My Dwarf Tomato Project seedlings - will I...can I fit them all in?

Let the transplanting begin! Each cell is labeled - I will pop each cell of seedlings into 3.5 inch pots, which will allow them to hold longer and in better health while I work through transplanting in the coming week.

First - a news item! Last Friday I held my first of a series of Instagram Live shows. It started at 3 PM, and went for 45 minutes - my daughter Sara moderated for me (reading and asking the posted questions). I hope to do this regularly, every Friday at 3 PM EST - please check it out - find me @nctomatoman on Instagram.

In my last blog I listed various plants that will be available in the Hendersonville area, or for my garden - indeterminate and dwarf tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. The missing piece is the 2020 plan for the Dwarf Tomato Project.

As always, I was ambitious in planting seeds. Why not?! I have lots of seeds, and we have lots of work yet to do. We also have some of the really unusual things to finish off. I will write brief rationales as to why I chose each seed to start.

New F1 hybrids to create new Dwarf families - I have four of these, and each provided indeterminate seedlings meaning the crosses worked. The Mikey family is from a cross of a small purple fruited, green striped microdwarf with Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom. Shorty is the result of crossing Cherokee Purple on to Fuzzy Short (a very compact, very fuzzy leaved determinate). Neither of these are actually part of the dwarf project, just curiosity - and though I can guess what the hybrid will look like, all bets are off in the F2 and beyond. I crossed the very unusual, historic Honor Bright (Livingston 1890s, white flowers, yellow foliage) with Dwarf Blazing Beauty to create the Blazey family. Finally, Dwarf Sweet Sue was crossed with Peach Blow Sutton to create the Suzy family - I am hoping for some fuzz fruited, tasty dwarf varieties out of this one.

The Acey family is represented in Dwarf Walter’s Fancy (variegated potato leaf foliage, yellow tomatoes) and Dwarf Elsie’s Fancy (variegated potato leaf foliage, white tomatoes), as well as two others with the sexy names 6939 and 6941 - regular leaf variegated foliage, pale or deeper yellow tomatoes.

I have seedlings of three that are promising, and close to completion - Dwarf Modern Roman, Dwarf Stony Brook Speckled and Dwarf Stony Brook Heart. All three have potato leaf foliage.

From the Anthy family are my latest attempt at Dwarf Ann’s Dusky Rose Plum, and Dwarf Mocha’s Cherry. Both have heavy antho shoulder shading. From the Steamy family will be two attempts at Dwarf Liz’s Teardrop. The Anthy and Steamy offspring can be frustrating, with few to no seeds in the tomatoes!

I am growing Teensy Pink, Dwarf Speckled Heart, Dwarf Buddy’s Heart, Dwarf Kodiak King, Dwarf Gloria’s Treat, Capri Show Stopper (which came up indeterminate, so probably won’t be grown out), Dwarf Waverley, Aussie Drop, Dwarf Laura’s Bounty, Dwarf Snakebite, Dwarf Tanager, Dwarf Strawberry Lemonade, Dwarf Noah’s Stripes, Dwarf Pink Livjia, a Fancy orange offspring with a rose colored center, Sandy vial 7000, a chocolate striped heart (I hope!) from Hearty, and three from the weird and wonderful Scotty family (created by crossing the yellow leaf, white to orange to red fruit Surprise with Dwarf Scarlet Heart) - my T19-51, 52 and 53 - and two green flesh with stripes from the Beauty line I grew last year.

The first 10 straw bales are positioned, and treatment began today

Not counting the four new hybrids, that means I will try to fit in 30 plants for the project (at least - some of the above will have differing seedling types - leaf, color, etc). I also want to grow some of our released dwarfs (either the ones we love to eat the most, or ones that are running short on seeds).

The beneficiary of my over-planting will be gardeners in the Hendersonville area, if they want to join in the Dwarf Tomato Project fun!

