Saturday I will return to the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market as the ‘Tomato Lady’. I don’t have lots of tomatoes yet but everyday more are ripe so come early to get the best choices like the beauty pictured above from Italy called “Costuluto Genevese”. I have 12 new varieties as well as the ones I grew last year.
Yesterday, Duskin Jasper and myself taught a 2-hour tomato class intensive at Milagro Community Garden to about 35 gardeners where we talked about planting and caring of tomatoes. In it we talked about what general amendments to add to your vegetable beds, how to plant tomato transplants, what amendments to add to each hole to boost tomato production, benefits of adding mycorrhizal, pruning techniques, benefits of adding Epsom Salts and dry milk when planting tomatoes, tomato deficiencies and tomato diseases. We also gave a demo in actual planting of these tomatoes and how to use and install Wall of Waters (to sneak your tomatoes in before the last frost date) and benefits of using row cover. Thanks to all for coming!
Here are my handouts as we ran out of them for those of you looking for them:
2012 Big Zac tomato-this one weighed 2lbs 12.4 ounces and was 19″ in circumference!
Yesterday I planted 6 giant tomato seeds as well. The seeds came from tomato plants that produced anywhere from 5.5 lbs-7 lb tomatoes! Hope I get some BIG ones! I’m trying to break 3 lbs this year! Nothing better than a BLT where the juice from one of these tomatoes runs down your chin! One slice of tomato covers the whole slice of bread.
Feast for the eyes!
Costuluto Genevese tomatoes
So now that I have the rest of the vegetables reviewed, I want to review my most favorite vegetable in 2012-TOMATOES!! There were many I would keep BUT also a LOT I would dump!
ALL-STAR TOMATO LIST!
RED
-Pantano Romanesco-good producer-medium size, excellent old-fashioned flavor
-Costoluto Genovese-good producer-smaller but such a beautiful tomato and excellent old-fashioned flavor
-Goldsman Italian American-big pear shape-my all time favorite for sauce-takes all season to ripen though but worth it
-Fireworks-good early producer-smaller is better for some people and great taste-old fashion flavor
-Beefy Boy-good producer, medium size-good taste
-Matina– smaller earlier tomato-good flavor
-Original Goliath-medium size, few cracks-good taste
-Big Zacs-huge tomato-huge taste! A favorite!
BI-COLOR
-Striped German-supersweet med to large tomato
-Ananas Noir-wonderful complex sweet flavor-green with a blush-need to plant more
-Virginia Sweet-super super sweet-the sweetest of all tomatoes I grow! One of my favorites!
BLACK OR PURPLE
-Paul Robeson-sweet, complex flavor -Cherokee Purple-sweet, complex flavor
-Cherokee Purple-great sweet complex flavor
-Black Pear-sweet, complex flavor
-Southern Nights-sweet, complex flavor
-Brown Sugar-sweet, complex flavor
ORANGE/YELLOW
-Jaune Flamme-smaller tomato, few cracks-a favorite at the Farmers market
-Lemon Boy-supersweet medium tomato
CHERRY TOMATOES
-Black Cherry-excellent complex flavor-one of my favorites
-Green Grape-sweet fruity flavor
-Sun Sugar-the sweetest flavor of these cherry tomatoes
-Golden Pearl-sweet flavor-very prolific
TOMATO DUMP LIST!
-Beauty Queen-looks great but very bland taste-takes all season to mature
-Gold Medal-looks great but very bland taste, takes all season to mature
-Woodle Orange-not a great producer took all season for a few and taste bland
-Aunt Gertie’s Gold-disappointing flavor
-Honey hybrid-not a great producer-flavor just ok
-Juliet-cherry tomato-some people love it but for me it tasted like grocery store tomatoes
Psst, I’ve got to let you in on a big secret of mine-Goldman’s Italian American Tomato. I think it’s the best heirloom tomato to grow for sauce bar none. It’s a big, meaty, ribbed, pear-shaped red tomato with exceptional flavor. Not too acidic, not too sweet.
