - I promise!

Afternoon nap time of the beasts - Marlin letting it all hang out in his typical pose (he is so stressed, clearly!). Of course Betts takes the bed.

Attend a Free Tomato Webinar!

This is the week when a new, on-line, “everything tomatoes” course, Growing Epic Tomatoes, opens registration. Throughout the week, Joe Lamp’l and I will host a series of free webinars (they are all the same, so you only need to attend one of them) to share lots of great information on successfully growing the vast majority of gardeners’ favorite summer crop - tomatoes, of course!

Here is where you can sign up for one of the free webinars (they will cover the same territory, so just sign up for the one that best fits your schedule). Each will last about an hour, with lots of really useful content, information about the on line class, and time for your questions; Joe and I will be live on each one. Below is more info on the 5 key takeaways from the webinars.

Joe and I have developed a great friendship and rapport, based on a shared love of gardening, we are having a wonderful time putting the new course together, and we look forward to mining our combined 80 plus years of gardening to bring you an informative, enjoyable and fun hour. Be sure to sign up for a webinar at the link at the beginning of this blog - we’ll see you at one of them soon!

Germination and plant characteristic update on all of my 2020 created hybrids

our beautiful magnolia that was hit hard by a low of 24 degrees last night. there are quite a few browning petals.

This will be a short blog for me. I just transplanted the seedlings of my new F1 hybrids (lots of you are trying some of them out this year) to get a sense of plant habit (indeterminate or dwarf), and true leaf shape. This is really a confirmation on success of the cross.

Remember - you only have to plant one of the hybrid plants - the fun will be in seeing what the tomatoes are like. You can save lots of seed if you want to explore how the hybrid segregates and mixes traits in future years - with the crosses involving dwarfs, that is where the fun really begins!

Indeterminate X Indeterminate hybrids

Don’s Double Delight X Cancelmo Family Heirloom F1 - 5 seeds planted, 4 seedlings, all indeterminate and regular leaf - confirmed successful cross.

Ferris Wheel X Striped Sweetheart F1 - 5 seeds planted, 2 regular leaf indeterminate (successful cross), 2 potato leaf indeterminate (Striped Sweetheart, uncrossed), and 1 unclear. Anyone who received this should grow the regular leaf plant if they want to see what the hybrid looks like, and can add the potato leaf if they want to experience Striped Sweetheart itself.

Cherokee Chocolate X Stump of the World F1 - 5 seeds planted, 4 seedlings, all regular leaf indeterminate - confirmed successful cross.

Cancelmo Family Heirloom X Green Giant F1 - 5 seeds planted, 5 seedlings, all regular leaf indeterminate - confirmed successful cross.

Blue’s Bling X Polish F1 - 5 seeds planted, 4 seedlings regular leaf indeterminate and 1 unclear - confirmed successful cross.

Cherokee Purple X Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom F1 - 5 seeds planted, 4 seedlings, all regular leaf and indeterminate - confirmed successful cross.

Blue’s Bling X Little Lucky F1 - 5 seeds planted, 5 seedlings, all regular leaf and indeterminate - confirmed successful cross

Cherokee Green X Caitlin’s Lucky Stripe F1 - 5 seeds planted, 5 seedlings, all regular leaf and indeterminate - confirmed successful cross.

Indeterminate X Dwarf hybrids (and one Dwarf X Dwarf hybrid)

Blue’s Bling X Dwarf Mocha’s Cherry F1 - 5 seeds planted, 5 seedlings, all regular leaf and indeterminate - confirmed successful cross.

Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom X Dwarf Speckled Heart F1 - 5 seeds planted, 5 seedlings, all regular leaf and indeterminate - confirmed successful cross.

Cancelmo Family Heirloom X Dwarf Moby’s Cherry F1 - 5 seeds planted, 5 seedlings, all regular leaf and indeterminate - confirmed successful cross.

