BLOG: Time To Prepare the Garden
The lawn mowers were running this week for the first time since autumn, so it’s time to think about preparing the garden bed for vegetables. Some of you may do this in the fall, after your crops are finished, but I prefer to let the dead flowers and tomato plants inhabit the garden over the winter. My theory is that it “adds visual texture to the garden,” but we all know it’s because “I don’t have to.”
Ever since I left my childhood home, I have always had to have at least a few tomato plants in my garden. And now that spring has broken and we are close to leaving the last frost behind, it's time to prepare the garden bed for this year’s abundance. (See the attached pictures.)
My focus for the past few years has been on heirloom tomatoes and peppers. And when I cannot grow them, I make an effort to get them at the farmers market. This year, I plan to plant a few different varieties: Amish Paste, Red Currant, Brandywine Pink, Amish Paste, Pascilla peppers, Bhut Jolokia, purple string beans and my standard jalapenos.
Some of my neighbors have asked me why I choose heirloom tomatoes. Personally, I just think they taste better. Many of you will remember Big Boys, Better Boys and Early Girls. These tomatoes are hybrids that were bred for certain desirable traits. Early Girl is now owned by Monsanto through its acquisition of the seed company that owned the patent. I grew all of these for years because of their taste. I find grocery store tomatoes to be beautiful in their perfection, but for my taste, they have no flavor.
Having found my first heirloom tomatoes at an area farmers market a few years ago has redirected my tomato habits. Brandywine tomatoes are one of the most popular heirlooms and rightly so. Their taste is incredible. I am hooked on the flavor and it’s been fun to learn how to ferment and wash my own seeds. The abundance these plants produce makes me want to share.
My gardening suggestion: start your seeds now indoors, so that they will be ready to plant on or about Mother's Day.
venu
8:05 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
venu
8:03 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Mark,
Right blog at right time. I prefere Fall to prepare the beds. I add natural soil amendments , compost , manure etc in winter and water occationally ( with some rain inbetween) my beds are ready by spring with neutrients readily available !. And do not use any fertilizers.
I have some questions about tomatoes : 1) Where can I get hairloom tomato plants. 2) Can you suggest some varieties which are not sweet but preferrebly sour.
I can't start from seed this year and may be one more year, we have a new bron and no green house and prefer not to have soil in the sun room ( only place in house gets lot of sunlight) . So I am looking to find : Some sour variety and Israily tomoto on the wine . but I have not found around to buy in plants.
Pl shre the info if you know.
venu
Mark Patro
9:12 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
I have seen "heirloom" tomatoes at a local home improvement center. The type of tomato they were selling as "heirloom" left me skeptical. I've have also seen Beefsteak sold as both a hybrid and an heirloom. So, be careful if authenticity is important to you.
I am not familiar with a “sour Israeli tomato.” My best suggestion to you would be to do some “Heirloom Seed research” so that you know the names of authentic heirlooms. For the most part these seeds have been grown on family farms and back yard gardeners and been saved by an organization called Seed Savers Exchange. This organization has been saving rare seeds since 1975. This is the best source of information I know.
For me personally, I like to grow my own seeds. Maybe I should start a local heirloom seed business. But until then, try Chapel Hill Nursery on Chapel Road about whether they sell heirloom plants. Part of what I try to do is shop local.
Bonnie Mogavero
9:19 am on Wednesday, March 28, 2012
This is my favorite time of year, time to get things growing. I have great success with starting a lot of my veggies from seed and also my flowering plants. I am looking for a tomato called Mr. Stripy, I bought some plants years ago in WVa. but have not seen any around here.