Saturday, April 29, 2017

You Say Tomayto and I Say Tomahto

Introducing the first tomato of 2017, drum roll please ...
 

 Its name and type are a mystery because the marker I put next to it has disappeared, thanks to our proliferation of bored squirrels.  
I might have gone a little nuts at a fantastic garden shop selling luxuriously healthy heirloom tomato plants for $1 each.  I MIGHT have bought (seven) plants (for two people with no freezer), but how could I not?  The pictures of the mature fruit were so pretty, all different colors including black, purple,  orange.  And such lovely names!  Black Krim.  Goliath.  Purple Cherry. Sweet Caroline.  Etc., no two alike.  
 
 

 



The rest of the garden is doing well, too.  These are purple beans (they turn green 
when steamed) (purple has more 
antioxidants than green, so more bang 
for your buck.  Bang for your bean?)





 

 









These sugar snap peas will be in our lunch salads tomorrow, along with several of their neighbors.

There are also pole beans, purple cabbage, French beans, cucumbers, onions, kale, and peppers coming along nicely.  As are the red raspberry bushes and the fig tree our neighbor gave us.  

Maybe my southern green thumb is coming along 
after all!

 

16 comments:

  1. It seems so early for a tomato to have set fruit but then you are in the south. No vegetables on my balcony garden.

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  2. Awesome garden! You've been busy. Do you have to play Neil Diamond singing "Sweet Caroline" to make that variety grow better? ;-) Too early and cold to plant here yet.

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  3. Congratulations on your tomato. Our plants are flowering, but no tomatoes yet, as I've said, we don't have much luck with tomatoes. Our sugar snap peas are about done, too hot for them. Your garden looks great!

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  4. This week or so it will be time to plant tomatoes here.
    I'm just planting two plants and some cucumbers. It's only
    for fun.

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  5. What a great vegetable garden! My all time favorite is the tomato.

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  6. My mouth is watering for fresh tomatoes! If you have overload you can always share with your neighbors or freeze some:)

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  7. You most definitely have a green thumb. It is so exciting to see the first tomato. Make sure those pesky squirrels don't get it. I remember years ago my father in law at the time was just so looking forward to eating his first tomato on the vine. He went out to the area it was planted and a squirrel dropped the tomato that he picked, ran up the tree with and dropped it right near him. He was so angry and I will never forget that.
    What are the names of the purple beans that turn green when cooked? Would love to have some of those.
    Happy Sunday
    Betsy

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  8. I am so envious of all those fresh veggies especially the sugar snaps. You definitely have the touch.

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  9. Your garden is looking wonderful, I must admit to feeling a tad envious. The garden is the one thing that I miss from my previous house. I have to be satisfied with plans this year. If you are lucky and get a glut of tomatoes there are some great recipes for chutney that will make great little gifts for neighbours.

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  10. Congrats with all the green growing so well!

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  11. Simply fabulous! Your weather is far in advance of ours - and, frankly, it's risky growing tomatoes outside a greenhouse anywhere north of Watford anyway. We did plant some onions last week though... :-)

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  12. Thanks for the comment on Aslan & Gandalf - it's an old post from the old site - Google sends them out petulantly as I gradually delete posts; eventually, this will reappear on the www.bitaboutbritain.com site :-)

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  13. Just stopping by to wish you a Happy May Day!

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  14. And isn't she a beaut! Although the Goliath name's a worry!! Here's to your mega crop :)
    Wren x

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  15. I'd say you definitely have a southern green thumb. You may not have a freezer but have you considered oven drying some tomatoes to store?

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