Tomatoes for 2023

[digitS']

I recall that @R2elk said that I may not be happy with Lemon Boy Plus.

It's in the big veggie garden this year and I don't know if I'll have it back. The second fruit has ripened: the skin is just too tough! I told DW that they have to be peeled.

The flavor is just fine. In fact, it is better than fine ... so sweet and a floral like flavor . Un fortunately - that tough skin. And yet, maybe it's important because the regular Lemon Boy had too many disease problems. I was not planning to continue with it after a good number of season in my garden. So, I have plants that look healthy and have nice fruit but a tough skin. Oh well.

Steve

 

[SPedigrees]

One very positive thing I can say about Candyland tomatoes is that I've been able to harvest ALL before any possibility of frost. I may still get a small bowlful of these mini tomatoes, but most are now harvested or eaten. I'm going to miss these tiny gems next summer, but they're not available to buy anymore and I'm too lazy to figure out the slightly complex method of saving tomato seeds.

 

[heirloomgal]

One very positive thing I can say about Candyland tomatoes is that I've been able to harvest ALL before any possibility of frost. I may still get a small bowlful of these mini tomatoes, but most are now harvested or eaten. I'm going to miss these tiny gems next summer, but they're not available to buy anymore and I'm too lazy to figure out the slightly complex method of saving tomato seeds.

View attachment 59959

Very nice tomato harvest. If you only grow a couple plants in a year, you can save seeds from Candyland really easy. Squeeze a couple fruits onto a paper plate, or piece of paper, and let it dry. That's it. Put away until next year. It's when you save seed in large quantity or sell it that it's a bit more involved.

 

[SPedigrees]

Very nice tomato harvest. If you only grow a couple plants in a year, you can save seeds from Candyland really easy. Squeeze a couple fruits onto a paper plate, or piece of paper, and let it dry. That's it. Put away until next year. It's when you save seed in large quantity or sell it that it's a bit more involved.

Really? That would work? Thank you for the suggestion/info. I may just try it. Even just a single Candyland plant amongst a few plants of the sub-arctic variety I bought would be nice to have next summer. Whether it is just the novelty effect or the fact these little guys grew well for me this year, I've gotten attached to these tiny fruits!

 

[heirloomgal]

Really? That would work? Thank you for the suggestion/info. I may just try it. Even just a single Candyland plant amongst a few plants of the sub-arctic variety I bought would be nice to have. Whether it is just the novelty effect or the fact these little guys grew well for me this year, I've gotten attached to these tiny fruits!

Currant tomatoes like Candyland are some of my favorite tomatoes. I think I've grown every color out there - pink , yellow, orange, white and red. I find the taste of them excellent. They're tough plants too.

Fermenting tomato seeds will remove the germination inhibiting gel which surrounds each seed, and is said to speed germination. But fresh tomato seed tends to germinate really quickly anyway, no matter how it's saved.

 

[R2elk]

I recall that @R2elk said that I may not be happy with Lemon Boy Plus.

It's in the big veggie garden this year and I don't know if I'll have it back. The second fruit has ripened: the skin is just too tough! I told DW that they have to be peeled.

The flavor is just fine. In fact, it is better than fine ... so sweet and a floral like flavor . Un fortunately - that tough skin. And yet, maybe it's important because the regular Lemon Boy had too many disease problems. I was not planning to continue with it after a good number of season in my garden. So, I have plants that look healthy and have nice fruit but a tough skin. Oh well.

Steve

I haven't had disease problems with the original Lemon Boy. I'm still growing it.

 

[Branching Out]

Fermenting tomato seeds will remove the germination inhibiting gel which surrounds each seed, and is said to speed germination. But fresh tomato seed tends to germinate really quickly anyway, no matter how it's saved.

I used to just put the seeds in a little piece of paper towel and then place a second paper towel on top, rubbing the seeds off the first paper towel on to the second one. That removed a whole lot of the gel coating on the seeds. Then I would write the name of the variety directly on the paper, let it dry, and pop it in a ziploc bag in the freezer. I have had 15 year old seed germinate reliably with this freezer method.

Now I do a short ferment instead, mostly because I was told that it reduces the incidence of disease (and I think it is kind of fun). All I do is scoop out the seeds, add about an equal amount of water, and let the mixture sit on the counter for 3-5 days. A thin layer of kham yeast often forms on the surface of the liquid. Next I give it a good stir to dislodge any tomato flesh that may still be attached to the seeds, add a little more water, stir again, and carefully drain out the liquid. After several stirs and rinses the seeds are usually very clean (and if they are not, I give them another day or two to ferment some more). I let the seeds air dry on a plate and then store them in an envelope.

Saving tomato seeds is in fact very easy, so when you get a plant that produces outstanding fruit I believe it merits the few minutes that it takes to preserve seeds from it. 🍅

 

[ducks4you]

With this extreme heat, the tomato ripening has slowed down. They don't like 90's.
High's in the 70's and 80's next week, while I am in Alaska, and DD is instructed to harvest, rinse off, label ziplock bags and throw in the freezer ALL tomatoes not consumed.
I have never canned from frozen tomatoes, but I am told that the skins peels right off. Should be an adventure bc I expect to be putting up tomatoes in September.

 

[flowerbug]

well i didn't plan on canning tomatoes today so i was out weeding until my back got tired and then i went and started weeding around the tomato plants and decided that yes, i better pick some... three buckets later i brought them in, got them rinsed off and then dunked to release the skins. so now they're ready to be peeled, cored and chunked so that i should be ready to put them in jars later. i need a break before i start that and brunch was just finished.

in a few days there should be another two or three buckets worth.

it ended up being 24 quarts. all done.

 

[heirloomgal]

I have never canned from frozen tomatoes, but I am told that the skins peels right off.

They do! My primary method of preserving tomatoes is freezing them. The taste is so perfectly intact it's incredible, smells like they're fresh from the garden. I love it. No burnt fingers from scalding and peeling, no work 🤣🤣 just pop em in a ziploc and slide it closed.