Thursday, August 23, 2012

Rumbling weather and tumbling tomatoes

The heat, wind and promise of possible storms here today and yesterday seems to indicate the dark days of winter are over. So I celebrated by buying tomato seedlings. They don't look like this yet ...


but they should one day. Oh joy, oh fun fun fun happiness, the first of the tumbler tomatoes, and indeed any tomatoes for this season are in the balcony garden. Photographic proof to follow soon, provided they survive the next few windy days.

I would have planted more tomatoes, the pots are ready, but they only had boring old red ones like apollo and grose lisse at the shops. As you all know, there are only two red varieties grown in this balcony garden: red tumblers and mortgage lifters!

3 comments:

A Tiny Garden said...

I've just started with my tomatoes too but I'm going to try from seed this year - fingers crossed winter really is over here in Melbourne!

I've never seen or heard of the mortgage lifters before. What are they? I'm always looking for varieties that grow well in pots so would love to hear what has worked well for you.

PJ said...

Hi Tiny Garden. It does look like winter is almost away here in M-town. Mortgage lifters are the most amazing tomato - check out this post for details:

http://totallyineptbalconygardener.blogspot.com.au/2009/03/wrapping-up-tomato-season-no-3-mortgage.html

And check out this post from a while back which tells you lots about tomatoes in pots in Melbourne:

http://totallyineptbalconygardener.blogspot.com.au/2010/01/growing-tomatoes-on-balcony.html

My biggest advice is this:

1. Grow whatever tomatoes or plants you would most like to eat, any tomato can be grown in a pot though some need more staking or training or will need a bigger pot.

2. Tumbler tomatoes are also great for hanging pots, while any tomatoes will grow in a normal pot of ample size.

3. Experiment and have fun, not all tomatoes will work every year. Sometimes we have a good year, sometimes not.

Have fun gardening!!!

A Tiny Garden said...

Thanks! I'm going to have to give some a go this year! Not really sure where I'll put all these tomatoes yet. I just picked up a great heirloom seed mix from diggers club, plus some siberian seeds, plus some sweet cherries I planted a few weeks ago, and I also got another seedling that I saw and couldn't resist!