Morning hike of the Pink Beds trail in the Pisgah National Forest. Sue, Koda and Marlin a bit ahead of me.

Here it is - the "What's Craig Growing" list.

Potato leaf seedling showing first true leaves

This list will serve two purposes. For those of you nearby (the Hendersonville/Asheville area), these will be available for purchase or sharing in a month or so - watch for timing and availability updates. For those of you not nearby, this will provide an opportunity to glean my growing strategy.

Eggplants (some in very limited quantity) - Twilight Lightning, Midnight Lightning, Skinny Twilight, Mardi Gras, Snow Globe, Green Goddess

Peppers (some in very limited quantity) - White Gold, Royal Purple, Fire Opal, Carolina Amethyst, Chocolate Bell, Gemstone, Bouquet, Pinata, Manzano (Rocoto - red fruit), Experimental variegated leaf and fruit sweet

Tomatoes - indeterminate - Andrew Rahart’s Jumbo Red, Aker’s West Virginia, Brandywine, Ferris Wheel, Polish, Stump of the World, Cherokee Purple, Cherokee Chocolate, Cherokee Green, Casey’s Pure Yellow, Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom, Green Giant, Lucky Cross, Little Lucky, Sungold, Mexico Midget, Egg Yolk, Striped Sweetheart, Don’s Double Delight, Roman Figun, Caitlin’s Lucky Stripe, Cancelmo Family, Speckled Roman, Dester, Mahoning Valley Beauty (from Mimi Koch), Fruity, Peak of Perfection, Gerald’s Mystery Striped, Sungold F2

Tomatoes - dwarf - released varieties: Waverley, Aussie Drop, Dwarf Laura’s Bounty, Dwarf Snakebite, Dwarf Amy’s Ohio, Dwarf Cache Valley, Dwarf Hazy’s Dream, Dwarf Metallica, Dwarf Beauty’s Kiss, Dwarf Audrey’s Love, Dwarf Suz’s Beauty, Dwarf Idaho Gem, Dwarf Perfect Harmony, Dwarf CC McGee, Rosella Purple, Rosella Crimson, Summertime Green, Dwarf Emerald Giant, Dwarf Firebird Sweet, Chocolate Lightning, Dwarf Blazing Beauty, Dwarf Sweet Sue, Dwarf Mr Snow, Dwarf Wild Fred, Sweet Scarlet Dwarf, Dwarf Golden Gypsy, Dwarf Beryl Beauty, Tasmanian Chocolate, Dwarf Wild Spudleaf, TastyWine, Dwarf Beauty King

Tomatoes - Dwarf Tomato Project works in progress - numerous varieties in small quantities for people to try out and share results and seeds - around 25 different types.

I hope to start transplanting to individual pots this coming week - and depending upon the COVID situation, will come up with some safe mechanism for availability from mid to later April.

Watch for more updates in my newsletter, Instagram and my upcoming blogs - and you can also email me at nctomatoman@gmail.com for answers to your questions.

Violets = Spring!

Gardening in the time of COVID-19. This is weird, and scary, folks.

Looking at today’s blue sky through our blossoming saucer magnolia tree

First, I hope all of you reading this - all of my gardening friends - are safe and well, and stay that way, over the complicated coming weeks and months. The oddness of it all hit me a few days ago - the day after our Governor called for all restaurants and coffee shops to cease the eat-in part of their businesses. I was out doing a few errands when I stopped into my favorite local coffee shop. All of the chairs were up on the tables. It was dead quiet - the typically teeming parking lot was nearly empty. I put in my order with my typical “room for cream” - and was told they had to put in the cream and honey. There are so many wonderful restaurants here - Asheville, not far to the north of us, seems to be composted mostly of restaurants - and I hope all of them find a way to get through this and survive. I hope all of us do, of course. We will each have our own personal stories to share some day - lots of them, I suspect.

