Nine fine vines... plus 2

I mentioned 9 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes I am growing. Well, how about a run down?

First my source. I order these online from a seed provider named Gary Ibsen. His site is here: Tomatofest He has an amazing variety of tomatoes and is a real stand up distributor. I sent him an email commenting on me, in my novice attempts, failing to germinate a couple of varieties. I was just letting him know for his records, but he sent me a bunch of free seeds anyway. Five stars.

Now the varieties:

Number 1: Black Krim. I had no idea that tomatoes came in anything other than red and green, and I thought the green ones just weren't ripe. Imagine my surprise when I found that there were Black-purple ones! Well I ordered some of these. They are a beefsteak kind, that is suitable for patio growing. Until I made more raised beds, I thought I would be limited to buckets on the deck. Not so! I will put a couple of these in the main tomato bed.

Number 2: Black Prince. These are smaller black-purple tomatoes that I wanted, again for containers. I admit, the picture sold me. If my tomatoes look and taste half as nice as that picture, they will be well worth the trouble. Despite a slow start for these seedlings, so far my two biggest plants are this cultivar. Exciting.

Number 3: Amana Orange. I believe these are pretty well known to tomato growers around the country. According to G.I.'s site, they are late season and make some monsters. Plus they say that orange vegetables, or in this case fruits, increase vigor and slow the aging process. Always a good time to start that!

Number 4: Russian Big Romas. These are large Romas, and are billed as being disease resistant. They should make fine pasta sauce, but their main application will be sun-drying. This way, I can make and eat as many as I want, with no limit, or without any one's permission! Yes, say it, I am greedy for them.

Number 5: Sweet Orange Cherry. These appeal to many levels. Orange, see above, cherry, which means lots and lots, and I can grow them in containers. I plan on giving a couple of these plants away as well. They are my second best growing seedling thus far.

Number 6: Blondkopfchen. These are small golden cherries that are rumored to have a terrific flavor. Stir fry, salad, salsa, etc etc.. I am really looking forward to these and am growing two plants in one large pot. Probably a bad idea, but as rich as that soil it, they should both do fine.

Number 7: Green Sausage. These are the strangest ones I am growing I guess. They are long green-yellow and sausage shaped... Regardless, they looked like good ones to make sauce with and they grow bushy instead of viney, think space people.

Number 8: Aunt Ruby German Green. These are German Greens, with traces of pink flesh. To me that screams flavor and acidity. Also, and I wish I had thought of this when I initially ordered these seeds, this cultivar grew nicely in TN, and we all know where I am. So, hopefully it should do well here.

Number 9: Flamme. A bonus G.I. sent me with my order. I started them late, but these meaty looking cherries might just pay off late in the summer.

The 'plus two' are my early plants I put out. German Queen and Golden Jubilee. I planted these as insurance. Since I've never done any of this before, I figured a couple store bought plants would serve where my seedlings could not. We'll see. I'll put out pictures of the operation soon.