Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Up Already!

   I decided to start the tomato seeds differently this year.  They were started in small containers with a bit of potting soil and vermiculite. I don't think I'll go back to using peat or coconut coir pellets again!   The tomatoes and peppers were sown on the 19th. Almost all the determinates and two of the indeterminates have sprouted already!

Germinated

Tomatoes: Early Annie, Ropreco, Bellestar, Black Sea Man, Gary O'Sena, Azoychka

Waiting on

Tomatoes:  EM- Champion, Mrs. Sclaughbaugh's Famous Strawberry (older seed), Kosovo (older seed), Valencia,  Neves Azorean Red, Maglia Rosa

Peppers:  Shepherd (sweet), Chocolate (sweet), and Tam (a mild jalapeno)

 


 

 

Wednesday, March 17, 2021

Micro Update and Tomato Plans 2021

   It is a beautiful, sunny, 10 degrees C here today.  This kind of weather makes me want to get my hands in the dirt and start seeds.  Alas, a tad too early!  

    The Orange Hat micros were the first to begin ripening.  I put the seeds from 3 of these tomatoes into a jar to ferment for saving.  (The tomatoes, by the way, were delicious!)

   Tiny Tim finally began ripening about 4 days ago.  Of the two varieties, Orange Hat seems more productive.

 That is rosemary in front of the tomatoes.



 

Marjoram on the left, and Pineapple Sage peeking through on the right, in front of the tomatoes.

 


 

   I will be away this Spring and for the gardening season, but will start some tomato and pepper seeds for R shortly before I head to Nova Scotia.  Why I continue to frustrate myself by attempting to grow peppers here, I'm not sure.  *L*  Hot peppers, like Hungarian Yellow wax and jalapeno, have done moderately well, but I have yet to have solid success with sweet peppers.  Maybe our season is too short.

   In any case, my choices for peppers this year are Sweet Chocolate and Shepherd (also sweet).

  My tomato shortlist is...

Repeats  

Bellestar  (DETERMINATE, Canadian, red, blocky oval, paste)

Early Annie  (DETERMINATE, medium red globes, juicy, slicer/canner, EARLY)

Black Sea Man  (DETERMINATE, black beefsteak, excellent flavour)

New

Ropreco  (DETERMINATE, small red paste, productive, sets well in cooler weather, EARLY, ~65-70 DTM)

EM-Champion  (Sprawling DETERMINATE, red, meaty, ~3’ tall, Russian, EARLY, can grow in large pots)

Azoychka  (INDETERMINATE, yellow beefsteak, Russian, citrousy/balanced flavour, EARLY)

Neves Azorean Red (INDETERMINATE, red beefsteak, good flavour, mid-season 75-85DTM)

Gary O’Sena  (INDETERMINATE, large black beefsteak, good flavour, Purple Cherokee & Brandywine cross, mid-season ~75DTM)

Valencia  (INDETERMINATE, vigorous plants, bright orange, 8-10oz globes, meaty, good flavour, 75-80DTM)

Mrs Schlaubaugh’s Famous Strawberry  (INDETERMINATE, red, large pointy heart, ~75DTM)

Kosovo  (INDETERMINATE, large, pink, variable heart, juicy, brought to North America by a former United Nations worker in Kosovo, ~75DTM) 

Andean  (Or "Cornue des Andes", INDETERMINATE, red, long, pointed, ~75-80DTM)  

Emalia  (INDETERMINATE, RARE, long pointy saladette, origin: France, Lucky Tiger & Orange Walk cross, mid-season) 

Maglia Rosa  (Semi-DETERMINATE, pointy pale pink cherry tomato, can be grown in pots, mid-season, best harvested as they just turn light pink, flavourful. Named after the mottled pink jersey worn by the lead racer in the Tour of Italy.)


Saturday, March 6, 2021

Ripening Micros

I spotted the first ripening micro tomato ("Orange Hat") this afternoon!





Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Gold-Plated Grow-Light

   Okay, not literally gold-plated.  I just experienced a wee bit of sticker shock this week when I ordered a replacement bulb for the Lee Valley Grow-Light Kit I received for Christmas in 2015. This grow-light has worked out really well, and I have relied on it for starting my transplants in the Spring.  The replacement bulbs are not listed for sale on the website, and instead have to be purchased through Lee Valley's Special Orders department.  In any case, a new 18" Sunblaster LED strip light is on the way!

   A few weeks ago, a dear friend shared some of her Maglia Rosa tomato seeds with me. She enclosed them in this lovely card, which I have kept where I can see it every day.


 

    Check out this detailed list of Canadian small seed businesses that includes vendors of seed potatoes, garlic, and berries, fruit trees and nut trees. The blogger did a great job putting this resource together!