Lucky Cross X Dwarf Buddy’s Heart F1 - 4 seeds planted, 4 seedlings, 3 of which are regular leaf indeterminate and 1 is unclear. Confirmed successful cross.

Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom X Dwarf Mocha’s Plum F1 - 4 seeds planted, 4 seedlings, 3 of which are regular leaf indeterminate and 1 is unclear - confirmed successful cross.

Lucky Cross X Dwarf Chocolate Heartthrob F1 - 5 seeds planted, germination failure to date.

Lucky Cross X Dwarf Mocha’s Plum F1 - 3 seeds planted, 3 seedlings, all indeterminate and regular leaf - confirmed successful cross.

Dwarf Mr Snow X Dwarf Mocha’s Plum F1 - 5 seeds planted, 5 indeterminate regular leaf seedlings - unusual result and likely error in noting which fruit was crossed which way (see the next one) - it is a successful cross, but….

Don’s Double Delight X Dwarf Mocha’s Plum F1 - 4 seeds planted, 4 what appears to be dwarf seedlings, regular leaf - this could indeed be the Mr Snow X Mocha’s Plum cross, and the one above is the Don’s Double Delight X Mocha’s Plum cross. We shall see!

The good news is that only one of the new crosses failed (so far) to germinate - and only one of the new crosses is partially successful (some germinated seed will grow the hybrid, and some the female parent).

All of the new F1 hybrid seedlings, just transplanted so that 3 or 4 or 5 seedlings are in one 3.5 inch pot.

Now I am off to replant the new hybrid that failed to germinate, as well as 29 other varieties (not all tomatoes - zinnia, dahlia and basil will be planted as well) - this will complete my 2021 seed planting. Watch for more updates!

tulips showing their unhappiness with last night’s mid 20s

More germination results - lots of them! - as transplanting continues

The red bud is on the cusp!

It was a pretty damp day, but mild, which made it perfect to continue the transplanting process. In yesterday’s blog, I began reporting on my germination results. Below is the data collected today.

Indeterminate varieties

• Green Giant T20-20 - 100%, all potato leaf

• Lucky Cross T20-4 - 91%, 20 potato leaf, 1 regular leaf

• Little Lucky T20-18 - 100%, but 8 regular leaf, 14 expected potato leaf.

• Sungold (hybrid, new seed, from Johnny’s) - 100%

• Egg Yolk T20-126 - 100%

• Mexico Midget T19-144 - 80%

• Red Brandywine T18-11 - 100%

• Nepal 6585 (from my friend Charlie) - 100%

• Don’s Double Delight T20-1 - 90%

• Cancelmo Family Heirloom T20-15 - 100%

• Dester T20-3 - 44%

• Speckled Roman T12-68 - 72%

• Blue’s Bling T20-24 - 96%

• Black Cherry T20-127 - 100%

• Fruit T20-125 - 100%

• Peak of Perfection T20-9 - 48%

• Anna Russian T14-2 - 95%

• Dr. Wyche’s Yellow T15-75 - 27%

• Druzba T15-77 - 100%

• Yellow Oxheart T13-16 - 100%

• Ester’s Mortgage Lifter 7203 - 100%

• Hugh’s T14-27 - 100%

• Abraham Lincoln T19-113 - 100%

• Magnus T15-52 - 67%

• Giant Syrian T13-138 - 100%

• Kellogg’s Breakfast T12-74 - 60%

Of all of the indeterminate varieties I’ve transplanted so far, the big disappointments from 2020 saved seed are Brandywine T20-16 (16%), Polish T20-7 (36%), Dester T20-3 (44%), Peak of Perfection T20-9 (48%), and the high level of clear crosses (regular leaf seedlings) with Little Lucky. Ferris Wheel for whatever reason always seems to come out as a mix (some potato leaf, some dwarfs). Anyone who received seeds of the above from me can now match my results with theirs.