Now, on to gardening. Since my last blog, about a week ago, I’ve been using gardening as therapy and escape more than ever - as has Sue. The garden layouts, the weather, the soil - it just seems more fun to get out there and dig. Because we moved in mid-January, we are getting to see what pops up from previous gardening efforts (this house being mid-1960s, it is clear that at least one inhabitant loved to garden). Among those things we’ve noted and identified, some of which are in bloom, are Red Bud and Magnolia trees, rhododendron, azalea, forsythia, mountain laurel, sweet spire, hydrangea, butterfly bush, lilac and abelia shrubs, grape hyacinth, crocus, daylily, iris and daffodil bulbs, and various perennials, such as columbine, lambs ear, bleeding heart, hosta, astilbe, apple and pepper and spearmint, malva, echinacea, phlox and bee balm. More things pop up each day, so this is just a partial list.

To that we’ve added some plants retrieved from our Raleigh gardens, such as sage, rosemary, phlox, miniature rose, elberberry, choke berry, spirea, salvia hot lips, camellia, kalimeris, chrysanthemum, clematis, butterfly bush and fig. We purchased a few azalea, some parsley and oregano and snapdragons and coral bells and a Lady Banks rose. We are off to a good start - the weeds in the flower beds were pretty aggressive, but we tackled them pretty quickly.

I’ve also made an area near the fence for peas (currently, Sweet Peas, Sugar Snap Peas and a shorter growing pea), and Gardeners Supply sent me a few items to test out (raised planter, raised bed and trellis) - I will write separate blogs on those. I do have spinach and various greens planted in them, as well as carrot seeds.

Sue giving a nice drink to one of our weeded and planted flower and herb gardens

As far as seed starting, four flats of 50 cells are nearly all up and growing. I spoke about flats 1 and 2 a few blogs ago. Flat 1, planted on March 2 (eggplants, peppers, indeterminate tomatoes) had but 1 no-show tomato (it was replanted in flat 3 from a different saved lot). Flat 2, planted on March 6, has a few additional indeterminate tomatoes as well as lots of Dwarf Tomato Project varieties. It also has but one no-show tomato, of lower priority, so no worries.

Flat 3, planted on March 10, is quite a curious mix - various flowers (different hibiscus, zinnias, hollyhocks, dahlia, echinacea, rubdeckia, cosmos, roselle), a few types of basil, lettuce, chard and beets. Some of the seeds were a bit old so I didn’t expect 100% success. 14 cells are no-shows, which is fine - I significantly over-planted (no surprise there, I bet).

Flat 4, planted on March 13, is another mish-mash - some eggplants, indeterminate tomatoes, sweet peas, beans, morning glory, and indeterminate and dwarf tomatoes. 11 no shows to this point, and not surprised at any of them.

My four flats, sunning themselves

What has been very different for me this year - I’ve set up no grow lights (yet) in the garage, but haven’t needed them. We’ve had nice mild days, and my side porch has filtered sunlight, so they are already hardened off despite being a week or more from the onset of transplanting. Doing it this way does mean watching the plants closely and easing them into the sun gradually.

I’ve started far more tomatoes than I can fit. There are some “must grow” varieties, though - Don’s Double Delight, my new hybrids for the dwarf project (there are 4 of them), the historic variety Peak of Perfection, and some dwarf project varieties. I will fit what I can, probably using a mix of straw bales and containers, with a more extensive garden plan next year.

I may have plants for sale, but the COVID-19 situation makes it uncertain - and if I do, the process is certainly to be determined. I’ve been speaking with my daughter about the possibility of scheduling some on-line Q and A sessions - stay tuned for details. With all that is going on, and the cancellation of my imminent speaking events (my guess is all of the events this year will be cancelled), my focus will be on pacing myself, enjoying every minute, hour, day and week spent out among the flowers and bird songs, finish the Dwarf book, and just see what happens in this weird, uncertain time.

