Tomato Plants in the Ground

I planted a bed full of tomatoes this morning!  One plant of Aunt Ruby's Green, and two each of the other varieties.

                  Black Krim                    Sun Gold
                                                      Cherry


                 Aunt Ruby's                   Long Tom
                 German Green


                  Mule Team                    Cherokee
                                                       Purple

I planted them in the bed as shown above.  It'll be hard to forget what's what this year, though.  It's going to be a colorful assortment of tomatoes... purple, black, gold, green... and even some red!

Aunt Ruby's German Green  80 days.  (Indeterminate)  Heirloom beefsteak variety from Ruby Arnold of Greeneville, Tennessee who passed away in 1997. Slightly flattened, 1 pound fruit that ripens to a pale greenish-yellow ("lime jello green") with a slight pink blush that extends to the inside. Superb, fruity, sweet and slightly spicy taste. apparently, judging when they're ripe can be a bit tricky.  Watch for a faint yellow blush on the stem end and a softening of the fruit.  I bought this on a whim from Will at the Pittsboro Farmers' Market.

Long Tom  85-90 days. (Indeterminate)   A popular heirloom with scrumptious, old-fashioned, tomato-y flavor. The fruits are meaty with few seeds -- delicious in salads or sauces. A strong vine, this variety yields superior crops of barrel-shaped, 5in fruit.  Purchased from Will at the Pittsboro Farmers' Market.
 
Cherokee Purple  85 days. (Indeterminate) Disease resistant, good for the South. Pre-1890 Tennessee Heirloom, reportedly of Cherokee Indian origin.  Large fruits (10 to 12 oz.) are smooth with slightly ridged shoulders. Ripens to a unique dark, dusky pink/purple. Sometimes called a 'black' tomato, the color carries through to the flesh, especially at the stem end. Good resistance to Septoria leaf spot.  My favorite tomato last year!  Purchased from Will at the Pittsboro Farmers' Market.

Mule Team  86 days. (Indeterminate) Heirloom that is notable for its uniform red fruit, weighing 8 to 12 oz., on vines that bear continuously until frost. Fruits are slightly ovate with slightly dented shoulders and are defect-free resulting in a continuous yield with a very high percentage of usable fruit.  Aptly named workhorse of a tomato which delivers well and long into the season.  The fruit is sweet with a slight amount of tang. 'Mule Team' is one of my favorites.  Purchased from Will at the Pittsboro Farmers' Market.

Black Krim  75-90 days (Indeterminate) Heirloom from the Black Sea of Russia.  Dark brown-red tomatoes are large, 10 to 12 ozs., and very richly flavored with just a hint of saltiness. Color is darker in hot weather, and fruit seems to set well even in the heat. Prone to cracking, but a very heavy producer.  Best eaten fresh.  Not a good canner.  I picked this one out of the seed catalog and grew my own seedlings.  Tip read online:  Pick it before it looks ripe. Goes soft quickly, and does tend to get cracks.
 

SunGold Cherry Beautiful cherry tomato that ripens to a golden orange. The Sun Gold Cherry is possibly the sweetest cherry tomato around. Plants bear lots of fruit, and ripen early, continuing to produce throughout the season. I love these little bites of summertime!  Purchased from Will at the Pittsboro Farmers' Market.