The weather this past week was so crazy! Thankfully all of my babies are in heated spaces, but it got so cold a couple of nights ago that some of the the plants that were closest to the walls in the greenhouse got zapped! The losses weren’t huge, but still very frustrating. I have also been dealing with internet issues at home, and since home in the early mornings is when I have time to sit and write, I haven’t been able to work on this post – which has also been frustrating! So here – finally – is the second set of six varieties of tomato that I have growing!!
Mortgage Lifter
Developed in the 1930’s by an inexperienced tomato breeder who simply wanted a “big” tomato, Charlie Byles bred these beauties and reportedly sold enough of them for $1 apiece to pay off his $6000 mortgage – which is where they got their name. Mortgage lifter tends to be a very prolific tomato plant and the fruits are large, smooth, and have a mild tomato flavor with few seeds. They are great for tomato sandwiches!
Missouri Love Apple
This pink potato leaved variety has been around since the Civil War and was grown during that time as an ornamental because people believed that “love apples” as they were called then were poisonous. They are a flavorful beefsteak style heirloom with large fruit that is slightly sweet with just the right amount of acidity.
German Pink
One of the tomatoes that originally ignited the heirloom movement in America, this variety originated in Bavaria and made its U.S. debut in 1883. The luxuriant potato-leaf plants give high yields of 1- to 2-lb, nearly seedless meaty fruit with a full sweet flavor. This gorgeous pink fruit is extremely versatile, excellent for canning and freezing but also for slicing and juicing.
Solar Flare
A large beefsteak tomato that is not only beautiful, but delicious! The eye-catching red and gold striped fruits are meaty and flavorful, offering good scab resistance and a great yield. A real work horse!
Yellow Pear
A fantastic smaller pear shaped tomato with a mild sweet taste and a slight citrus tang, they are the perfect addition to summer recipes. The vines can reach up to 8 feet or longer, so make sure to give it adequate room and support.
Pineapple
Pineapple tomato is as pretty as it is delicious. The large fruits were named pineapple not because of their flavor, but because its appearance when sliced is reminiscent of its namesake. The skin is a beautiful yellow with red highlights, but the beauty continues to the flesh which is a rainbow of red, pink, orange and yellow. It has a mild, relatively sweet and slightly fruity flavor with a lower acidity than many, and the tomatoes themselves are quite large – often up to two pounds.