Heirloom Tomatoes The Queen Of My Garden !!

I would firstly like to wish all my readers a Happy New Year 2018, from Tomato Sue 😅 🍅 yes today i am writing a blog on my favorite garden subject "Tomatoes",  i love tomatoes so much so that  if  i was given the chance it would be the one thing that i wouldn't mind growing year around only if the weather and climate permitted me to !! but six months is all i have and i want to make to most of it😀 It takes four good months before the plants are established and begin to set tomatoes,not to forget all the rigmaroles that come in between like seeds not germinating, saplings dying due to root rot, over watering, weather issues,tomato related issues and diseases blah blah blah......Its that time of the year again, yes its Tomato season, the potted garden is adorned with a few surviving tomatoes out of the 26 odd varieties that i had planted 😳, and this blog post is about these tomatoes and my review on each type whether its a keeper or a loser,so as the saying goes a "picture speaks a thousand words"  😇so i will let them do the talking !!

1.Black Beauty Tomato:- A big confusion ensued when i confused my black beauties to be blue beauties, now the confusion between the two beauties took place as the tags got washed away 😱but i could tell the difference between the two, when i found a lanky looking plant that had two small tomatoes and a tag which read "black beauty" and they matched the tomatoes which i was assuming were blue beauty, a lot of confusion i know but you will see the difference in the pics, anyways now coming back to the black beauty this is my verdict on what i think of them,they were the first anthocyanin tomato to make an appearance in the potted terrace garden, and also it put out the largest tomato that i have ever grown 😎 pluses are its a good producer with beefsteak type of tomatoes, the color is beautiful though all tomatoes are not completely black some have red bottoms ( yeah i know sounds funny)it has a good tomato flavour,Have a look at these beauties 👇the only con is the black beauty tomato is prone to splitting,leaf curl and BER.

2. Wagner Blue Green Tomato:-A fabulous creation of tomato breeder Tom Wagner, this tomato is a anthocyanin beauty that remains green from the inside and has a  beautiful black top with a yellowish green base,a prolific variety with lovely trusses of large sized tomatoes,the flavor is simply superb it has a tangy sweet taste the is tomato juicy and the skin is thin,its so good that its hard to find a con with this variety its a thumbs up all the way !! I would highly recommend you grow this variety, these beautiful little gems will be making a come back again next season 💚 

3. Garden Peach Tomato:-This fuzzy baby stole my heart last season, the perfect tomato not only looks good but has the most sensational mild sweet fruity flavor, that i just couldn't get enough of.Negative things about the garden peach is that the tomatoes are prone to BER, splitting,and you might end up getting some ugly looking odd ball tomatoes, but its still a keeper for me flaws and all until i find a tomato that can beat the garden peach !!

4. Sutton Peach Blow Tomato:-These tomatoes get their name from the famous blow glass from the U.K that was popular during the 18 century, Sutton seed company sold the seeds of this heirloom tomato variety back in the early 1900's, however this is not a stable tomato ,its prone to BER (blossom end rot) the fruit size is not uniform,some tomatoes have fuzzy skin while others don't and the ones with the fuzzy skin develop BER, the only pros to this variety is that some of the  tomatoes do look like a real peach and have that transparent skin and pink blush, its an early tomato and sets good fruit trusses and has an excellent and profound tomato taste tart and mild sweet taste, good for fresh eating, cooking, making paste and sauces, so i will regrow it again next season from the seeds i saved from the tomato and looks like a peach hoping i get a stable one next season...

5. Uva Cerese Tomato:-This small grape type cherry tomato hails from Italy,its borne in cute trusses  and they resemble little grapes which is why they are called "uva cerese tomate "meaning grape tomatoes in Italian. I grew them last year  and was impressed by the flavor,the taste is sweet no tartness,perfect to snack on, hence had to regrow them again,a non fuss tomato variety that's great for small spaced gardens, perfect to grow in containers or pots.No negatives for Uva Cerese only positives 😀

6. Green Zebra Tomato:-What has stripes is green and is a zebra,but not a real one??? Its the Green zebra tomato 😅another brain child of tomato breeder Tom Wagner, he wanted a tomato that would remain green even when ripe and thus was born the Green Zebra,A gorgeous tomato with a green base and white stripes, its a lovely tart tasting tomato,its easy to tell when the tomato is ready to pick the white stripes turn yellow and the tomato gives away when lightly pressed on the top.The only con is that it takes forever to ripen and the tomatoes are not uniform in size !!

7. White Tomesol:-For two years i wanted to grow a white tomato variety,last to last year i bought seeds for great white tomato  but had no luck,and being the stubborn i have got to have it kinds,i finally bought the white tomesol tomato seeds last year,and i cant tell you how pleased i am as it is exactly what i was looking for,it does have a tad yellowish tinge to it but it doesn't really bother me,  Its believed that the white tomesol tomato finds its origins in Mexico,super prolific beefsteak variety with uniformly shaped fruits,there are a few larger ones that set on the plant along with smaller round shaped ones,its a creamy tomato,sweet and meaty with more flesh and few seed pockets and the skin is thin,its perfect for slicing and fresh eating, all has been well with this variety, no minus points here, then again i would recommend this tomato,its just perfect and i would definately regrow them again.

