There Are Russians Blushin' In My Garden

No need for alarm people. Russian Persimmon tomatoes pose no threat to national security. However, your waistline may be in trouble should you ever sample the delicious preserves that can be made from them. By the way, in the interest of full disclosure, please be aware that no collusion was required to grow these tomatoes, just a modest sized container.

Garden Sweethearts

According to the calendar, today is Sweetest Day. Well my sweetest memories of the garden include not only melons, but also heirloom Pineapple tomatoes.

The large, often asymmetrically shaped Pineapple tomato not only tastes sweet straight off the vine, but the sweetness increases when it is simmered in various dishes. It's a pity that their easily damaged skin and lengthy time to maturity(80 to 90 days) make them economically unsuitable for mass cultivation. However, if you have the patience and a growing season of sufficient length, I highly recommend adding them to your garden.

Lycopene Cravings

The first hard frost hasn't even arrived yet, but I am already dreading the severe withdrawal symptoms that I'll experience because of my addiction to fresh tomatoes.

Roma Tomato Heaven

These fresh, ripe Roma tomatoes are headed to the wonderful place that all good Roma tomatoes go, Marinara sauce!

August Prize

The month of August generally means that even heirloom tomatoes with their long development time are finally producing like crazy. And since August is officially National Sandwich Month, what better way to celebrate than by making tasty tomato sandwiches bursting with the flavor that can only be obtained from produce fresh off the vine?

Now there are probably more ways to make a tomato sandwich than there are varieties of tomatoes, but here is a relatively simple and flavor packed way I make this American classic.

• 2 slices toasted bread
• 1 medium tomato, thickly sliced
  
• 2 teaspoons mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• a sprinkle or two of chopped green onions
• seasonings of your choice to taste.

No further instructions are necessary. This sandwich tastes so good with the warm bread and the sun warmed tomatoes marrying with the sharp tang of the onions. And a nice tall glass of herbal sun tea along with the view of your garden from your favorite outdoor chair can enhance the enjoyment of this simple pleasure. Bon appétit!

Just A Part Of Today's Small Container Tomato Harvest

I left these on the vine as long as I could to make sure they had full flavor. I was not disappointed. There would be more to show you, but I couldn't help checking product quality(snacking) while I was harvesting.

Contained Tomatoes

What is the best container size to use for tomatoes? Well, it seems that the answer is any size that works. I wouldn't have thought that I'd get any decent results planting Siletz Organic(a determinate variety) in a container the same size as the ones I use for cherry tomatoes. But as you can see, this plant has produced nice sized fruit. I guess the potting soil/compost mix along with some organic liquid fish fertilizer did the trick. Don't you just love it when an experiment is successful?

A Simple Recipe For Hearty Tomato Soup

Most tomato soup recipes start with the words, 'peel and seed tomatoes'. And if you're like me, your first thought is, do I really have to go through all of that for a tasty tomato soup? Well, the fact is you don't. What follows is a recipe for delicious tomato soup that involves none of the tedium of peeling and seeding tomatoes.

Coarsely chop one medium sized onion and saute it in a deep, heavy pan with olive oil until it is soft and translucent. Then add about one pound each of coarsely chopped tomatoes and carrots, three diced stalks of celery and four or five cloves of minced garlic. Saute all ingredients for another 1-2 minutes.

Add four cups of water or chicken stock, a couple of bay leaves, a little pepper, and one tablespoon of a non-salt spice mix such as Mrs. Dash.

Mix all ingredients and then bring the mixture to a boil. Allow it to simmer for 30 minutes. Then puree in a blender or food processor.

You don't want a perfectly smooth soup. So short bursts at the puree setting should be enough create a thick, coarse-textured soup.

You may serve your soup topped with chopped green onions, chives or whatever suits your taste. And I have found that this soup goes well with thick slices of garlic bread.

Bon Appétit!

The Cherokees Are Coming, Tomatoes That Is...

The first Cherokee tomatoes are starting to ripen. I thought it would take longer for them to reach this stage but I'm not going to complain. If the weather behaves as it usually does, they should have the rest of August and all of September to reach their full, flavorful glory.

Groundhog Wars- Part Deux

In the never ending struggle to thwart the ever present woodchucks, my best friends have become large, discarded, plastic trash receptacles and discarded plastic storage bins. When combined, they make great high rise containers that keep the fruits of my labor beyond the reach of the relatives of Punxsutawney Phil. In the photographs above pepper plants, basil and a container tomato plant have found a happy home.

Of course, I can't do this with all of my  plants, but every little bit helps.

The Season Of Bounty Is Upon Us

 As this photo of the initial harvest of Tumbling Tom and Tiny Tom container tomatoes clearly shows, the season of bounty has finally arrived. And the larger tomato plants are not far behind. It's been forecast that the next two months in this area will be warmer than average. So I hope the bounty will last at least until the end of September.

