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This is just a beginning of the many heirloom varieties of tomatoes out there, as I make successive posts I will be adding more. We should keep the heirloom varieties alive and well by growing them and saving the seeds during the years.
By doing so we are in actuality keeping history alive. There are some varieties that come from the 1700′s and were grown by our Founding Father’s such as Thomas Jefferson.
What varieties of Tomato Heirloom Seeds and plants have you grown?
Which are your favorites?
Maybe you have some growing tips to share with the rest of us.
I’ve been a gardener for around 30 years, and tomatoes are my favorite summer time fruit. I raise my own plants from seed and use organic gardening practices when I can. I still have much to learn in the organic field because I have only been doing that for about 5-8 years.
I look forward to hearing and learning from you.
Rich@In... (1)
Roger O... (1)
Seed Pa... (1)
February 12th, 2010 at 4:49 pm
really great to know that in this era also people love to do gardening where people are busy in their push on lives. i am also a great fan of gardening i am having 167 plants in my garden. really nice to see your post its great.
February 15th, 2010 at 4:50 pm
I have a big empty garden at the backyard of my house. I am looking to use that for tomatoes field. These tips and information is really helpful and encouraging to do me something. Thanks for the information.
February 19th, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Stphen,
Thank you for stopping by and reading.
Yes, it is refreshing to the heart to hear of people in this day and age that like to garden. I think it is because it comes from our very roots, our ancestors who did this as a part of their very lives. Wow, you have way more tomato plants that I do. I forget how many I had last year it was between 30-40. We can a lot of them to have to eat during the winter.
Good luck with your garden this year.
Kevin
February 19th, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Samphaul,
Thank you for stopping by and reading. I am glad that I was able to help you some with my small blog. I will be adding more content as time goes by with tips. But I must wait a little bit first due to the fact that it could hurt my rankings. Having all those tomatoes will help with your food bill, you can also preserve them by canning, and maybe even sell the excess for extra money. Plus, it is a wonderful, healthy hobby, and way better than sitting around and watching tv.
Good luck with your garden.
Kevin
May 15th, 2010 at 3:39 am
I cant wait to start my garden behind my house.
I have the perfect spot picked out.
Last year I tried but I didnt take it serious and all the back yard creatures
ate my plants.
May 20th, 2010 at 8:37 am
Brian,
Thank you for stopping by and leaving a good post.
Yes, a garden requires attention and protection from all the creatures. There are some very good organic repellents available now. Good luck.
Kevin
June 12th, 2010 at 12:05 am
Hi Kevin
I liked your article about the heirloom tomatoes but I would like to see more information on taste. How do you grow a big tomato that is packed with the taste, is because the seeds have been passed down or is it what you grow them with?
June 16th, 2010 at 8:06 am
Choice…
Hi, thank you I am glad you like the article.
You have a point some of the really big tomatoes may have grown so big as to not have any taste. Especially if one grew them that big from lots of watering.
I think it can depend upon a couple factors and one is what you suggested “what you grow them with” such as the fertilizers you used at the time of planting, and any foliar sprays or fertilizers you may have used in the growing season.
I also think any covercrops you have used in the fall and turned under for their nutrient addition to the soil, and then we cannot forget the inherent taste of the tomato itself.
I have noticed that in the hot dry years with little rain, our red tomatoes seem to have a higher acid taste and content to the tongue.
Hope this little response helps.
Kevin
July 10th, 2010 at 6:31 am
I have never grown tomatoes from seed. Is it hard? I usually by them as small plants and grow from there. Is it useful to use specific tomato compost for growing them? I have seen these in a few garden stores but didnt know if it was just normal compost labelled up differently to entice a few more tomato growers.
Rich@Interior Designers Manchester´s last blog ..Companies In Manchester
July 14th, 2010 at 2:59 am
Rich,
Thank you for visiting and your question.
Personally, I think growing tomatoes from seed are a bit on the difficult side, but it isn’t so much so, to make it impossible.
My biggest difficulties are preventing ‘damping off’ and the stems getting too long and gangly. But, these are easily taken care of.
I personally like to use a regular seed starter medium for starting the seeds. It is usually very fine stuff, and then I transplant them into pots after they get their first true leaves.
I have a special planter to start them in that I got from Gardner’s Supply, which I am not sure they sell any more.
You want to keep them warm up till the come up, then they do not need as much heat.
Hope this helps,
Kevin
July 22nd, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Organic vs Non-Organic Food
Over the past two decades the world has become increasingly health and environmentally conscious. The world of social activism is no longer confined to protest marches and leaflet campaigns. Today, consumers realize that they have the power to evoke change by voting with the most important tool at their disposal, their wallets. Today, it is a well known fact that if you want a cleaner environment and healthier food you should choose organic products.
What makes food organic? In strictly scientific terms, organic substances contain carbon, the building block of life. By this definition, everything that we eat is technically organic. However, agricultural parlance has changed the definition of organic when it relates to food and other consumables. Inorganic food encompasses everything that organic food is not.
Organic food must be free from all synthetic chemicals.
This starts at the ground level when a farmer prepares his field. He cannot use any petroleum-based fertilizer or chemically altered material in his soil. Manure and compost are acceptable natural products; Miracle Gro is not.
Chemicals are also not allowed for pest or disease control. A farmer can treat his crops with insecticidal soap or neem oil, but cannot use store-bought sprays unless they are certified organic.
Organic food cannot be genetically altered in any way.
Traditionally, changes to plants and livestock were accomplished through selective breeding techniques and hand pollination. These techniques are still certified organic.
Genetically modified food, or GM food, has been tampered with at the genetic level. Sometimes varieties of plants have been cross-bred to create hardier or tastier strains. GM seeds can be drought resistant or have higher yields. Purists feel GM technology tampers with the work of Mother Nature and is therefore inorganic.
Organic food cannot come in contact with inorganic food.
In order to ensure that pesticides or other chemical treatments don’t rub off on organic produce, it must be packaged and shipped separately from conventionally farmed food.
Proponents of organic food say that the products are healthier than conventional produce. Fewer chemicals mean fewer carcinogens. They also say that the food just tastes better. At the same time, organic soil may still produce run-off, but it isn’t toxic run-off that will permanently damage the water table. Animals that are fed exclusively on organic products, such as free-range chickens or grass-fed beef are generally believed to be treated more humanely, though this isn’t always the case.
Summary:
1. Organic and inorganic foods are differentiated by their farming processes, not their chemical makeup.
2. Organic food is chemical free, GM free, and free from contact with inorganic food while inorganic food is anything that doesn’t meet those strict guidelines.
3. Many consumers believe that organic food is healthier, tastes better, and is better for the environment than inorganic food.
I’ve dedicated my life to what I believe in and what I love which is health and being healthy.
You can follow the link to visit my store or also my facebook fanpage. You can add information to my facebook fan page, take information to bring back to blogs like this so we can all educate people better and start to make a difference even if it’s a small change.
Thanks and I hope to post more info like this here!
July 24th, 2010 at 3:35 am
Roger,
Thank you for the article on Organic vs Non-Organic food. Many I am certain do not know the real difference. Nor do they know why these differences are healthier for them.
I haven’t used chemical fertilizers in my garden for probably 10+ years, the soil is healthier, the plants are bigger and produce more, and I think the fruits are tastier.
Excellent article, you are welcome to post again as long as it is on topic such as this one.
Kevin