8. Orange Peach Tomato:-After growing the garden peach i wanted to experiment and grow other varieties of fuzzy tomatoes, that's when i came across the orange peach tomato variety,this tomato turned out to be so good both looks and taste wise,in fact its such a stunning tomato orangey and peachy with a darker blush than the garden peach a good variety only con is that its not a prolific variety hardly got 6 tomatoes from one plant ...

9. Pink Stuffer Tomato:-Pink Stuffer Tomatoes are ribbed (pleated) tomatoes the pack mentioned that its a hollow tomato with very few seeds and hence makes it perfect for stuffing, but to my surprise it was just the opposite it was juicy,loaded with seeds and pulp and was no way hollow from the inside infact if one does intend to stuff this tomato you will need to scoop out the plup to do so... it has an exceptional tomato flavor, but this variety is highly susceptible to BER, and needs a long growing season,some tomatoes are highly ribbed(pleated) some are not, i have only two tomatoes on a plant, so its a one time grow for me!!

10.Blue Beauty Tomato :-The Blue Beauty Tomato has streaks of anthocyanin on the top and a distinctive red base its good tomato nothing much to say about it its what most purple tomatoes taste like sweet and sour a balance of both when picked at the right stage ,pros would be its resistant to cracking or splitting,con would be takes for ever to ripen and the leaves have a natural curling issue so i would say its ok as one time grow in the garden. 

You can check the difference between the Black Beauty & Blue Beauty Tomatoes in the pic below 👇To the left are blue beauty and on the right is black beauty you can also see the split on the tomato...

11.White Currant:- Got the seeds of this small cherry type of tomato in a swap,this small currant type of cherry tomato is very prolific it can be easily planted in small pots or containers,Its not a pure white tomato,it gets a egg yolk type yellow color when its fully ripe and ready to be picked, the pros of this variety is when you bite into these minuscule tomatoes it explodes with a juicy burst of  sweet tomato flavor, cons are it has lots of seeds and the skin is tough and is left behind in your mouth, so its a one time grow for me. 

So all i can say at the end is that it was not all that bad this years tomato season, it started with low and ended on a high ,so until next season its good bye to tomatoes, i have already started plotting and planning next seasons seeds and what all i would like to grow as the saying goes old habits die hard  😆😉🍅🍅🍅💚

Do let me know how was your tomato growing experience this season and which tomatoes did you like or love best, until my next post its Bye bye and Happy Gardening from me 🙋💚

Garden Update 2017

Its been over three months since my last blog post, honestly its been a rough roller coaster ride this growing season, the garden was battered by harsh weather and to top it my health took a toll on me for the worse when i was diagnosed with Chikungunya,the bad unpredictable weather which never seemed to cease,though the garden is reeling back slowly, i have lost count of the numerous number of saplings that have died due various reasons since the beginning of June ,Its heart wrenching !!!Because before the growing season begun, I had a plan in mind as to how the garden should look, what all i plan to grow etc etc... but alas things did not go the way i wanted to and had planned :(( .... So far the only plants that gave me a decent harvest this season were the yard beans both red & green.

Flowers continue to rule the potted garden, beating all the odds,minimal care and zero pest issues they are a treat to watch and not to forget they make the garden look visually appealing and stunning, i just can't do without them, that's why i always prefer growing them over veggies or any other plants !! Here is a little glimpse for you :) 

Marigolds i grew them in so many different colors & varieties like Durango Bolero,Hero Flame,Orange Pot Marigold, Spanish Red Brocade,Harlequin just to name a few.So in short the garden was loaded with so many marigolds that we used our very own organic home grown marigolds for Dussera & Diwali ☺ its such an amazing feeling when you offer God something grown by yourself, a feeling that market bought flowers cant give you !!

The Sensation Mix Cosmos was grown from seeds that i purchased, initially when the plants began flowering it was just plain baby pink blooms, but then gradually i got magenta and white cosmos flowers too, and i am so thrilled to have gotten all the colors that were mentioned on the seed packet,feels like a mission accomplished :)) 

Mexican Sunflowers were so bright and pretty, and they grew to a height of almost 7 feet tall, i would cut the flowers and use them in flower arrangements for my home,unfortunately neither the bees nor the butterflies liked them so i doubt i would be growing them again... 

There is however one flower in the garden that the bees just cant get enough of , its the Indian blanket flower also know as Gaillardia , i grew an old heirloom type called yellow torch,the bees spend hours everyday on the blooms busy hovering around from flower to flower greedily collecting pollen ☺☺☺

Now coming to my most favorite thing to grow each season ....yes "Tomatoes " ♥♥♥ ,I guess i was too over ambitious with my tomato growing plans this season,i planted more than 26 varieties and all that i am left with are just a handful of plants  and even they seem to be struggling to set fruit,the Thai Pink Egg Tomatoes were the first to be sowed and not only did it make it through the rains, it even gave me the most darling looking pink tomatoes one has ever seen,however taste wise it was a tad bit dissapointing !!!

