The first of Roger Postley's tomatoes, Moon's SuperBush germinated successfully yesterday, 02/27/09, Friday morning. Five days to germinate with somewhat sparse bottom heat isn't bad for one-year-old seed.
I hope that four flats will carry us through the programs this year. I know there are plenty of seeds to give away - the problem is just getting them packed in record time. There's a good selection this year from Baker Creek Seeds, Tomato Grower's Supply, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange, and Roger's donations from last year.
Although there are still 50 varieties for participants to choose from, I pared the list down to what I think our attendees will want the most. It's still so hard to get people, for the most part, to try anything that isn't big, red, and late. This seems to be the quintessential tomato that people dream of most in the dead of winter, although a choice few - mostly elderly Kentucky gardeners and young adventurous beginners - rhapsodize about the gold-and-red creamy slices of the old-fashioned bicolored tomatoes that were once a staple for many Appalachian truck gardeners.
Rose Beauty, a tomato that supposedly hails from Estill County, Kentucky, is neither rose nor a beauty. It produces a ton of big, pale yellow lumpy fruits with a modest pink blush on its bottom, and the taste is sweet, creamy, and delectable. As a bicolor it doesn't have the truly intense tie-dyed hues of Mr. Stripey, Hillbilly, or Big Rainbow, but it's a winner for taste and ease of growth. It's shown here in the bottom right-hand corner of the picture, to the right of Butler Skinner. From left to right sitting on the bench above them are Depp's Pink Firefly, Maruskin's Andes, and a bumper picking of Egg Yolk, a highly productive and lip-smacking yellow that mimics its name.
No comments:
Post a Comment