So… last summer, we had zero tomatoes from our garden. It was half heartbreaking, half infuriating to watch the neighborhood squirrels pluck each green tomato and take a few bites only to leave the rest discarded on our back deck for all to see.
We resolved to build a cage around the plants this year, but never got around to it. And I suppose we didn’t need to, because we have been getting a plethora of delicious tomatoes! So far, 8 huge delicious sweet fragrant beauties (with many more ripening up each day)! And not one theft.
I have no idea why the squirrels seem to be leaving them alone, especially in the drought we’ve been experiencing. They are going after our apples, but we don’t mind because there are hundreds of those!
The above tomato is the Cherokee Purple variety, from Territorial Seed Company (thanks again, Billy and Annie– and if you’re wondering what to get us come Christmas time, we wouldn’t balk at a repeat from this place!!!) and I cannot say enough about this tomato. It is rich and sweet and has a complex flavor (if that makes any sense in thinking about tomatoes). I have been eating mine sliced sprinkled with sea salt or Spike, or with tuna salad, or topped on pita with homemade hummus and cucumber for lunch (recipe coming today). It is divine.
Hoping your tomatoes are coming in strong! They sure must love heat, because that’s what we’re bringing to the table this year!
I have heard from many friends that last year was a bad year for tomatoes. We had some plants of different heirloom types that grew like crazy – but without growing a single tomato.
Those tomatoes are gorgeous and perfect. We are growing loads of cherry tomatoes this year, and they have given Audrey a nice daily “matolo” supply.
Beauties! We’ve had a few ripe plum types but most of our’s are just starting to ripen. And we do have a Cherokee purple too! Tomatoes are James’s thing so I don’t know what else we have going on but they always taste good 🙂
We planted fifteen tomato plants this year, but none of them are a Cherokee purple so I’m feeling a little bit sad now because it sounds delicious…oh well, there’s always next year!