Every year I grow a couple of plants of this tomato but never sell it at the Santa Fe Farmers Market as ‘The Tomato Lady’ because I’m too selfish! I want all of them for making the various pasta sauces I make. I sell all my other varieties of tomatoes, but not this one. A friend of mine said, ‘Well why don’t you grow more to sell?” A novel idea I should consider! It’s only downside is it does take 80 days to mature so you’ll get some of them sun-ripened and have to bring the rest in before it freezes. No matter-they ripen in the house just as well as outside. The plant gets big about 6-7 foot tall so you’ll need some space but it will be well worth it.
Amy Goldman found it at a roadside stand in Italy, and named it after her father’s grocery store in Brooklyn. Amy Goldman wrote the book, “The Heirloom Tomato” and I use it as the gospel for helping me pick my tomatoes to grow each year.
I start the seeds inside sometime around the beginning of April each year under lights and on a heating mat. You’ll have to get the seeds online as no one sells either the seeds or the starts around here. I get my seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds here.
Tomorrow, Saturday, August 25, I am returning to the Santa Fe Farmers Market as ‘The Tomato Lady’. At this time I have over 15 varieties of organically grown heirloom tomatoes from luscious black tomatoes like Purple Cherokee, supersweet yellow Virginia Sweets to Italian Red Costoluto Genevese and many, many more . I have over 50 plants and 25 varieties that will ripen as we go through the season. They are beautiful. They are gorgeous! And they taste wonderful! Magnifico!
I also have Shishito peppers, Costata Romanesco zucchini and Fairy eggplants that I will sell as well. Next week I will add some sunflowers out of my sunflower forest and Emerite French filet beans. I’ll be inside the building-look for ‘The Tomato Lady’ sign above my booth. Hours are 7am-noon. Hope to see you there!
Here is the first caprese salad of 2012! Fantastic! Yellow, orange and black tomatoes with mozzarella, basil and olives drizzled with an 18 yr old balsamic vinaigrette! Been waiting for this since last November! Need I say more?
There must be 500 lbs of tomatoes all over the house in different states of ripeness now. Little paths throughout the house to walk around! With all the freeze scares each day for the nights, I went out and picked almost all the tomatoes that can finish ripening. I started picking hard on Wednesday and then my good friend Mernie came over and helped picked the rest on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday I had one of my best days ever at the Farmers Market as “The Tomato Lady’. It has been cold and had rained in Santa Fe and snowing on our mountain and I think everyone started thinking OMG- the tomato season is almost over! It was like a shark frenzy. My patrons didn’t want anything else-only tomatoes. I completely sold out. Now I just have to manage the remaining tomatoes in the house to make sure they ripen nicely. While I’m gone on Saturday at the giant pumpkin weigh-off, Caleb will be ‘The Tomato Lady’ again and then I will be back the following Saturday!
Saturday went well for my first time at the Santa Fe Farmers Market for this year. It is actually my third year returning as The Tomato Lady. I had many varieties of tomatoes, much more than I anticipated and sold most of them. I had a few left over which I made into tomato sauce and tomato tapenade today.
Here are some of the tomatoes I’ll be bringing to the Santa Fe Farmers Market
FINALLY, I will arrive at the Farmers market this Saturday, Aug 20 in the SAME LOCATION INSIDE THE BUILDING not outside. (COME INSIDE the BUILDING BY THE 2ND ENTRY WHEN YOU WALK DOWN MAIN OUTSIDE AISLE). I won’t have as many tomatoes YET as I would like so if you want some incredible, organically grown, heirloom tomatoes, you better come EARLY as I anticipate SELLOUT by 9:30am even though the market stays open till 12:30. Of course not all of them ripen at the same time so you will have a variety of tomatoes to pick from each week. Over 25 heirloom tomato varieties on 70 plants this year! This is the beginning-it will only get better as each week more and more tomatoes will ripen. I will also have other heirloom veggies there – Shishito peppers, a few Pepperoncini peppers, incredibly sweet, never bitter Fairy eggplants, fantastic nutty flavored Rattlesnake beans, wonderful thin French filet beans, Emerite, but mostly tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes! Hope to see your happy faces soon!