Dwarf varieties

• Dwarf Tanager T20-37 - 80%

• Dwarf Perfect Harmony T20-38 - 100%

• Dwarf Strawberry Lemonade T20-39 - 100%

• Dwarf Mr. Snow T20-40 - 75%

• Dwarf Chocolate Lightning T20-41 - 45%

• Rosella Purple T20-43 - 44%

• Dwarf Hazy’s Dream T20-44 - 100%

• Dwarf Wild Spudleaf T20-45 - 100%

• Tasmanian Chocolate T20-46 - 40%

• Summertime Green T20-56 - 5%

• Rosella Crimson T20-58 - 96%

• Sweet Scarlet Dwarf T20-59 - 0%

• Dwarf Golden Gypsy T20-60 - 100%

• Dwarf Firebird Sweet T20-61 - 96%

• Dwarf Beryl Beauty T20-66 - 100%

• Dwarf Walter’s Fancy T20-79 - 100%

• Dwarf Gloria’s Treat T20-95 - 100%

• Dwarf Emerald Giant T20-96 - 100%

• Dwarf Sweet Sue T20-97 - 43%

• Capri Show Stopper 3499 - 33% (one seed of my last remaining 3 from Patrina - but it is dwarf!)

The big disappointments are Dwarf Sweet Sue, Tasmanian Chocolate, Dwarf Chocolate Lightning, Rosella Purple, and the dismal Summertime Green and Sweet Scarlet Dwarf. I’ve replanted all from different years of seed saving. I still suspect insufficiently dry seed before storing away.

Overall, I have to be really happy with results so far. Out of 40 indeterminate varieties, there were issues with only 4. And out of 20 dwarf varieties, 6 didn’t go well.

In my next transplant report, I hope to confirm leaf shape and plant habit with all of the new F1 hybrids (many of which were sent out to some of you to try. I will have results from replants of the failures from initial planting, and in a few weeks, results from an additional 20 dwarfs.

Aside from a few plantings of herbs and flowers and some tomatoes (the flat to be used as a demo for Joe’s filming for our course), the vast majority of my seed planting is done, and remarkably, lots of transplanting as well (up to 1000 seedlings!).

I hope those who received seeds from me find the data in this and the previous blog helpful.

One more bit of interesting information - days to germination vs years seeds saved.

• 2020 saved tomato seeds - the vast majority germinated in three days - with 3 types germinating in 2 days, 6 in 4 days, 2 in 6 days.

• 2019 saved seeds - 2 in 3 days, 1 in 4 days, 1 in 5 days

• 2018 saved seeds - 1 in 3 days

• 2015 saved seeds - 1 in 4 days, 2 in 5 days

• 2014 saved seeds - 2 in 4 days

• 2013 saved seeds - 1 in 4 days, 1 in 6 days

• 2012 saved seeds - 1 in 6 days

• 2009 saved seeds - weak germination in 14 days

• 2004 saved seeds - one variety, no germination

• 2003 saved seeds - no germination after 14 days for 3 varieties

A very long overdue update. Garden progress, Social Networking thoughts, Germination Data and a Big New Project

Where should I start? It’s late March, our magnolia began to unfurl today, transplanting is underway, straw bales are being prepared, and that’s just a partial list of all of the things I’m juggling right now.

Garden Progress

My seed flat planting dates and types of seeds planted:

Flat 1 - planted February 24 - 20 types of lettuce, three types of spinach, rhubarb, Feaster Family mustard, Little Rhody collards, two types of chard, 4 types of beets, 15 types of daylily seeds, and a few flowers - cardinal flower, larkspur and seeds saved from a shrub seen during our spring hikes.

Flat 2 - planted February 25 - 27 types of indeterminate tomatoes, 4 types of F2 seeds saved from new hybrids I created a few years ago (and grew out last year), 19 types of dwarf tomatoes. For the most part, these plantings will support spring seedling sales, and some will end up in my straw bales as well.