Marlin and Koda watching me do my thing in the yard

Big changes to my speaking events - a very short blog tonight

Indeterminate tomato seedlings happily growing in my office

We are in one of those times that we will likely remember for the rest of our lives. The Corona virus pandemic (COVID-19) is, and will continue to, impact the entire world. I am sure each of us is pondering what our present and future activities will be, and need to be so we can keep ourselves and our families safe.

The impact of the virus hit my speaking schedule the last few days. The Clinton Library event for May has been cancelled, and I’ve decided to pull out of the St. Charles Builders Home Show series of talks in early April. Being in an age risk group, the thought of getting on a plane and in crowds is not a pleasing one. As of today, the event was still happening, but I noticed that Missouri declared a state of emergency today, so the show may not go on.

I am in contact with Nantucket and New Mexico event folks - so far, no cancellations, but it is possible. Same with the DC Botanical Garden - still on, but watch this space.

Most important - be careful, everyone - be safe, be healthy.

I now have four flats planted with all sorts of seeds. Reports on progress will follow in the next blog.

Marlin taking stock of his new domain

It is finally time to talk gardening. About what I am planting, and seedlings in Hendersonville!

Cell of Sun Gold waking up

Enough about moving, hikes, podcasts, seed sending - it’s time to talk about what this 2020 season may (key word there) end up looking like. Certainly comes when seeds get planted - and as I sit here tonight typing, one flat is germinating well, another was just seeded. One more flat remains to be planted; that will happen over the next few days.

Flat 1 contains peppers from my Islander dehybridization work, eggplants from Orient Express dehybridization, and indeterminate tomatoes. I am growing lots of my favorites - the three Cherokees, Polish, Lillian’s Yellow Heirloom, Green Giant, Lucky Cross, Sun Gold (of course), Egg Yolk, Mexico Midget. Joining them are a bit of this and that - the new F1 hybrids for the Dwarf Tomato Project, some interesting volunteers that showed up in my garden last year, and much more.

Flat 2 have a few indeterminate varieties I couldn’t squeeze into flat 1, but it is mostly about Dwarf Tomato Project works in progress and some of my favorite releases, as well as many of the newly released varieties now listed at Victory Seed Company. I’ll go deeper into full variety lists for each flat over time.

Growing seedlings is one thing…what to do with them is quite another when one has a completely new garden space. There is simply no way I will be able to grow out everything I am starting. That means there will be seedling sales in Hendersonville - details and timing are yet to be determined.

One exciting possibility is use of some greenhouse space quite close to our home. If that happens, the Dwarf Tomato Project could be locally super charged. That’s all I will say about it at the moment…stay tuned.

It promises to be a really interesting season - and a complicated one - no matter what I grow, or where/how I grow it.

It’s complicated! This is what cataloging seeds, sorting through garden communications, and planting seeds all happening at once looks like.

A quick blog post to highlight a just-posted podcast - Joe Lamp'l and me!

Seed sending time is complete!

I really enjoy my opportunities to talk with my gardening friend Joe Lamp’l (whom many of you know as joe gardener). Very recently, I received a late night email from Joe asking if I would be a guest on his podcast again - of course I said “yes”, and tossed a few possible topics at him.

We recorded, Joe edited, and it is posted here. As I told Joe, he caught me in a pretty unique place. In all of our other podcasts my plans and progress were crystal clear. Due to our recent move, this podcast was recorded at a time of a true crossroads for me - a time of great uncertainty, but also of high excitement and infinite possibilities. All I know is that we went all sorts of places, and our hour together passed very quickly. I hope you enjoy listening - it will give you a clear idea of my current state of relative chaos!

First flat planted and in my office - it is fun to work out how and where to carry out garden processes that were pretty well worked out in Raleigh!

Just a few news items. All seed requests have been fulfilled. I appreciate the many emails I’ve received acknowledging such, as well as some lovely, appreciated donations to the seed sending postage cause. If anyone does with to help with postage, as I posted in my last blog, you can go to the Dwarf Tomato Project page, scroll down a bit and find a donate button (which is Paypal). Thanks!