Epsom salts
You may have noticed I add Epsom salts (1 tablespoon) at the bottom of my planting hole when planting tomatoes. Why in the world would I do that? Well, Epsom salts are NOT salt at all (as we think of salt) but rather magnesium sulfate. Epsom salt is a naturally occurring mineral that originally came from Epsom, England.
The main ingredient is magnesium which strengthens the plant cell walls, helping the plant to take in nutrients. It also helps with flower and fruit production of tomatoes and peppers. The other ingredient is sulfur which has to help our very alkaline soil a little (can’t hurt). I have read where some people mix Epsom salts with ashes back east but DON’T do that here. Ashes will make our soil more alkaline which we don’t want to do. I also mix up a tablespoon of Epsom salts to a gal of water and put it on that way for established tomato and pepper plants at flowering time if I missed out at planting time. It also helps your roses. They will produce greener, lusher foliage and more flowers with Epsom salt.
It is considered a ‘home remedy’ but has been used by savvy vegetable gardeners for many years. All my tomato and pepper plants produce abundantly and I think this is do in part because of the extra boost of magnesium they get. So relax, buy Epsom salts at your local drug store, plant your tomatoes and peppers and take a nice bath with it afterwards!
Tomatoes in wall of waters that are ready to take off-2010
Hopefully we can plant tomatoes in the garden in the month of May. The last average frost date is May 15th. I like to try to get them in early every spring if possible. I don’t think it will happen this year with these cold late spring nights. Here are some of my secrets to growing great tomatoes.
-If growing from seedlings or nursery starts, harden plants off for a couple of days before transplanting them outside in the ground so they don’t go into shock.
-Before planting, amend the soil in each hole before planting. Add lots of compost, yum-yum mix, a small handful of mushroom compost, 1 tablespoon Epsom salt-the bath type (adds magnesium) and 1 tablespoon dry milk (adds calcium and wards off some fungal diseases). Mix up with soil in bottom of hole.
Pinch off lower leaves on the tomatoes and plant tomatoes as deep as possible. Don’t worry about if it leggy, it will grow roots along buried stem and become stronger.
-Don’t rush to plant if still cold at night outside. Tomatoes don’t like to be cold. If you do plant early, put a ‘wall of water’ around the plant IN THE MORNING so it has time to heat up the water and tomatoes by evening. Wall of waters protect down to 28°F. Place a 5-gallon bucket upside down over top of tomato plant and put the wall of water over the bucket. That way is can hold up the wall of waters while you fill each cell with water. Then take off bucket and the wall of water will hold itself up. I use bamboo stakes inside the edge of the wall of water so the walls lean on them to help keep them open as they can blow over when winds are high.
-If leaves turn purple underneath, it means the ground is too cold and the plant can’t take up the available phosphorus in the soil. Sprinkle rock phosphate around base of plant and water in to help them turn green again.
-Make a large well around each tomato so water stays close to root zone. If you have a drip line, put it in well now around base of plant.
-Add water and THRIVE AND SEAWEED FERTILIZER in a bucket and water well when you FIRST plant outside but NOT fertilizer.
Tomato in cage, branches trimmed off the ground, in concrete reinforcement cage with straw in well and supported by green ‘t-post’ that cage is tied up to
-In June AFTER THE SOIL HAS WARMED, add straw around well to keep moisture level even. This will help keep the water from evaporating and will keep the water from splashing soil on them. Splashing soil on tomatoes can allow soil borne viruses to get into plant.
-Use bamboo stakes and tie up plant. Change out to bigger stakes as plants grow. Cage plants as they grow or tie to tall stake. I use 5’ green t-posts for stakes or make cages out of concrete reinforcement wire.