I am also growing Japanese white eggplants, they really look and are the size of eggs, the flowers are purple in color,they  are growing slowly & steadily, first the flowers would bloom but just drop down due to lack of pollination and the rains, but now that the weather has stabilized the plants have began to set eggplants ,and when i picked two of them that were ready, i noticed stem borers had made their way through the eggplants before me !! had to throw them into the compost with a heavy heart :(

Some of the tomato plants are still struggling to set fruits,truss after truss the flowers bloom and just drop ( blossom drop) and its not a good feeling as the weather has already stabilized now, so i think this year i will end up getting fewer tomatoes in comparison to last seasons harvest :(

Other things growing in the garden are rosa bianca eggplants & wing beans and red zinnias(picture below) whose seeds were given to me by my dear friend Mumbai Balcony Gardener, i have cabbages both green and purple, ginger, a papaya plant that i grew from seeds and two types of hot peppers, Sugar rush peach chili & Purple cayanne.

Above Sugar rush peach chili & below Purple Cayenne

Some other plants that are worth a mention are my grafted Champa or Michelia champaca plant that bloomed for the first time since i planted it last year,red zinnias, rust and orange marigolds these are an interesting  variety of marigolds the flowers open a bright red and fade to various shades ending with a rust orange at the end ,i also grew white cypress vine, and i had volunteer pear tomatoes that popped out from last years soil, and my favorite rose the double delight produces blooms on and off.

So this was my garden update friends, i hope your gardens are doing great, Happy Gardening To You All ☺Bye for now ♥

Flower Power In The Potted Garden

Since the past two months the potted garden, is battered by on and off violent spells of rain showers,but the flowering plants are tough cookies and they don't seem to mind the rains, in fact most of them enjoy it and put out the most amazing display of flowers, this post is dedicated to the flowers that are currently growing and blooming,and beautifying my  potted garden.......

Harlequin Marigolds (Above)

These Harlequin Marigolds seem to brighten up even the gloomiest of days, sunshiny cheery yellow with bold maroon stripes, each flower has it own individual pattern and coloring.

They are so pretty and exquisite that even the butterflies can't resist and stay away from them.

Next are my Hibiscus plants,they have been flowering non stop since the onset of the monsoons,i have them in different colors like Pink,Yellow,Red etc. and types, like single petal and double petal varieties.

Pink Single Petal Hibiscus (Above)

Yellow Double Petal Hibiscus 

Double Petal Pink Hibiscus (Above)

Pink Single Petal Hibiscus (above)

Double Petal Red Hibiscus (Above)

Another beauty that does not fail to impress me, is the humble yet beautiful morning glory, i have a soft corner for these flowers, my grandmother loved growing roses and other flowers, and morning glories  happened to be one of them, she grew them in the front yard on an old criss cross wooden fence, so each year in remembrance of the good old times and memories i grow them from seed,but this year i was in for a surprise when they self seeded in the same pot that i grew them in last year so saved me the trouble, and who doesn't like a pretty volunteer like this one, each morning i am greeted by these beauties who are kissed with rain drops in the early morning :))

Purple Morning Glories (Side View )

Royal Purple & Feringa Morning Glories (front view)

I have moss rose that is growing in a rectangular pot,i started it from a small stem cutting that was given to me by a friend.Moss rose is also known as China Rose or Chini Gulab in Hindi,these however do not bloom completely on dark, gloomy days.However tiny bees love these blooms and they spend hours and hours inside the flowers, its such a beautiful sight.

Moss rose (long shot )

Moss Rose (close up shot)

My rose plants are not far behind in the bloom competition, especially the double delight,Ahalya and hot pink rose, are loaded with buds.

                                                         Double delight (above)

 Hot pink rose (above)

Ahalya rose (above)

These Salmon colored ixora,are low maintenance plants that put out bunches of flowers, that the bees adore,come monsoon and plants transform from all leaves in the summers to just flowers and few leaves in the rainy season. 

Another monsoon beauty that i love to grow each year is Balsam, i love the  red double petal variety 

They look just like roses, and the entire plant looks pretty from a distance, the striking red against the dark green foliage.

And last but definitely not the least are my Polar bear zinnia, its hard to come across a pure white variety of zinnia, and when i seen the polar bear zinnias on the baker creek website i knew i had to buy the seeds and grow them right away,the flowers are more of a pale off white color but honestly i don't mind the color difference white or not, these beauties are pure and elegant, you feel a sense of peace and calm from the moment you set your eyes on them:) 

  Polar Bear Zinnia (Close Up) 

Polar Bear Zinnias ( Long Shot )

 So this was my flower power post, i would love to hear from my readers what's your favorite flower to grow in your garden, or if you have any interesting stories or memories about gardening to share with me, i would love to hear them :))

So until my next post its Happy Gardening To You All ☺♥