On 7/13/2011 6:45 PM, Billy wrote:
In ,
wrote:

LilAbner wrote:
We've had lots of intentions, this year but all we do is Dr's
appointments etc.
Is it too late to put out good tomatoes, in the Southeast US?
In large pots, of course.
Last times we tried, to have gardens the heat humidity and critters
pretty much go it. Horses got out and eat the corn from the tassels down
to about waist height.
I would like have some really good tomatoes again.
Everything we have found are not Heirlooms or traditional varieties even
those advertised as heirlooms.
One thing I figured out is tomatoes, in the stores; the heavier they
are, for size, tells you if they are better.
The greener picked the lighter they are.
Of course it is still comparing cardboard or something to cardboard.


I don't know how far south you are, but you should have plenty of time
for tomatoes (if you can find transplants) if you plant an early
variety, like Early Girl or Stupice. If you can't find healthy
transplants, direct-sow some tomato seeds; they grow faster that way
than starting them indoors in pots. Sometimes I have volunteer tomato
plants catch up to the ones I set out early.

-Bob

I'm not a big fan of hybrids, but Early Girl has a lot of fans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Girl. A lot of people liked

Dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes have a cult following, and aficionados
claim the taste of dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes rival those of the
best-regarded heirloom tomatoes [6][7][8][9][10][11].

Dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes are popular in farmers markets in the San
Francisco Bay Area. The variety is also popular with home gardeners in
that region, where it thrives despite the area's cool and often overcast
summers[12][13][14].

Foodies regularly debate the merits of dry-farmed Early Girl tomato
farms, such as Ella Bella and Dirty Girl[15]

Chez Panisse founder, and chef Alice Waters is a fan of the Early Girl
tomato, telling an interviewer "[O]ne of the best tomatoes I¹ve ever had
was an Early Girl that was dry-farmed up in Napa at a friend¹s house."
[16][17]
---

I like Stupice too.
I remember when they first came along. A lot of people liked them
because they were low acid.
I didn't prefer them.
Any tomato ripened on the vine is better than the shippers we find in
the markets.
I like a good old acid tomato. They are dandy by themselves, or on a
sandwich. they lend a lot to a good hamburger, which is a rarity these days.
Don; remember any names. The seed cataloger we use to get up until 15
years ago were filled with variety. Now there are nothing but shippers
and a few labeled heirlooms.
I would like a good watercress, tomato, green onion and cheese sandwich
right now.