-After plants have been transplanted for about 2 weeks, FERTILIZE with FISH EMULSION and SEAWEED. This should be in early June. Fertilize again in July (2-3 times during the season). Too much fertilizer makes lots of leaves but will not produce as many tomatoes.
-Train tomato plant to one or two stems. Allowing multiple stems promotes more green growth but takes away from fruit production.
-Pinch off suckers. They grow between the main vine and side branches. They take energy away from the fruit. Do not pinch off blossoms.
-Cut off or tie up any branches that touch ground. Tomatoes can get soil borne diseases from touching ground.
-If using one of my wire cages, I use a small 3’ t-post to tie my cage up to it, as plant gets bigger. This really helps to prevent the plants from blowing over when they get top heavy.
-Water consistently throughout season. The main reason tomatoes get cracks is uneven watering. The most efficient method of watering is by a drip system.
-Use ‘Serenade’ as a foliar spray for some soil borne diseases like Early Blight. It is best used as a preventative. Spray every two weeks or at first sign of disease. It is a made from a soil microbe and is organic. Aqua Fria Nursery carries it.
-Use ‘Companion’ as a drench around base of plant to help keep fungal diseases away. It is made from another soil microbe and is organic. You can Google it, as you must buy it online.
-If you do get some diseased branches, cut off branches with clean scissors. Disinfect scissors between plants with alcohol or a 10 % bleach solution. Take out severely diseased plants and throw in trash, not compost pile.
Note: If you are a smoker, wash hands before handling tomatoes-you can pass a virus called tobacco mosaic.
Talking about Virginia Sweet tomatoes made me think of some of the best tomatoes I’ve grown for flavor. So I thought I’d compile a list of them for you to consider growing sometime. These are not in any particular order as each one is unique and wonderful in it’s own way and not all are heirlooms.
striped german 75 day
Striped German-heirloom-beautiful bi-color- red and yellow large beefsteak up to 2 lbs. Luscious sweet-non acidic flavor. Super sweet beefstake. The marbled interior looks beautiful sliced. Complex, fruity flavor and smooth texture. 75 days to harvest.
costuluto genevese 78 day
Costuluto Genevese-heirloom-Italian heirloom tomato that has been enjoyed for many generations along the Mediterranean. Large, deep-red fruits have a singularly fluted profile, are deeply ridged, and heavily lobed. Meaty, full-flavored and delicious. Because of its scalloped edges, perfect for use in an arrangement of different colored sliced tomatoes. 78 days to harvest.
black cherry tomatoes 65 days
Black Cherry-heirloom-Beautiful large black cherry that is dusky purple brown in color. They have that rich flavor that makes black tomatoes unique. Sweet cherry tomato.
paul robeson 75 days
Paul Robeson-heirloom-This famous tomato has almost a cult following among tomato Connoisseurs throughout the world with its earthy, sweet and smoky flavor. Named in honor of the famous black opera singer, star of King Solomon’s Mine,1937. This Russian variety is aBrown/black tomato with green shoulders. Hard to find.
cherokee purple/80 days
Cherokee Purple-heirloom-Old Cherokee Indian heirloom, pre 1890 variety. Unique dusty purple -pink color. Flavor rivals Brandywine. Real old time tomato flavor-suberbly sweet. Large fruits average 12 oz.
green grape/60 days”
Green Grape-heirloom- bright yellow green cherry tomatoes that are wonderfully fruity sweet and has become one of my favorites.
Virginia sweet/85 days
Virginia Sweet-heirloom- Another one one of the best tasting, bi-colors, gold-red tomatoes I’ve eaten. The tomatoes are beautiful and large beefsteak, weighing at least 1 pound each. Flavor is sweet and rich.
pantano romanesco/70 days
8. Pantano Romanesco-heirloom-A Roman heirloom. The fruit are large and are deep red, with almost a purple tint. The flesh is very rich, flavorful & juicy. An excellent tomato for home and market gardeners, very rare and delicious.
lemon boy/72 days
9. Lemon Boy-hybrid-The first lemon color hybrid tomato to be developed. They have outstanding sweetness with no acidity.
sungold/57 days
10. Sun Gold Select II-heirloom-Very flavorful and juicy orange-yellow cherry tomatoes. Excellent in salads or eaten alone as a treat. Very prolific. 57 days to harvest.
