Re: [tomato] Tomatoes
Doreen Howard (Tomato@GlobalGarden.com)
Tue, 10 Aug 1999 20:09:33 -0500
Here's the tomato report from Central Illinois. It's great! Have been
harvesting huge amounts of fruits every day. The Texas Wilds have covered
the back fence and are feeding the neighborhood. I told everyone who comes
by on the walking trail to help themselves---and they have, especially after
they taste their first Texas Wild. Black Krims have been going about 1 lb.
each, and I have harvested 31 from one plant so far. Green Zebra is
weighing in, on average, at 4 oz. and is prolific. The Schimmeig Stoo has
gone nuts! Fruits are 8 oz. on average and I've lost count on what I've
picked. More setting every day. An Illinois heirloom, of which I saved
seeds last year and planted is prolific too. No one knows this tomato's
name, so I've called it Becky's Biggy after the lady who gave me the fresh
tomatoes last Sept. Fruit is red, oblate, meaty, not too seedy and ranges
in weight from 1 lb. to 2 lb. 4 oz. I've picked 17 off one plant, and more
are setting now. Mary Robinson is just now ripening. I picked a 1 lb. 5
oz. one today, and 5 more are nearing maturity. Don't see signs of new set
yet. The disappointment is Bulgarian Oxheart--a plant given to me by the
same Becky mentioned above. It has set heavily--about 65 tomatoes on plant
now, but it's very prone to blossom-end-rot and concentric cracking. Fruit
is pink, about 5 oz. and meaty. Spent today peeling habenaros and jalapenos
(my hands still burn--any remedies??) and the canning gallons of salsa.
Doreen Howard
Zone 5b--Springfield, IL