I agree with Emilia Ckarke, finding green places is a beautiful thing, but what's not beautiful is green tomatoes - I like mine red, flavoursome and off my own tomato vines! Yes, I know there's tomatoes that are eaten green but I'm somewhat of a traditionalist and red ones are the way to go for me.
After years of eating, or refusing to eat, flavourless tomatoes from the supermarket, or having to range far and wide to farmers markets in the hope of finding decent-tasting tomatoes I decided to grow my own and to date have had a couple of excellent crops and some fine tasting tomatoes. The process of growing them has been fun too and made the eating part so much more enjoyable than eating bought ones.
To grow truly great tomatoes copious amounts of sunlight is needed, something we've not had a great deal of this spring; it's been more like winter, a really wet winter-in-spring. It's annoyed me for many reasons including the fact my tomatoes need those golden rays of sunshine to help make them awesome. What's great though, is that there are so many tomatoes coming along in this crop that I think I'll be neck-deep in tomatoes this year! (Sun permitting.)
I've got three different varieties including, Tommytoe, Cherry Roma and Allan's Early Red, all of which are large tomatoes known for their strong flavours. These are the sort of tomatoes one can pick off the vine and eat like an apple; they're that good.
I've only got two of the three varieties pictured here as the Cherry Roma's are still quite small - I'm intending to do another post once they all ripen up a little more and might call that post, red, but soon eaten, because at that stage I'll be pretty keen to taste the rewards of my toil and effort.
What's really cool is watching the plants move through their various stages hence my inclusion of a few pictures of the flowers which, in time, form into tomatoes.
There's something pretty special about watching a plant come out of the ground and moves through it's growth-phase before it delivers it's produce. Of course, playing an active role in that process makes eating them so much better than produce bought from the supermarket; they're far more tasty also as they're ripened on the vine rather than being picked early, or ripening on a sprig of vine that's been cut off the main vine whilst the tomatoes are still green. It's when they're connected to the plant all the way to being ripe and ready where the flavour comes from.
I'm really pleased with my tomatoes this year. They're in great abundance, are looking incredibly healthy and, if the sunshine plays along, I think they'll taste magnificent. I do this for myself, growing things, although I'll be honest and say it also makes me happy and proud to offer my produce to others, sometimes bartered for other goods or just as gifts, and to hear how great a job I've done. It's rewarding...but not as rewarding as eating the produce myself!
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
All images in this post are my own
Good publication
Thank you for saying so, I appreciate that you take the time to read and find some value in it.
Galen those tomatoes look beautiful with that green color that looks everywhere and that soon will be red my favorites are the Cherry Roma I eat them with everything on skewers, salads, alone with salt and pepper, and sometimes with Greek yogurt and nuts is a spectacular combination also with avocados ...congratulations on this great crop I think you have to make preserves with them.
Yay for my tomatoes! And...I'll be eating them in every way possible, you can be assured of that. 😁
Yay for those tomatoes 🙌 who are going to eat them, you can make them roasted with mozzarella, pepper, salt, and olive oil, it is guaranteed yummy for the best palates.
I think there is a strong feeling that comes with eating what you have grown, something like delight within your soul. 😁
Delight within my soul, yep, that's a really nice way to put it.
Green tomatoes are usually put to use when looming frost ends the growing season and requires early harvest here. Some manage to ripen indoors off the vine, but green tomatoes can be put to the best use in relish as a replacement for typical cucumber pickles.
Yeah, green tomato relishes are pretty good indeed. Jeez, it's been a while since I had one. We'll have some nice farmers markets coming up now that it's spring, I'm sure I'll find some. Cucumber pickles...So good on fresh buttered bread with cheese!
Ah yeeeaaah! G-dog going full farmer... <3
growing them is one of the most satisfying things to do. The feeling that you know that you grew them by your own hands, is just priceless.
Awesome one mate! ;)
Well, to be honest I've always been "full-farmer" (small rural-town boy that I am) but here in the city it's not always easy to get one's farmer-on. I'm rockin' it though mate, it's all I know how to do with life I guess. I do what I can and enjoy the process...and the eating.
I'm sure you're gonna enjoy eating them... :)
One of the most rewarding activities is starting a vegetable garden from seed and seeing it mature. It's hard to put a figure on the satisfaction of knowing that you nurtured their growth all by yourself. Nice work friend
I agree, it's a rewarding process and despite getting a little impatient from time to time, I enjoy the process; it teaches me to have patience too, because I have no choice. :)
The Conclusion part of this post told me something great. Will you like to know it @galenkp? Lol so curious i know.
I love tomatoes too but as you rightly put. It is amazing to watch them grow from one stage to another.
Tomatoes are awesome indeed. I'm hoping to get enough to make some sauce to use on pizzas and pasta!
That will be delicious. I hope i am invited
It is so fantastic that you can watch these little things go from tiny plant to vine then to flower and then wait for what seems like f-o-r-e-v-e-r for them to ripen. It's such a magical feeling when you get to pick them and taste all your effort. I'm so happy for you and I know they'll be delicious because they look really healthy and happy.
They're taking their sweet time but like some other things, time is required for awesomeisticness to occur. Some things even take 52 years! :)
Indeed, but I think you had awesomeisticness for a while already 😉
Wow man! I have always loved red tomatoes. Its beautiful to look at. Its taste is awesome though I don't like it within a dish. We always call a tomatoes from where it is produced. I didn't know three varietes you mentioned.