Flat 3 - planted February 26 - 13 cells of eggplants, 21 cells of peppers, 1 cell of ground cherry, 14 types of indeterminate tomatoes and 1 type of dwarf tomatoes. There are some interesting things in flat 3, including some rare peppers and some new family heirlooms, as well as some older tomato seeds. The eggplants and peppers and a few of the tomatoes and the ground cherry will be part of my spring seedling sales, with a few winding up in my garden.

Flat 4 - planted March 13 - all tomatoes, including all of the new F1s I created last year (17 types), 26 cells of indeterminate tomatoes, 5 types of dwarf tomatoes, and 2 types of determinate tomatoes. I hope to grow all of the new F1s, and in this flat are a few other new family heirlooms, some older varieties that need growing, and more for my seedling sales.

Flat 5 - planted March 23 - 5 cells of eggplants, 5 cells of peppers, the 9 tomatoes in the 3 seedlinked seed collections I am curating, 19 cells of dwarf tomatoes, 11 types of indeterminate tomatoes and 1 determinate tomato. This is another really interesting mix, with some replants of varieties that didn’t appear to germinate well, some additional dwarf varieties - some of which I will grow, and many for seedling sales.

I will plant a flat 6 about 4-5 days before Joe Lamp’l’s first visit to my garden (April 6). Why is Joe visiting? I’ll discuss that in the final section, below! In that flat will be a zinnias, basil, and some more tomatoes.

Transplanting

I started moving clumps into 3.5 inch pots about a week ago so that they would be able to hold a bit more prior to transplanting to individual posts. I moved the lettuce as clumps on March 25. I also started transplanting tomatoes into individual pots on March 25, and got lots more done today.

Start of germination data

I was concerned that seed I sent out may have germination issues, based on some banter with Instagram gardening friends. In truth, a few varieties are not showing the quality I typically achieve. I will have much more data in the next few days, but here is the first:

• Andrew Rahart’s Jumbo Red T19-13 - 100%

• Aker’s West Virginia T19-16 - 95%

• Brandywine T20-16 - 16%

• Ferris Wheel T20-5 - 72%, but 3 seedlings are dwarf, and 3 seedlings are potato leaf.

• Polish T20-7 - 36%, and 1 of the plants are regular leaf

• Stump of the World T20-12 - 85%, and 1 of the plants are regular leaf

• Cherokee Purple T20-11 - 97%

• Cherokee Chocolate T20-13 - 96%

• Casey’s Pure Yellow T20-14 - 92%

• Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom T20-10 - 100%, and 1 of the plants are regular leaf

• Cherokee Green T20-8 - 91%

• Microdwarf X Indeterminate F2 T20-26 - 97%, including 19 indeterminate, 7 dwarf type and 3 not yet sure.

• Fuzzy determinate X Indeterminate F2 T20-25 - 100%, including 11 short fuzzy plants, 8 tall fuzzy plants and 11 normal stem and leaf indeterminate plants.

• Suzy F2 T20-28 - 100% including 22 regular leaf indeterminate, 3 potato leaf indeterminate, 1 potato leaf dwarf and 4 regular leaf dwarf.

• Blazy F1 20-29 - 100%, including a very wide variety of seedlings - indeterminate regular and potato leaf, regular or yellow leaf color, and regular and potato leaf dwarfs, regular color and yellow color. This was expected!

I am disappointed with the low germinations of 2020 saved Brandywine and Polish, and think that higher humidity in our house (we had windows open and didn’t use the AC all summer) occasionally impacted seed quality.

In my next report, I hope to fill in more of the picture, with another 30 varieties saved in 2020 awaiting transplanting.

Straw Bale Garden plans

I’ve purchased and am half way through preparing 20 straw bales, with plans to purchase another 10, probably tomorrow. 4 of the bales are pushed together for bush beans, 4 pushed together for summer squash, and the other 12 + 10 (new ones) will contain tomatoes. I’ve not yet completely decided which varieties to grow, but the 8 indeterminate heirloom X indeterminate heirloom hybrids I created last year will all get straw bale places. The other new hybrids will be grown in containers.