March 2 did see the planting of flat #1, primarily indeterminate tomatoes (our favorite varieties), and some peppers and eggplants. I hope to get flat 2 planted tomorrow (Dwarf tomatoes), and flat 3 the following day (miscellaneous things - greens, beets, flowers, herbs etc).

Once the weather warms and dries, I will start to scope out the yard and decide a few things about this year’s garden. There will be grow bags, straw bales, and at least one raised bed. Where will they be positioned? I will figure it out eventually, and am glad I have the nearly two months until the seedlings are plant-out ready. It will take all of that time to get my plans together.

Koda and Marlin…best pals and loving the new house.

Catching up at last! Loads of seeds on the way, and first seeds about to be planted.

Sue with Marlin viewing Bridal Veil Falls in Dupont State Forest today (March 1)

Finally - finally! - I am getting caught up on all sorts of things. In my last blog I described the amazing seed conference in Corvallis, Oregon. I had just enough time to unpack and repack and head for Hartford, Connecticut to provide four workshops at the Flower show. It was such fun, with the conference room filled with enthusiastic gardeners. I appreciate all of those who attended, many of whom purchased my books. Thanks!

One of my audiences gathering for tomato talk at the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show in Hartford

With those two events out of the way, my efforts turned to fulfilling seed requests. I am happy to say that by the end of tomorrow, all requests will have been fulfilled, and that includes many new to our Dwarf Tomato Project. I think that around 150 padded envelopes of seeds left Hendersonville for destinations the world over!

I have just one small request. If anyone wishes to contribute to the postage and handling of my seed sending effort, you can go to the Dwarf Tomato Project page, scroll down a bit and find a donate button (which is Paypal). Give it a click if you wish to lend a financial hand to my seed sharing efforts. Any donation will be deeply appreciated.

A very fragrant display at the Flower Show in Hartford.

I am about two weeks behind where I would typically be with regard to seed starting, but this is Hendersonville, not Raleigh. The potential for frost will linger a few additional weeks here, so I think all will be well. My goal tomorrow is to get those first seeds planted, with a focus on a few eggplants, peppers and tomatoes (primarily our Dwarf varieties, but a few of our favorite indeterminate types as well). I am not yet sure if I will be selling plants here - at least not yet.

In fact, as I walked around the yard the other day checking out our various growing areas (there are nearly 20 patches already planted with various things that are beginning to emerge), it isn’t at all clear what I will plant, and where - dig a garden, create raised beds, grow bags or straw bales. With my next trip being early April (St. Charles, near St. Louis MO), and seed sending complete, I will finally have time to figure out my 2020 garden plans.

I will tell you that I ordered some seeds - including some corn, melons, sugar snap peas and even sweet peas. I am ready to branch out, and go beyond the driveway, and beyond the typical tomato/pepper/eggplant garden. It’s time…it’s about time!

One final thought. We’ve lived here for a month and a half. From the day we walked into the front door, it felt like home. We are where we belong, and are just loving being here!

Caitlin, Sue, Marlin and Koda walking at the Pink Beds trail in the Pisgah National Forest a week or so ago

(Most of the) boxes are unpacked, the onset of speaking events, and more on seeds.

We are clearly no longer in Raleigh!

The evaporation of time continues. It’s been nearly a month since my last blog - and just about a month since we moved into our Hendersonville house. We’ve had two lovely snow “storms” (aesthetic snow!) that quickly melted but was beautiful to watch fall or walk in. We’ve mostly unpacked, with just the downstairs room and garage remaining. Being here feels like home, a sensation that began from the second we walked into the door. Below are current pics of my office and Sue’s sewing room.

