2013: Best Sale Yet!
Saturday, April 20
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Thank you, everyone, for making this the best sale we've ever had. It's one of my favorite days of the year. I get to meet new neighbors, see folks I don't usually run into, and talk about my favorite things to grow. We are now completely sold out. I'll keep the 2013 charts up in case you need them. Write me if you have any questions, and please let me know how your garden grows this year. Happy Growing, |
All proceeds go to Herndon Robotics, dedicated to founding and supporting FIRST Robotics teams for local kids. Thank you for supporting our kids! |
Our 2013 Varieties
An asterisk (*) indicates a variety we have grown before in our Herndon garden, and which did very well for us. I thought our best tasting tomato last year was Dwarf Beryl Beauty, and best overall was Kellogg's Breakfast. Both are included this year. Germination and growth rates will affect final availability. All varieties are indeterminate unless noted.
Beefsteak and Slicer Tomatoes
These will range in size from 8 oz to 2 pounds. Even the largest types can produce fruit of varying sizes on the same plant. All of these vines are full size and indeterminate; if you want full-sized fruit on smaller vines, check out the Dwarf Tomatoes, below.
| Name | Color | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Ananas Noire* Sold Out |
Tri-Color: yellow, green, & pink | See photo, left. Delicious, fruity, 12 oz. One of our family favorites, aka "Black Pineapple" potential for high sugar, can become overripe quickly. |
| Berkely Tie-Dye Sold Out |
Green w/ yellow & red stripes | Vines are 4-6', fruit said to have high acid for a tart finish. |
| Carbon* Sold Out |
Purple or "Black" | Contest winner for it's rich, earthy, sweet flavor, smaller vines than Cherokee Purple. I can attest to its deliciousness. |
| Cherokee Green Sold Out |
Green, w/ some yellow | Mutation of Cherokee Purple, considered to be an excellent tasting green. |
| Cherokee Purple* Sold Out |
Purple | An old reliable, dating back to 1800's. Meaty and earthy, my husband's favorite, can be oddly shaped. |
| German Johnson Sold Out |
Pink | Vigorous vines, 6-10', 1-2 lb fruit, meaty, lots of happy growers. |
| German Red Strawberry Sold Out |
Red | 1-2 lb oxheart fruit, shaped like a giant strawberry. Carolyn Male says, "easily one of the best-tasting tomatoes I've ever grown." Meaty, complex, balanced flavor. |
| Golden Monarch Sold Out |
Yellow | 8-12 oz. According to Tatiana's, "Delicious, mellow with practically no acid." |
| Great White* Sold Out |
Ivory to pale yellow | 12-16 oz. A family favorite, mellow, almost tropical fruit flavor, mild and sweet. |
| Grub's Mystery Green Sold Out |
Green, may have golden color when ripe. | 8 oz - 1 lb, compact vines, very productive. Tomatoheads often list this as their favorite green. According to Tatiana's, "outstanding flavor, one of the best green-when-ripe tomatoes I tried." Potato leaf, compact vines. |
| Kellogg's Breakfast* Sold Out |
Gold to Orange | Best overall tomato for us in 2012; disease resistant, huge fruit with small core, few seeds, meaty, rich, fruity, vigorous vines, very productive. I love this one. |
| Mortgage Lifter Sold Out |
Pink | 1 lb fruit and bigger, WV heirloom dating back to 1920s or 1930s, with some dispute over who grew them first. Very popular w/ classic, old-fashioned tomato flavor. |
| Persimmon* Sold Out |
Orange | 8 oz - 1 lb, citrusy, tangy, juicy fruit. Disease resistant, dates back to 1800s. Outstanding for us in 2010. |
| Pork Chop Sold Out |
Yellow w/ gold stripes | Brad Gates of Wild Boar Farms says this is the best yellow he has ever had, a sweet tomato with hints of citrus. Medium slicer. |
| Vorlon* Sold Out |
Purple | 8-12 oz, Excellent, classic smokey flavor; I think this is better but less productive than Cherokee Purple, a personal favorite. Named for alien race on Babylon 5. Potato leaf. |
New Dwarf Tomatoes
Developed by the Dwarf Tomato Project using traditional breeding methods, these vines are excellent options for smaller spaces or containers of at least five gallons. They are being reviewed as some of the best-tasting tomatoes to be had, and our tests last year bear this out. They need support; those flimsy wire cages sold at nurseries are not enough. Stake them, and enjoy awesome deliciousness.