Social Networking ruminations

Ah, I’ve spent a lot of time pondering my approach for this year. Last year I was really “out there” with my weekly Instagram Live sessions. I really enjoyed them - they were fun, I got to share a lot and got to learn a lot from those who watched and asked questions or posted comments.

But a phone call from Joe Lamp’l a few months ago completely rocked my year. I’ll dedicate the last section of this blog talking about it in more detail, but it is certainly going to be a different year - a different garden - for me. I will be doing the occasional live, and continuing my blog and newsletter, but won’t have the opportunity to be as regular in the live sessions - I won’t have as much time. I will do some specifically in support of my role as Seedlinked seed collection curator, but will sprinkle in some live check-ins as well.

Facebook - yes, I’ve crept back on. I need to, in order to support my new endeavor with Joe. But I’ve been off for a long time, and at this point all I’ve done is register. There are an avalanche of friend requests I’ve not addressed. I’ve filled in no information at all. I will, when the time is right - but my presence on Facebook will be solely to participate with Joe in his garden school for our new course.

Growing Epic Tomatoes - Something New! And….about to Keep Me Busy!

Let me start by using a paragraph that Joe is using to talk about this new course.

“The Online Gardening Academy is committed to bringing you the highest value in online training for some of the most popular and important topics when it comes to gardening. Currently there are 3 courses in the academy: Master Seed Starting, Beginning Gardener Fundamentals, and Mastering Pests, Diseases, and Weeds.

The newest course that we’re excited to announce is launching on May 11th. It’s called Growing Epic Tomatoes, and it’s a course that is being taught by Craig LeHoullier (author of the best selling book, Epic Tomatoes), and Joe Lamp’l, he of Growing a Greener World, the joegardener podcast, and his Online Gardening Academy, of which Growing Epic Tomatoes will be a component course. The course will be a completely comprehensive dive into every thing you need to know and more about growing epic tomatoes, divided into 10 packed modules.”

I’ve always wanted to create a tomato growing gardening course, but though I am strong in the content part, the production, filming and other supporting aspects was a real weakness for me. The collaboration between Joe and I will be pretty magical, I think. Anyone who has listened to our podcast chats or watched the GGW episode know that we have a really comfortable rapport, and share a depth and detailed approach for clarity and knowledge.

Joe and his crew’s first trip to my garden happens in early April, and this is the first of several, in order to capture every single aspect of tomatoes that you can think of. It will be busy, packed, great fun, and I will finally be practicing - and demonstrating - what I preach (even the bits that I haven’t done so well - pruning! staking! topping!).

Stay tuned for more details - Joe and I will soon be co-hosting a live webinar where all will be revealed. The webinar will be repeated live over a series of days so that all that have interest will have an opportunity to attend one. The dates of the webinars will be widely posted once we have the dates and times.

In the meantime, enjoy spring, happy gardening, and watch my blog and Instagram feeds for news!

Some guidance on growing out different types of seeds sent out over the past few months

It’s nasty outside, but Koda is happy on his bed.

By now (or if not yet, very soon), coin envelopes of seeds will be in the possession of many of you. I’ve sent a vast variety of seeds this time. They fall into a number of categories: my favorite heirlooms or Dwarf Tomato Project varieties (all released varieties), new indeterminate X indeterminate hybrids I created last year by crossing some of my favorite heirlooms, new indeterminate X dwarf hybrids I created last year to create new Dwarf Tomato Project families as starting points, and F2 generation seeds from 2 new Dwarf Tomato Project families created from my hybrids 2 years ago that have yet to be explored. Below I will discuss guidance for dealing with each of these categories.