I just returned from a pretty incredible trip to Oregon, due to an invitation to the 2020 Organic Seed Growers Conference (and a chance to present on the Dwarf Tomato Project), along with a day spent with Denise and Mike Dunton at their farm/house/seed company (Victory) in Molalla. It would take weeks to consider the richness and value and enjoyment of the conference, rubbing shoulders with hundreds of bright, talented seed people (farmers, companies, gardeners, growers, historians, educators and more) from all over the world. My time with Mike and Denise were simply priceless. Mike and I have met exactly three times, but we truly are nearly the same people on different coasts (we do catch up on the phone with occasional marathon sessions!). Below are a pic of Mike and I, a shot of the seed swap at the conference, and a view from the plane flying home - lots of snow!

Tomorrow takes me to Hartford Connecticut to provide four workshops at the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show - two on Thursday, two on Friday. I am so pleased to be adding my garden history talk along side my information on growing and enjoying tomatoes. All of the information on the event can be found here. If you do manage to attend, please be sure to say hello!

Now onto veggie seeds. After finally getting seeds unpacked and my office ready for business, seed requests are in the process of being satisfied. Although I’ve made good progress, there is still a long way to go. If you asked for seeds, you will get them, though I don’t expect completing the requests until late February (sorry if I messed up your seed starting, but the seeds will be fine for many years).

Getting down to the seed request fulfillment business

With just a few exceptions to continue to send out Dwarf Tomato Project seed to long time members, I can accept no more requests until late in the year, after the gardening season is complete. I’ve yet to even consider what my own gardening adventures will look like, as speaking-related travel is sprinkled throughout the spring and summer (I’ve been adding events - the list can be found here). I also have completion of the book on the DTP as highest priority to complete this year.

Come back again soon - there will be information and pics from my trips, updates on my book and gardening adventures, and general sharing of impressions from our new life out here in Hendersonville, NC.

Marlin and Koda loving the snow

One box at a time....

the chaos that was my office just after the truck was unloaded

I was just helping Sue move furniture into/around her sewing room and asked her “how long to you think it will be until you are completely set up the way you want it to be”? Her response - “just working it one box at a time”.

That is a spot-on description of our last week, following the unloading, by the movers, of countless boxes, all of our possessions, to our new address in Hendersonville, North Carolina. The packing of all of those boxes is a blur, and unpacking will be at a very different pace. What Sue has in her sewing room is replicated in my office. We won’t even talk about the spare bedroom, downstairs room or garage. They will have to wait.

Sue treating the dogs…the living room is all set!

The last two months have been quite a unique stretch on our lives. House-hunting, ideal house identification, offer, acceptance, closure - Thanksgiving, Anniversary, Christmas, New Year’s Day, birthday, birthday - all between mid November and today. If we can get our Raleigh home sold quickly, that’s one big heap of unanticipated mission accomplished.

I’ve roasted my first batch of coffee here, sitting on our back deck yesterday, watching cardinals, woodpeckers, chickadees and titmice on the feeders. A quick scan of the various gardens in the yard indicate lots of flowering bulbs in the spring - hyacinths, daffodils and crocus are tentatively showing their greenery. Buds are swelling on rhododendron, dogwood and magnolia trees. We took our first hike in Dupont State Forest.

Sue’s birthday hike in Dupont State Forest

I managed to dig some greens out of the large pots before we left Raleigh - they are now in fresh potting medium, crowded into different large pots, covered by Reemay (they don’t seem too happy, but I was pretty rude to them, ripping them out of their comfy home). The tomato seedlings begun in Raleigh are in my office sunny window, not looking particularly happy, either - they’ve had quite a journey.

Koda and Marlin are thrilled with the big fenced back yard. Marlin is particularly enamored with the squirrel population. Music sounds great in this comfy little house. Waking up here in the morning brings a flood of possibilities, ideas, activities into our minds - we love it already.