You tomatoes look very healthy. It seems time has come for then to turn red.
Farming is always fun. I used to see my father to grow different kind of vegetable like cabage, cauliflower, brinjal ,potatoes and tomatoes etc. I can't still clearly introspect walking with my father in the farm in my childhood.
Good luck galenkp with your hard work and passion to farm. I am awaiting for the variety you haven't pictured to grow up. All the best man.
Thanks for the luck, I think a little luck is always a good thing when added to good preparation, hard work and effort.
Do you grow anything yourself?
Actually we don't have any spece to grow but in our roof top , we have a little garden. We plant lemon ,chili,tomatoes etc. It it's not that fun what I used to have in childhood in the crop field.🤣🤣
All of our familly members like father, mother, uncle and I take care of the little garden together.
When I see your tomatoes, it shows that you took very good care of them, I don't see any signs of damage to them, I know they will be very tasty just by looking at them.
why i know? because I have also planted tomatoes and I know that they are a delicate plant to take care of, fungi and pests easily fall on them and if they do not have enough sun they tend to die...
A plant that is very easy to care for is the paprika, once it has grown and becomes strong it can bear fruit for quite some time!
I'm not the best gardener in the world, but I know a thing or two and get lucky also I guess. I've had a few things not come out quite as well as I'd like bur my tomatoes always seem to come out well and I'm getting better at the process each time.
I've never thought of growing paprika, I might need to do some research on how it's used and maybe have a try.
It is use for sausage for pasta and pizzas
Oh yeah, I know what it's for, I mean how I may use it, if I will have a use for it. I only grow what I use in my vegetable garden.
Ah, I love how excited you are about growing tomatoes (/food). Your enthusiasm is contagious and reflects how I feel about picking cherry tomatoes off the sprawling vine that spontaneously started behind the compost bin. Now if only I could send you some of the copious sunlight and warmth we've been getting up here in Brisbane 🤔😀😅
I could use some Brisvegas sunshine right now, the weather has been bloody terrible. I'm soon on my way to my other house to deal with some water ingress from a storm a couple days ago, clean the gutters and all. Insurance will come to the rescue, but it's annoying.
I'm a passionate guy and it permeates most aspects of my life and the things I do...including growing my own stuff. It's a pretty legit feeling.
Thanks for your comment and...send bloody sunshine!
Bhahaha. Here we go 👇
Hmmm, that one's a bit too cute...
Hopefully, if I can successfully send sunshine I'm less irritating than this guy
Ahhhhhh. That's better!
I didn't even know there were varieties of tomatoes. I think the most common variety here would be the Cherry Roma. I don't think I have seen the others here.
Tomatoes are a big part of Nigeria food culture, particularly my tribe, Yoruba. We use tomatoes for quite a large number of foods everything, mostly swallows. And really, it actually is more satisfying to eat of the crops that one planted themselves. It is much different as to buying from the market, and wayyy cheaper too.
We also grow tomatoes in our compound. And so, I am curious to how you do yours. I learned the heat is good for the tomatoes and help them grow well, so we cover them up (often with coconut tree leaves) to keep the heat long enough during the day. Is that what you do too?
There are so many different varieties.
Planted in good quality soil which is nutrient-treated organically with Seasol (seaweed juice), manure and worms. I grow them on frames so I can get the best harvest. I thin them out a little, (not much at all) to promote more tomatoes. That's about all I do.
In the very hot summer I may put some shade-cloth over them, but it depends.
Now you must think of a great recipe once they turn red.. I love eating tomatoes, especially cherry tomatoes 😊..
Cracker, cheese, tomato
Put on top of each other in that order
Eat
That's the recipe.
Ok, so there's others...but that simple thing is so glorious!
Haha.. Or maybe bake something with red tomatoes on top. Also great for a salad with lettuce, some onions, and sauce.
Nomnomnom...
There's nothing like a nice slice of tomato...Accompanied by a beef burger, onions, pickles, lettuce, cheese mayo, mustard and ketchup all sandwiched between a sesame seed bun top and bottom. With a side of fries.
Uhhhggg... Middle of the night here.
@ a shipper in Columbus GA. Now I am hungry dammit. I think I will have a slice or 2 of sharp cheddar. Then try to get back to sleep. #insomnia
Waiting for them to open up so you can load? Must be shit having to wait around all the time. Get into some cheese man, then go to sleep!
I see green all over the place right now. Hehe. Like humans, plants also undergo a growth cycle. And that green tomatoes will eventually turn to red sooner or later..
I'm looking forward to red tomatoes as that will mean it's time to eat them. Yum! :)
Thanks for your comment.
You said it right my friend.
You're welcome. Be well!
very useful and I am very happy with your status. Thank you for sharing
No worries.
Looking at your tomatoes it's really looks healthy. I think tomatoes should be one of the things someone should grow in his or her garden. I have mine too but is not as healthy like yours. I really love red tomatoes. Did you apply some fertilizer on yours? Mean it's so beautiful dear.
I fertilise organically with worms, manure and Season (seaweed fertiliser) which all seems to work nicely together.
Wow maybe I will try that too on my own.