1. Released varieties - either indeterminate heirlooms or Dwarf Tomato Project varieties. These are for you to grow and enjoy. There is no need to keep detailed data, return saved seeds to me or report back - unless you wish to. I am always happy to hear about how they performed for you. Examples of this category are samples of Cherokee Purple (only a few generations removed from seed sent to me in 1990 by J D Green as an unnamed variety - how did this compare to your expectations or other seed sources for the variety, as an example question I’d love answered), or Dwarf Tanager - a newer, orange fruited release from our Dwarf Tomato Project. In many cases, I shared varieties with you that I hoped would work well based on your goals.

2. New Indeterminate X Indeterminate hybrids I created last year. An example is Cherokee Purple X Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom F1 (that is what the packet label would say). There is also likely a number code, such as T20-132. That means it is saved seed from a Tomato grown in 2020, and is the 132nd variety I saved seed from that year. You will find but a very few seeds in the packet, as all of the seeds came from the fruit that formed when pollen from a regular leaf heirloom parent was applied to an emasculated flower of a potato leaf variety, resulting in a tomato. Once the saved seeds are gone, that hybrid is gone and I would have to recreate it. You only need to grow one plant, as all seeds in the packet of a hybrid should be equivalent. The goal is to find out about the characteristics of a new hybrid between two great tasting heirlooms. All should be indeterminate and regular leaf (the dominant trait when a regular and potato leaf variety are crossed). Do not grow out any potato leaf seedlings you get, as they would indicate an unsuccessful cross (I test grew them all last year and the regular leaf seedlings indicated successful crosses). They should be vigorous, high yielding, and show colors related to the dominant traits in the cross. I am most curious as to the quality of the tomatoes - flavor, yield, plant health - and size and color. I’d love to hear back from everyone who received seeds in this category. I am growing all of them myself, so we can have fun comparing notes. If you wish, this can be the starting point of new variety development. If you save seeds and grow them out, segregation into different combinations will be observed. 75% of the seedlings will be regular leaf, 25% potato leaf. *** Distinguishing Dwarfs from Indeterminates - added due to a great question on Instagram - It is quite easy to distinguish the dwarf seedlings very early on. They are half of the height of indeterminates and have a thicker stem. They also have differently shaped cotyledon leaves but it is a subtle characteristic that is not as easy to use as the stem thickness and height.. I’ve done a video on this which can be found here. *** Fruit colors, sizes and flavors will similarly segregate into all kinds of combinations. As an example, Cherokee Purple X Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom - I would expect the hybrid to be a large pink or red tomato (depends upon the skin color of Lillian’s Yellow - if clear, the hybrid fruit should be pink, but if yellow, the hybrid fruit should be red). I would hope the flavor to be excellent, but that hypothesis is something this project will explore - and either confirm, or surprise. Saved seeds would give potato or regular leaf seedlings of red, pink, chocolate, purple, yellow, perhaps even white, in addition to other combinations. Feel free to play with and explore these in future years. They can be a start to your own new variety, but it will take half a dozen or more generations of regrowth and reselection to nail down your goals. Unless my plants fail, I will not need any seed returned - it is yours to play with in the years ahead.

