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.)