San Marzano/78 day
San Marzano-heirloom-Come from a small town in Italy and were first grown in volcanic soil in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Compared to the Roma tomatoes, Marzano tomatoes have thicker flesh with fewer seeds. Flavor is more sweet and less acidic. 78 days to harvest.
gold medal/75 days
Gold Medal-heirloom-large beefstake is bi-color of yellow with a blush of red inside. Very little acid. One of the sweetest tomato you’ll ever taste…..a gourmet’s joy when sliced.
Goldmans Italian American/80-100 days
Goldman’s Italian American-heirloom-Discovered by a Amy Goldman in a roadside stand in Italy, this large bright red pear tomato has old fashioned, classic flavor that made the best tasting tomato sauce I’ve ever made. Beats San Marzano in flavor but drawback is it takes 80-100 days to harvest and I had to bring it inside to finish ripening. Still…
brandywine red/80 day
Brandywine-heirloom-It is an old Amish heirloom, dating back to 1885 and named after Brandywine Creek in Chester County, Pennsylvania. One of the best tasting tomatoes ever with a great mix of sweet and acid to make a full flavor tomato.14. Big Zac-hybrid-Humungous red beefstake with old fashioned tomato flavor. Great for sandwiches and salads.
My biggest has been 2 lbs, 11 oz.
I’ve researched and updated the seed list I posted earlier about a month ago and thought some of you might like to know where I buy either the seeds or in some cases, the plants ready to transplant here in Santa Fe. So first I created a legend with abbreviations for each seed/nursery and then put them at the end of each seed listed. Hope this makes it easier for you so you don’t have to figure it out. I also show which tomatoes Amy Goldman’s ‘The Heirloom Tomato’ book recommends which I use as my ‘tomato bible’! I’ve put this in my page section called ‘Seed Lists’ at the top of the blog for later reference.
Here is the legend:
AFN-Agua Fria Nursery (plants)-1409 Agua Fria Street/Santa Fe, NM/505-983-4831
SFGH–Santa Fe Greenhouse (plants)-2904 Rufina Street/Santa Fe, NM/505-473-2700
BH– Baker Heirloom (seeds)
SSE– Seed Saver Exchange (seeds)
TS–Territorial Seeds
JSKG–John Scheepers Kitchen Garden
KS–Kitazawa Seed (seeds)
WCS–West Coast Seeds (seeds)
CG–Cooks Garden (seeds)
TF–Tomato Fest (seeds)
TG–Tomato Growers (seeds)
TT–Totally Tomatoes (seeds)
2011 TOMATOES
HEIRLOOMS
PLUM STYLE
*AG/San Marzano-red plum/80 days/AFN (plants) or BH, SSE, (seeds)
BI-COLOR
Striped German-bicolor-SFGH (plants)
*AG/Gold Medal-bicolor-75-80 days-BH (seeds)
*AG/Ananas Noir-recommended by friend-BH, SSE (seeds)
BLACK OR PURPLE
Paul Robeson-black/75-85 days-AFN (plants)
Cherokee Purple/80 days-AFN (plants)
RED
*AG/Pantano Romanesco-red/70-80 days-BH,TF(seeds)
*AG/Costoluto Genovese-red/78 days-TG(seeds)
*AG/Goldsman Italian American-red-BH (seeds)
*AG/Brandywine/AFN (plants)
CHERRY TOMATOES
*AG/Black Cherry-black/75 days-AFN (plants)