3. New Dwarf Tomato Project families from Indeterminate X Dwarf F1 hybrids created last year. An example is Blue’s Bling X Dwarf Mocha’s Cherry F1. I carried out these crosses by adding pollen from an indeterminate regular leaf heirloom to an emasculated flower on a Dwarf variety. Seeds were saved after the developing tomato from the cross ripened, and in some cases with very small fruited or meaty varieties, few seeds were harvested. Your packets, therefore, contain only a very few seeds, but you only need grow one plant from each packet. The resulting plant will be regular leaf and indeterminate, thus confirming success of the cross. The resulting tomatoes will be somewhat of a mystery, as some of the crosses were very “wide” morphologically. In the Blue’s Bling (indeterminate, large purple fruit, regular leaf variegated foliage) X Dwarf Mocha’s Cherry (dwarf growth, round small purple fruit with strong antho coloring on the shoulders), I expect the hybrid to be medium small fruited, regular leaf, indeterminate pink in color. The flavor and other characteristics of the hybrid is of curiosity only, as the true objective is the results of growing out saved seed. Given this, save plenty of seeds to take forward for exploration. Saved seed will produce 75% indeterminate and 25% dwarf plants. You are free to grow out indeterminate seedlings, as they will likely provide some interesting results as the characteristics of each parent combine. The resulting dwarf seedlings are the main interest, however. One possible, though perhaps needle in a haystack, result of this cross could be delicious medium to large purple tomatoes with strong antho coloring on a variegated dwarf plant. Each new family I sent out will be similarly fascinating to work with. I am growing them all, and unless I have crop failure on any of them, there is no need to send back saved seeds. But I would appreciate reports and returned seeds once you get into dwarf hunting and growing in future seasons.

4. Seeds of two new Dwarf Tomato Project families - Suzy F2 and Blazey F2 - In 2019, I crossed Dwarf Sweet Sue with Peach Blow Sutton to create the Suzy family. I grew the F1 seed last year and it resulted in an indeterminate plant with lots of medium sized pink tomatoes with some yellow. Seeds saved, the F2 generation, are what I sent out, and you got plenty to work with. Similarly, in 2019 I crossed Dwarf Blazing Beauty with Honor Bright to create the Blazey family. I grew the F1 seed last year, and it resulted in an indeterminate plant with lots of medium sized scarlet tomatoes. Lots of seed was saved, and some of you received good sized packets. The goal of Suzy is to create matte-skinned (there are none in existence yet), tasty dwarfs, either potato leaf or regular leaf, with excellent flavor no matter the color (which could be, at least, red or pink or yellow or white). The goal of Blazey is to create unique yellow-leaf (as in the parent Honor Bright) dwarfs with either regular or potato leaf foliage, with great flavor, no matter what the color (which could be limited to red or orange, but could also hold surprises). In both cases, sow lots of seeds - 75% will be indeterminate, 25% will be dwarf (if you plant 24 seeds, you should get, on average, 6 dwarfs). Since each cross carries the recessive trait of potato leaf, 25% of the dwarfs in your grow out should be potato leaf. With Blazey, the yellow leaf trait will express at 25% as well, so this may be worth planting in greater number. I would love to know how these do for you - and receiving back some saved seeds from any promising dwarf plants that you choose to grow out. I will be planting some of each and selecting a few dwarfs to grow myself and report on my results.

5. Miscellaneous - some of you are doing continuing work on dwarf tomato project families or named varieties - please continue on, record results, return some saved seeds. Others are working on my peppers or eggplants from dehybridization work - again, data is important, as are returned seeds. Thanks as always for your contributions!

MOST OF ALL - have fun! I am delighted to be collaborating with so many of you on some rather unique little mini-projects!

Marlin getting a nice morning hug from my Sweet Sue

Listening to music, watching the rain, thinking of gardening

Gorgeous day on our Blue Ridge parkway walk earlier this week

We are in for a rainy stretch, and the forecast calls for wet and 40s for the next week and a half. Following that, the 50s appear, which will trigger emerging spring bulbs and the swelling of tree buds. We are a just a bit over one year since moving here, and last year was filled with the joy of seeing all that emerged, grew, blossomed in our various gardens. Though we know a bit more what to expect, it will be no less welcome, and thrilling.

Now that I laid out (in the three prior blogs) what I hope to grow, it gets down to the nitty gritty - getting my planting and seedling areas ready, finding packets of seeds and getting seed into potting mix, especially for the early greens and slow flowers. Yesterday I made my first purchase of seed starter/transplanting medium, and 10 2.8 cu ft bags sit waiting in the garage.

View of Looking Glass Rock from our Blue Ridge hike earlier this week.