Long Time Coming

It's not supermarket pretty and it has certainly been a long time in coming. But the first large tomato has finally ripened and will soon be followed by others. The weather certainly hasn't been what it should be. Although there has been sufficient rain, the long stretches of hot weather that tomatoes, melons and other plants love best have been in short supply. Despite the unusual weather, it looks like things will work out well after all. And that suits me just fine!

First Time's The Charm

There are thousands of people around the country that are dedicated to producing new varieties of tomatoes that can be grown in containers. My hat is off to those who came up with this variety known as Peardrop. They are tasty, juicy and have a sweetness that is just perfect. I'm definitely going to save some seeds so I can grow these again next season!

Liquid Sunshine

Want tomato soup without the acidic tomato taste? Try fresh Manyel tomato soup and give your palate something that will make your taste buds stand up and take notice. I took the liberty of adding some fresh chives from the garden as a topping. But others may want to mix in something to add a little heat to this savory liquid sunshine. Bon appétit!

I Can See Russians From My House

Now I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea. This is not a parody of Sarah Palin. Heaven knows she does an excellent self-parody without any help from me. And Vladimir Putin has not declared war on this household. Although he might if he found out we served rainbow swirl ice cream the other day. This is a blog that is first and foremost about gardening. So rest assured that there is nothing here except commentary about this season's crop of Russian Persimmon Tomatoes. They're an heirloom variety that make you think more of that popular fruit of Chinese origin than a direct descendent of the prime ingredient in ketchup.

I like to use them in a simple, homemade freezer jelly recipe. The golden color of the final product makes everyone wonder what the jelly is made from. And when they find out they're really knocked back on their heels. When I'm using it on my breakfast toast in the dead of winter, it reminds me of the warm glow of the summer sun in the growing season just past and the season yet to come. It's really a wonderful, sweet way to beat back the  harshness of winter.

Let's Get Small!

You say you've got no balcony? You say your apartment is so small you have to go outside to change your mind? You say you wish you could grow something edible in your south facing window? Have I got a tomato for you! Meet Tiny Tom, a tomato plant so small that it can be grown in 6 inch(15.2 cm) pots. You say you don't have money for plant pots? Well, the little beauty pictured above is nestled in a re-purposed liquid laundry detergent container.

Just make sure you clean and rinse the container thoroughly and just as a precaution, use a plastic shopping bag with a couple of holes cut in the bottom to line the container to make sure no errant trace of detergent gets to the roots of your plants.

While it's true that you won't be able to boast about the fist size tomatoes you've grown. A little green makes the day brighter. And when they ripen, you'll have something to nibble on that won't make you feel guilty in the least. You can even sprinkle them in a salad as an extra pop of tomato flavor.

O.K., now you have no excuse not to get growing and add some fresh vegetables to your diet. Enjoy!

Never Refuse To Reuse Refuse!

My instincts towards thrift often lead me to a local hardware store where there is a section devoted to items which have arrived in less than pristine condition and are for sale at discounted(sometimes deeply) prices. When I saw this damaged waste paper basket, I knew it would make a perfect home for a Tiny Tom tomato plant. And at only 25 cents, how could I refuse to purchase it?

Tiny Tom is one of the increasing number and variety of cultivars that has been specifically developed for growing in containers. I could have spent more money on a really nice ceramic pot or a fancy plastic one. But all this busted up dustbin needed was a liner to cover the holes. A standard plastic grocery bag with a couple of holes punched in the bottom fit the bill. And some good potting soil mixed with homemade compost completed the picture.

As you can see the tomatoes are coming in just fine and will soon be ready to do their part in a salad or for guilt free snacking. Reuse of refuse not only helps the planet, it can be delicious too.

Abundance From The Abandoned

Garbage Can Planter September 2012

Garbage Can Planter June 2012

It was big, blue and busted with a long crack running along the bottom. Someone had discarded it as useless garbage, but I knew it would make a perfect planter. After a thorough scrubbing I lined it with a plastic trash bag that had holes cut in the bottom for drainage. Then I filled it with potting soil and compost; planted, watered and waited. The rest, as they say, is history.

Are You Ready To Tumble?

Tumbling Tom tomatoes are among several varieties that have been specifically bred for containers. In fact, they are supposed to be ideal for containers of about five gallons in capacity. But every one of the plants that I had this year seemed to want to burst out of their container and find more room. I guess the people who said they were ideal for small containers must have been using the Texas definition of small! Or maybe my seeds were from some mutant strain of this variety that insists on trying to grow as large as their beefsteak cousins. Next year I'll know better and err on the side of large when it comes to containers.

Ah, Roma!

While I am tempted to wax poetic concerning the Eternal City, the title refers not to the home of the Colosseum, Trevi Fountain or gelato. This is after all harvest season. No, we shall speak of the egg shaped, meaty tomatoes now ripening in my garden. They are coming into their own and I am tempted to try canning some homemade pasta sauce or perhaps some salsa. In any case, they are great on sandwiches and in salads just like their beefsteak cousins and I have enjoyed every bite. If you have the chance, pick up some from fresh from a local farmer's market. You won't regret it. Mangia! Mangia!