Do you see what I see? Ripe, red tomatoes...in July? In a backyard garden? In Oregon? Impossible you say!
Well, that's exactly what we thought when we were told that this particular variety was guaranteed to produce by the fourth of July. OK, heard that before...never happens. Not here anyway. And even though at the time we already had a greenhouse full of tomato seedlings, after hearing such a claim we brought one home from the Thyme Garden Nursery anyway. Hopeful. To see such a miracle with our own eyes. You could say we were all just a teensy bit doubtful having never experienced anything so grand. In fact, last year our tomatoes didn't ripen until October, right before the first frost set in! Gathered up in the nick of time too. (Remember all those green tomatoes I had decorating my kitchen window sills last fall?)
Anyway, we wanted to be really convinced and just planted this right out in the open. No special treatment whatsoever was given it. Just put it to the test. And as you can clearly see, it passed. I can now therefore say, with certainty, that it did live up to the promise. I'm a believer. I'll never underestimate the potential of a tomato plant again. Now. If I could just get the peas and cucumbers and beans to wake up and take notice of the competition over here. The lettuce seems to be stepping up, but the spinache keeps bolting. I guess we can't have everything now can we? But how about some art and a little music to go hand in hand with the whole wonderous process. Compliments of School House Gardening. Enjoy!
