tomatoman223
Il. 5b-USA
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 2:22 am Post subject: Anyone growing heirloom vegetables here? |
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Hi,I'm new here.One of my passions in the last few years has been growing heirloom tomato's,squash,peppers,beans and cuks.
Is there anyone else growing heirloom vegatables that want to chat?
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Frank
 Administrator
Originally Galway, Ireland
Posts: 12349
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 9:35 am Post subject: |
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Hi Mike, I afraid I don't grow them myself but I am very interested in any tips or information you may have to share.
What is your fascination with heirloom vegetables in particular?
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tomatoman223
Il. 5b-USA
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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Hi Frank.Gardening is one of my main hobbys,and grew the "Boys"this and the "Girls" that for better than 20 years.About 3 years ago I got curious about heritage tomatos,so ordered a couple of packs to try(Mortgage Lifter and Black Krim).
Keep in mind that I had never seen a pink or a black tomato and after growing them out and tasting,there is no going back to hybrids for me.And they are op,so you can save seed.
I am currently growing 37 different types of tomatos,and have a collection of over a hundred varietys in my seed box now.Some of their historys are a good read too 
And its neat(to me anyway)that you might be growing something that your great-grandad grew some 75 years ago in the back plot!
Sorry for being so long-winded.My wife says it's in my nature! 
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Frank
Administrator
Originally Galway, Ireland
Posts: 12349
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| Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2005 11:29 pm Post subject: |
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That's great Mike. I can imagine the appeal of seeing and tasting a pink or black tomato after only ever experiencing the common kind. You must enlighten me about the taste differences? Sweeter?
37 varieties of tomatoes is a heck of a lot of tomatoes! I definitely agree with you though that a lot of the satisfaction is from knowing that you are carrying on the legacy from the past into the future. That would definitely appeal to me.
Thanks for the info, I am very interested now. And long-winded... I think not, it's all good
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tomatoman223
Il. 5b-USA
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 1:56 am Post subject: |
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OMG,I just re-read my last post,and I'm coming across as a hybrid hater!Not the case at all!!!!!Any home grown tomato(well,most anyway)is much better than anything you can buy in the store.I just prefer heirlooms nowadays .
The taste is as different as the varietys.It goes from very sweet(Tn Surprise,Orange Heirloom,etc.)to sweet with a tang(Aunt Gertie's Gold,Kellogg's Breakfast)to the Pinks,Reds and Blacks(the acid bite,with a bit of sweet taste too).
I am growing 2 green-when-ripe varietys also this summer.Cherokee Green and Evergreen.When ripe,the skin gets a bit yellow,with a lime green flesh inside.Nice sweet flavor!
Yep,thats a bunch of tomatos,Frank.People have quit answering the door when they see me coming with a bag in my hand
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dooley
Texas
Posts: 5204
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 2:24 am Post subject: |
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You could come to my door with the tomatoes but you'd have a little way to come. I only have about 8 tomato plants but they are all different. I started all but one from seed. One is a purple tomato. One says it is the ugliest tomato but the best tasting. I put the packs in the pots so I would remember which was which but then I watered and the packs melted
I guess they will be good even if I don't remember the names. During the heat most don't grow much but when it gets cooler they will start growing more. It doesn't frost here until about November. Dooley
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tomatoman223
Il. 5b-USA
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:21 am Post subject: |
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Let me gas up the truck,Dooley,and I'll see ya in about,um...18 hours .On the other hand,with the gas prices as they are,I'll just mail em!
There is a tomato called Ugly,but I think it is red.Most heierlooms don't fall into the perfect,round type category.Whatever it looks like,I'll bet it will taste good!
I helped move a friends MIL to Az in the mid 80's.I didn't know what heat was all about till that trip! 
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dooley
Texas
Posts: 5204
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| Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 4:58 am Post subject: |
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I'll see if I can find the names in a garden catalog. My son gave me the seed. He lives in California. I live at 4,200 ft. so we are about 10 or 15 degrees cooler than Phoenix but it was still near 100 degrees today. I watered everything. A few clouds appeared but no rain. Wishful thinking, I guess. Dooley
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dooley
Texas
Posts: 5204
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 3:45 am Post subject: |
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Well, I looked in my garden catalogs and found the ugly tomato. It's called Costoluto Genovese. I also have riesentraube. Last year I had Mr. Stripey and Principe Borghese. While I was looking for something on the internet to remind me of the name I found that there are 215,000 sites for heirloom tomatoes and even a tomato club. I bet my son knows more about it. When he was in New York he grew heirloom apples. I will have to call him and ask what seeds he sent me. Dooley
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tomatoman223
Il. 5b-USA
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:38 pm Post subject: |
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I have heard about CG,dooley,but have never grown it.It's supposed to be pretty tasty!Have you had your first ripe one yet?
Riesentraube I grew out last year,and loved them.I substituted Black Cherry for my cherry tomato this year,and while good,I still missed the big R  .I'll just grow both next year!!!!
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dooley
Texas
Posts: 5204
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| Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 11:42 pm Post subject: |
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I haven't had any this year. Most of the ripe tomatoes I've had this year have been the patio tomatoes that I as plants. In the heat of summer the plants don't set fruit. But, there are some on the plants that I'm watching. Of course, I'm growing them inside the garden fence so my dog doesn't get them before I do. I had some Mr. Stripey in the side yard last year. That was before we fenced it. I discovered the deer tasted those. Didn't eat them, just tasted them. My son, who lives in Wausau, Wi. didn't get a single ripe tomato last year. The deer ate them all while they were still green. The pepper, too, except the hot ones. They only tasted those and left them. i wonder how they told the difference between the hot and sweet peppers. By smell maybe or after they tasted one they just avoided that plant. Dooley
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tomatoman223
Il. 5b-USA
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 2:24 am Post subject: |
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I can relate to the deer.We own a small farm just outside of town,so I decided to till up a 50 by75 ft plot to put my excess plants in.Between the deer,rabbits,and lord knows what else,I just wasted my time....GRRRRR!
The deer up there LOVED my Jalapeno peppers.They must have migrated from down south! !Needless to say,I'll just grow em at home from now on.
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dooley
Texas
Posts: 5204
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| Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2005 11:51 pm Post subject: |
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Arizona has open range laws. Ranchers do not have to fence their acreage. If you don't want cattle eating your garden you have to fence your property. We haven't had a problem with cattle here but we did when we lived at a lower altitude. We have javalina and rabbits and skunks. We fenced the last open area when that skunk died under our rose bushes. Hmm! Maybe I should have buried that skunk under the rose bushes. Instant fertilizer. Maybe not! Dooley
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tomatoman223
Il. 5b-USA
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2005 1:47 am Post subject: |
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You would want to bury "ol'Pepe"VERY deep,me thinks!
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dooley
Texas
Posts: 5204
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| Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:20 am Post subject: |
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I talked with my son tonight and remembered to ask him what tomatoes he gave me that were purple. He said I had either Cherokee purple or black tula. I don't seem to remember the Cherokee name but maybe it was the one. He did give me some black tula. He says they are his favorite. My tomatoes lost a lot of leaves in the heat but since it's getting cooler they are starting to regrow. Or grow new ones. One problem now is the wee tiny ants are eating them before they get fully ripe. Guess I'll have to pick them before they ripen. I hate doing that. They taste better when they can get red on the vine. Dooley
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