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Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Heirloom Tomato Plants


For the past 2 summers I have tried to grow store bought tomato plants with no success. They always rot on the bottom of the tomato before they are mature. Under my dads advice I have always used cow manure in the potting soil mix. Many years ago I had a store bought hybrid tomato plant that grew over 10 ft tall and I had to lop it off at 10 ft but it produced quite a few tomato's. This year I decided to strike out on my own entirely and get 4 different organic heirloom tomato plants of all different varieties. So far they look strong and like they will produce nicely. Many blossoms so far but I worry about how well they will really do potted instead of in the ground. I spotted some red spider mites on one of them yesterday and have been looking for a natural killer for that. Neighbor say's that I can use ladybugs. May go and get a spray that has garlic in it. I have heard that works. I love salsa and even now I am buying tomato's from the store to make salsa on a weekly basis. Anybody have any tips, suggestions, or advice on growing tomato's?

The one I am looking forward to the most:

Chocolate Stripes: One of the Top 3 tomatoes of the 2007 TomatoFest. Our organic tomato seeds produce very large, indeterminate, regular-leaf tomato plants that yield a plentiful crop of 3-4 inch, mahogany colored with dark, olive green-striping (similar to black zebra). Fruits have delicious, complex, rich, sweet, earthy tomato flavors. Chocolate Stripe, another desirable 'black tomato," is an excellent tomato and a fine choice for your tomato garden. Produces well into the autumn A great sandwich tomato and salad tomato.