My immediate plans are to answer some emails that are now a few weeks old. Once I get my boxes unpacked (particularly seeds!), attention turns to fulfilling seed requests and reminding myself where we are on the Dwarf Tomato Project. I’ve got events to prepare for - particularly my Corvallis and Connecticut February journeys. I also want to begin to dip in to the local gardening community. As for my 2020 garden, I haven’t really even started to think of that - it won’t be a full immersion, given time constraints, and my desire to learn about the soil and sun patterns and existing planting in the yard. That will be a topic for future blogs and newsletters. Oh, and the book….completion of the Dwarf Tomato Project book will fill in the spots between events and gardening and hikes, once the office is set up.

I don’t envision returning to Facebook or Twitter - leaving them has made me too happy! So Instagram - @nctomatoman - newsletter, blogs, and speaking events will comprise the ways I hope to share my experiences.

Just after closing. It’s ours! We are living in Hendersonville!

Happy New Year! Last thoughts on 2019 - first thoughts on 2020

Before the driveway! Our side yard dirt garden

I know that 2019 happened - my calendar is full of events and activities. I recall fostering puppies, taking a trip to Utah, having a really productive garden, melting in the heat of summer, a family vacation at the beach, lots of great speaking events, and deciding for our rapidly upcoming move to Hendersonville NC (along with many other things). Yet, it was truly a blur - 12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days went by at the speed of light. Slow down, time! Please!

One of my favorites from this house

2020 promises to be a really interesting year. We are on the cusp of our move (Sue and I are surrounded by boxes, closing date is less than a week away, and the transportation of our “stuff” one week later). My 2020 garden is a blank log with infinite possibilities, waiting to be filled in. Sue and I will celebrate our 40th anniversary in December. We will have a new town to explore, new customs and patterns to create, new people to meet. I’ve got some great speaking events awaiting, sprinkled throughout the year. We are so ready - beyond ready! - and can’t wait to wake up for the first time in our new home.

Caitlin with my dad, Wilfred, during a Christmas visit

We’ve lived in this house for 28 years - that’s a lot of memories. Our daughters spent the majority of their lives in this house. Parents, friends and relatives visited. Two books and countless quilts were created here. Sue and I are both leaving some dear friends. Just the act of packing and decluttering meant riffling through so many pictures and other memorabilia. It’s been quite a last few weeks, that’s for sure (I’ve sprinkled some of those pictures throughout this blog).

Sara and Caitlin on Easter chilling on the hammock

And the gardens! Our first garden here, a hand-dug 30 by 50 foot square, was planted in 1993. We planted 27 gardens here, and varieties like Cherokee Chocolate, Cherokee Green, Lucky Cross and Little Lucky arose in those gardens (not to mention the entirety of the span of the Dwarf Tomato Project, which began in 2005).

In 1993, our first Raleigh garden, I grew 74 different tomato varieties and 38 pepper varieties. Some tomato highlights were a tomato sent by a seed saver as an off-type from Yellow Brandywine that ended up, in collaboration with Carolyn Male, as OTV Brandywine. I grew my first dwarf variety - Golden Dwarf Champion, a Burpee variety from the 1890s, sent to me by seed saver Ken Ettlinger the previous year. Cherokee Purple shone in it’s first year in a North Carolina garden. I fell in love with Brandywine here, and it was the best tasting tomato in that 1993 garden.

Another view of a pre-driveway, real in the ground dirt garden (when we had enough sun on that location!)

In a future blog, I want to report on the results of a garden log counting project - summarizing exactly how many different tomato, pepper and eggplants were grown in our Raleigh garden - be it in the dirt in that side garden, the deck or driveway in containers or straw bales. My gardens here were incredibly interesting, and a load of useful research and development transpired. I can only hope to approach such success in our new Hendersonville gardens. They will certainly be different - more broad in crop types - and will provide new discoveries and interesting results. I can’t wait to tell you about them in future blogs and newsletters.

May you all have wonderful 2020 gardens!

Reading a book with some drama to the girls one Christmas Eve