1997’s Theme So Far: Hot!

As we head into the final week of June 1997, I have never seen such healthy tomato plants growing in my Raleigh garden. It was a remarkably cool spring, but without excessive rainfall; this, coupled with careful early mulching means that foliage diseases have been virtually nonexistent. It has remained on the dry side, but the cool comfortable temperatures of May have turned into a string of mid 90 degree days in June. Hot temperatures and extensive watering are resulting in tomato plants with thick stems and numerous blossoms that are just starting to set fruit. If the weather pattern continues, I may finally get a decent yield from my heirloom tomato garden. Here’s hoping!

Here is a sampling of interesting early season observations. A number of the plants have distinctly darker foliage color, nearing a deep blue green. Amongst this group are King Humbert, Dr. Carolyn, Tappy’s Finest, Taps, and Regina’s Yellow. At the other end of the spectrum are some plants with relatively light green foliage. In this category are Potato Leafed Turkey Chomp, Wins All, Simpson’s Big Yellow, and Garvey’s Orange. The following tomato plants are very wispy and need frequent tying to keep them upright: Niemeyer, Lillian’s Red, Maria Dondero Early, Bisignano #2, Simpson’s Big Yellow, Dinner Plate B, Anna Russian, Reif Red, and Ukrainian Heart. Bronze Leaf Abraham Lincoln is not bronze leaved. D’Amato started setting fruit before any other, and looks to be very heavy yielding. Success and Livingston’s Favorite have nearly identical growth habits. Middle Tennessee Low Acid is horribly weak as a seedling, but is the strongest and tallest plant in my garden. Azoychka and Orange, both from Russian, seem to like to set lots of fruit when it is still cool. And, Selwin Yellow has the largest regular shaped leaves of any tomato I have seen (very similar to a tomato I grew last year, Bridge Mike’s).

About half of my plants or more have small fruit. The largest fruit I have is about 2 inches in diameter, held by Turkey Chomp, Azoychka and Buckbee’s New Fifty Day. Some varieties are setting fruit like crazy, such as Turkey Chomp, Bisignano #2, D’Amato, Cherokee Chocolate, Cherokee Purple, Rasp Large Red, Golden Beauty, Orange, and Eva Purple Ball.

Every year is different in the garden. What does not change is my love of eating heirloom tomatoes. I should be plucking my first Sun Gold hybrid from the vine in a week or so. I can’t wait to tell you how good it tasted, as well has how my other tomatoes made out in 1997. But for that you will have to wait for the next newsletter!