Retirement (and the inevitable, delightful ambiguity it brings) and COVID (the ambiguity from which is not delightful) mean a coming year with no clear definition yet. I know that there are scheduled Zooms (and surely will be more as requests come in). I know there will be a minimum of 20 straw bales and a yet-to-be-determined number of grow bags making up this year’s garden, as well as the two raised beds. I know that I will be deeply involved with a new project (which I am not ready to reveal - stay tuned!). And…..the book. Will this be the year that the Dwarf Tomato Project book gets written?

All I know is that time is flying by, the year will be busy, Sue and I are delighted with our three dog, two cat menagerie, we miss seeing our daughters, and there will be lots to share and discuss - many hikes to make, meals to make, veggies to pick and eat and cook with. I am glad that you are along for the ride! I expect that all of you who asked for seeds or books have them in hand. I can’t wait to hear of how things go for you (be sure to share on Instagram, blog comments or emails). Mostly - be safe, and be well!

Sue, Koda, Marlin, and show and ice on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Wrapping up my initial 2021 garden plans - peppers and eggplants - and a few more tomatoes

Ice seen on the mountainsides during a mid January walk on the Blue Ridge parkway (brrrr!)

This is the third and final 2021 planning series of blogs, focusing on peppers and eggplants. The two previous covered tomatoes, and everything but tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Note I said “initial” garden plans in the title - with thousands of options, I always reserve the right to make changes (and seeing what does and does not germinate always modifies my plans).

Sweet Peppers

I am going to focus on the usual set of sweet bell peppers from the last few years - final refinements to some dehybridization projects. From my work with Islander hybrid (aka Blue Jay), I will grow, all from seed saved last year, my current selections of Carolina Amethyst (already released, so just because I love it), Fire Opal, White Gold and Royal Purple. I will also grow out my work with dehybridizing the Stokes Chocolate Bell hybrid from quite a few years ago. It is currently boringly called “Chocolate Bell” but when I deem it ready it will get a more clever, enticing name. Finally, I will regrow my friend Darrel’s selection from one of my favorite sweet peppers, Orange Bell, first received in a SSE transaction decades ago. The working name is Orange Blocky Bell, and it will be from 2019 seeds.

My sweet peppers were a bit of a disaster last year, so I hope to do better with them by planting them in grow bags (not self watering containers) in a sunnier spot in the yard.

Hot Peppers

A nearby gardening friend sent me some fascinating sounding peppers in the super hot category. My curiosity means they will get spots in my garden. These are Pockmark Peach, Pink Tiger X Peach Bhut, Purple Orange Ghostly cross, and Count Dracula. I will probably also grow a Jalapeno, such as Pinata.

Eggplants

The focus here will also be on tidying up the dehybridization work from Orient Express hybrid. My three named selections, Midnight Lightning, Twilight Lightning and Skinny Twilight, are all in pretty good shape and will be grown from 2020 saved seed. I will also grow Mardi Gras, selected from a bee-produced cross involving Casper, which seems pretty much stable at this point.

Though they did slightly better than the sweet peppers, I will give the eggplants the grow bag treatment in a sunnier spot as well.

Late Addition Tomatoes

I received some treasured family heirlooms over the last months, and want to get them into the garden plans for this year. A variety currently named Bing (1920s), from Josh B (in my collection as tomato 7333), and a variety currently called Aunt Gladys (Melnick/Hall heirloom, #7262), and a version of Mortgage Lifter that the SSE sent me from its collection (Estler strain, #7203 in my collection) will all find a spot.

I will likely also be adding in some dwarf varieties, either from ongoing work, or released varieties I’ve yet to grow.

Seedlings to sell locally

My next task is to develop my locally available seedlings list. I probably won’t blog that, but will create a Word doc that I can send to local gardeners. I’ve got the first 10 bags of Metro Mix 360 ready to pick up at a local Ag supply store. 2021 Gardening is clearly underway!

From one of our January hikes in the Pisgah National Forest