*AG/Green Grape-green/AFN (plants) or SSE (seeds)
HYBRIDS-I grow a few hybrids
Lemon Boy–AFN (plants)
Park’s Beefy Boy-red-70 days-AFN (plants)
Sun Sugar-yellow cherry-62 days-TT (seeds)
* AG-recommended by Amy Goldsman’s book, ‘The Heirloom Tomato’
2011 VEGGIE LIST
BEANS–Rattlesnake bean snap OG (remarkably flavored pole bean)-SSE (seeds)
PEPPER–Shishito (Japanese non hot pepper)-AFN (plants) or KS(seeds)
SUMMER SQUASH-ZUCCHINI–Costata Romanesco (best tasting zuke around)-BH (seeds)
WINTER SQUASH- Galeux d’ Eyesines and Red Warty Thing (that’s what it’s called!)-BH (seeds)
EGGPLANT-Fairy Tale (best sweet, no bitter taste and soft skin eggplant I’ve tasted)-AFN (plants) or TS (seeds)
CUCUMBERS–Parisian Pickling, De Bourbonne, Boothsby Blonde, Poona Kheera, Armenian and Parade– I grow cukes for either taste or which variety is best for different types of pickles-all BH (seeds) except Parade-SSE (seeds)
CORN-not this year (I’ll get it from our Farmers Market)
LETTUCES–Provencal Mix, Mesclun Mix, Buttercrunch, Yugoslavian Red, Santoro Lettuce, and Little Gem-CG (seeds)
SPINACH–Bloomsdale-CG (seeds)
CARROTS-Purple Haze CG (seeds) and Scarlet Nantes-SSE (seeds)
ARUGULA-Apollo-SSE (seeds)
BOK CHOY-Extra Dwarf Pak Choy-BH (seeds)
CHARD-5 Color Silverbeet-SSE (seeds) and Argentata Swiss Chard-JSKG (seeds)
PEAS-Dwarf Sugar Gray-SSE, Oregon Spring II-BH (seeds)
2011 GIANT PUMPKINS & GIANT VEGGIE LIST
2010 GIANT PUMPKINS–all came from private growers
895 Grande 08 (1016 Daletas x 1385 Jutras)
421 Cabossel (895 Grande x self )
1046 Grande 10 (901 Hunt x 1385 Jutras)
GIANT GREEN SQUASH–all came from private grower
903 Noel 07 (848 McKenzie x self)
GIANT MARROW (like giant Zucchini)-all came from private growers
206.5 Wursten 09 or 75.4 Wursten 09
43 Cabossel 10
GIANT TOMATOES
7.18 N. Harp 09 (5.58 Timm x open)-private grower
5.416 N, Harp 09 (5.58 Harp x open)-private grower
Big Zac/TT (seeds)
GIANT PEAR GOURD–private grower
89 Scherber 10
LONG GOURD–private grower
96″ Scherber 10
GIANT SUNFLOWERS
Titan-SSE, BH (seeds)
2011 EDIBLE FLOWER LIST
Following is the list of edible flowers that will be planted or are already on the property:
Borage
Calendula-Orange King-BH (seeds)
Chives-AFN (plants)
Cilantro-AFN (plants)
Dill-AFN (plants)
Lavender (in existing different area)
Marigold-Lemon Gem-TS (seeds) this is the only edible marigold
Nasturtiums-Tip Top -CG (seeds)-prettiest nasturiums
Pansies-get them anywhere
Violas-get them anywhere
Roses (in different existing area)
Black Oil Seed sunflower (for the birds!)-WCS (seeds)
2011 HERBS-Following is a list of herbs that will be planted or exist on the property
Basil-new SHGH (plants)
Lime Basil-new-SFGH (plants)
Thai Basil-new-SFGH (plants)
Oregano-exists
Thyme-exists
Lemon Thyme-exists
Chives-exists
Dill-usually self seeds
Marjoram-new-SFGH (plants)
Mint-exists
Sage-exists
Lavender-exists
giantveggiegardener 