| Name | Color | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dwarf Beryl Beauty* Sold Out |
Green, may have blush | Best tasting tomato in my 2012 garden. Sweet-tart, juicy, simply delicious. Productive, 4 inch round fruit on 4' vines, rugose leaves. |
| Dwarf Sweet Sue Sold Out |
Yellow, pink blush | 4-5' vines, potato leaf, 5-10 oz fruit w/ excellent full, balanced, sweet flavor, productive. |
| Perth Pride Sold Out |
Dark Purple | 4 oz round fruit on 3 1/2 foot plants w/ rugose leaves; productive, |
| Rosella Purple Sold Out |
Purple | Similar to Cherokee Purple in flavor and size, on a dwarf plant; excellent flavor, rugose leaf. |
Salad, Canning, and Cherry Tomatoes
Perfect for tossing into a salad, serving as a snack, drying, and canning, or pickling when unripe.
| Name | Color | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| No Bison this year; Check out Roma, below. | ||
| Black & Brown Boar Sold Out |
purple w/ green stripes | 3-inch fruit w/ good to excellent flavor, "flashy" appearance, tastes more like Cherokee Purple than a typical striped tomato. Can ripen early. |
| Black Cherry* Sold Out |
purple | 1-ounce fruit in large clusters. Very popular. Full flavor with a hit of sweetness; some splitting, but that won't stop you from eating them. |
| Csikos Botermo Sold Out |
red w/ orange streaks | 2-3 inch fruit sets in clusters, flavor said to be tangy, w/ some acid. |
| Grappoli d'Inverno Sold Out |
red | Small plum-shaped fruit in large clusters, good for canning, roasting, and considered an excellent long-keeper. Flavor said to be strong, acidic. |
| Green Grape Sold Out |
Green, w/ gold | 1-ounce fruit w/ spicy, sweet flavor; a Carolyn Male recommendation. These did not do well in the greenhouse, very few available. |
| Jaune Flammée* Sold Out |
Orange w/ pink center | Delicious, very juicy, productive. Earliest tomatoes were bland, but soon the 2-inch fruit came through with bright, tangy flavor. So juicy, will not hold shape for thin slicing, but gorgeous cut in half to show pink blush. A 2012 favorite. |
| Michael Pollan Sold Out |
green w/ gold stripes | Size varies from 2-5 inches, fruit is elongated and vines are productive. Early reviews look promising. |
| Roma Sold Out |
red | Plum-shaped fruit on determinate vines, very productive, most fruit ripens at once, making this an excellent selection for canning or sauce. |
| White Currant* Sold Out |
ivory to pale yellow | 3/4-inch fruit with "wow" flavor-- that quote from friends who tasted these in 2010. Aggressive vines will take over your garden and break into your house. |
| Yellow Pear Sold Out |
bright yellow | Tiny, pear-shaped fruit date back to the 1700s! Prolific, sprawling vine; mild-tasting, slightly sweet; a Carolyn Male recommendation. |
Peppers, Eggplants, and Basil
| California Wonder Sold Out |
Classic bell pepper with great reviews for productivity. Ripens red. Disease resistant. |
| Lipstick Sold Out |
Pimento shape, 4 inches long, ripens reds, very sweet. Very limited quantity. |
| Red Marconi* Sold Out |
Elongated 5-7 inch triangular pepper ripens red, good for frying and eating fresh. I have grown marconis in pots with excellent results. Very limited quantity. |
| Anaheim Sold Out |
Mildly hot, elongated peppers ripen red. Use anywhere you want just a little zing. Very poor germination rates with these; limited quantity. |
| Black Hungarian* Sold Out |
Ornamental plant with dark leaves, purple flowers, and black 2 inch peppers that ripen red. Moderate heat. Use as a jalapeño. Produced more than I could use in 2012, in a pot. |
| Ghost Peppers* (Bhut Jolokia) Sold Out |
Beautiful red, crinkled peppers, weaponized by the Indian government and used to repel elephants. I just love saying that. Very productive and hot enough to hurt you. Caution. Try the Ghost Pepper–Pear Jam recipe from the Washington Post; it's delicious. |
| Scotch Bonnet Yellow Sold Out |
Scotch Bonnets are recommended by Spencer Allain, our very own Herdon Robotics Salsameister for their intense heat and fruity flavor. This cultivar ripens yellow. |
| Long Purple Sold Out |
6-8 inches long, 2 inches diameter, lovely lavendar color. I am hoping these will be similar to Ping Tung, which I have grown successfully. Eggplants are more vulnerable to frost than tomatoes, be aware if you're planting early. |
| Classico* Sold Out |
Sweet basil traditionally used in pesto. Must have for mozarella-tomato-basil salad. |
| Napoletano* Sold Out |
Darker, rugose leaves, stronger flavor, stands up to cooking better. |
More Robots Now!!
Last year, we supported three FLL teams: The Stingers, The Disorder of the Phoenix, and The Order of the Diamonds. The Disorder of the Phoenix competed at the States' Championship in Harrisonburg, and we are very proud of all of them.
We can build more teams, and include more kids, if we get more coaches. Contact Herndon Robotics to learn more about coaching and mentoring local teams.
Thank you for supporting our kids. Happy Growing!