The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month! JULY 2024 Edition!

The Most Interesting Man in the World

Grow Tomatoes My Friends! So says the Most Interesting Man in the world. The world just hasn't been the same nor as interesting when he left that position behind to live the treasured life of a retired actor. I do miss Jonathan Goldsmith. I do miss his quips. I do miss his commercials. I miss his style. Even though I no longer drink Dos Equis beer, I still find time to grow tomatoes!

The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month, for the Month of July 2024 that is, may never be known. Oh, I have pictures of it! It exists. The first picture located below left is proof of this plant's existence! The problem is, I cannot even begin to tell you what this plant is. I didn't even know what it was named when I planted it last May, which is why I stuck it in the corner of the garden that I rarely visit.

Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month

Well, let me rephrase that. It's a corner that I tend to visit a lot more now. The reason why is self-evident. LOOK AT THAT TOMATO PLANT! It is positively LOADED with bright pink tomatoes. What kind of tomatoes are they? I cannot tell you. The one thing I can tell you is this: These tomatoes are really good. They are sweet. They slice well. They taste great. They do not show a HINT of disease or any other problem. There have been no LOSERS on this plant. Not a single one. This one plant is responsible for many salads, soups, gifts to neighbors AND a good portion of the early crop went into my first canned tomato sauce project.

That's the sign of a very good tomato plant. It's not over yet either. A big portion of the early crop continues to ripen. Those tomatoes formed up early in May and grew like gangbusters. Now that the harvest period has arrived, the upper portion of this tomato plant is setting and developing a rather eye-popping and large late crop. What kind of tomato plant does this? The Tomato Plant for the Month of July does.

Pink Tomatoes

This tomato plant arrived at my home in early April without a number on it. Check that, the one gallon pot had three numbers on it. Every one of those numbers had been scribbled out. There was a fourth number there. I think. But it was so badly degraded that I could not tell what it was. Therefore, it became the "mystery plant" that I tried to give away. But there were no takers for it. Which is how and why it wound up in a corner. Nobody was interested in taking my plant without a name. Therefore, it became the tomato plant that everyone rejected. Hah! Joke's on them! Everyone passed on the tomato plant of the month!

There are a couple of things that I can tell you about this mystery plant. The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month for July 2024 is a Potato Leaf variety. It is a Potato Leaf variety that yields bright pink, tasty tomatoes. This does not tell me what the variety is. But it does make it interesting. If I were to guess? This is a Pink Brandywine. I supposed it could also be another popular variety known as a Wins All. That is another Potato Leaf variety of plant that also yields pink tomatoes. But, there's just one small problem. I already have a Wins All plant in a nearby section of the garden. While the tomatoes coming off this plant are also pink, the comparison ends there. These are two different tomatoes entirely.

New Crop Forming

That is what led me to my second guess of Pink Brandywine. There's just one small problem with this conclusion. The tomato-growing friend that provides me with all of my starter plants did not grow a Pink Brandywine variety. He has in the past. But not this season. Is it possible that a Pink Brandywine seed could have slipped into his seed starting efforts this past spring? Anything is possible, I suppose. But it's also highly unlikely.

Plant scientists are beginning to pay more attention to the potato leaf variety of plant. A recent report from the The Old Farmer's Almanac Garden Planner seems to suggest that potato leaf varieties were developed in Eastern Europe. In other words, these types of varieties were not widely known in America until the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communist rule in Russia in 1989.

Livingston Seed Catalog

However, there's a problem with this theory as well. That problem is Alexander Livingston. He is, or was, an American. He is also known as the Father of the Modern Tomato. It was Livingston who did the groundbreaking work to develop the modern garden tomato we all know and love in North American gardens today. Potato leaf varieties could not have originated in Eastern Europe. Because Livingston developed one at his groundbreaking farm in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. He developed it a very long time ago. No, he was not trading seeds with anyone in Eastern Europe at the time.

That 1887 introduction was given the name of Potato Leaf in one of Livingston's original seed catalogs. According to historical records, however, it's a variety that did not catch on in popularity like other Livingston original tomatoes did. In fact, by 1915, the Potato Leaf was no longer listed in any Livingston catalogs. Perhaps Americans were not ready for the potato leaf yet. Not with a groundbreaking variety like the Paragon.

If there is one thing that modern science can tell us, it's this: The potato leaf variety of tomato plant produces tomatoes that are sweeter and more flavorful than your common, everyday type of tomato plant. That groundbreaking information comes to us from a group of Plant Scientists at the University of California, at Davis (UCD). The study was first published in 2019. The conclusions in the scientific analysis resulted from two years of research and plant testing on the UCD campus.

Grow Tomatoes, My Friends

To quote a small part of the final analysis: "This study revealed the importance of leaf shape to fruit quality in tomatoes, with rounder leaves having significantly improved fruit quality."

I will never know the true name behind this variety. But it does not matter. Because it grows and grows well in the 2024 vegetable garden. It is producing a giant crop and will continue to produce late into the fall season. That is all that matters. That, and the fact that this one reject is the Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month for July 2024.

Grow Tomatoes, My Friends.

EMERGENCY!

Garden Bonanza!

A real emergency? No, not really. A bit of an overreaction on my part? Possibly. But, to be honest, I was worried. I still am worried. I have good reason to be worried about the state of the 2024 vegetable garden. It is turning out to be one of the most successful gardens I have ever planted, either directly in the ground or in a series of raised gardening beds.

The picture to your right is just one example of what is taking place in this year's garden. I started harvesting a month ago. A tomato here and a tomato there turned into two or three fairly quickly. Add that to a Sumter cucumber or two harvested from the cucumber patch, and that's a right fine salad for dinner, lunch or both.

But it didn't stay that way for long. Two to three ripe tomatoes per day turned into dozens very quickly when the five plants that I designated as Cherry Row began to produce. Combine that with the heirloom and hybrid tomato varieties that had started to show signs of turning a pleasing shade of pink, red, or yellow and things began to get interesting to say the least. But, I wasn't worried. Not yet.

Cherry Tomato Plant Row

That all changed one week ago. That is when I spotted trouble. The first sign of trouble. A pest known as a rat, or perhaps several, had discovered the ripe tomatoes waiting to be harvested at the base of a Better Boy tomato plant. This one rat, or many members of his or her family, had managed to eat a large chunk out of one very red and very ripe tomato, and had also started in on another ripe offering just behind it.

It has been some years since I spotted any kind of rat or critter damage in the garden. So, I was somewhat surprised to see this kind of critter trouble suddenly resurface. The adoption of a rescue cat from the Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter put an end to never-ending rat raids that destroyed vegetable gardening efforts of the past. The kids who live next door, and who also love home-grown garden produce, christened my new orange striped rescue with the name of Mango.

Mango Kitten: 2021

That was three years ago. Mango immediately sprung into action the moment I introduced him to the backyard garden in May of 2021. This five-week old ball of fluff immediately owned every row of garden, as well as the fruit trees planted nearby. The rat and critter raids that had decimated the gardens of the past came to an immediate end. Mango caught his fair share of rats, but in reality he scared most of the garden predators out of the yard. Possums and skunks still made an appearance every now and then, but Mango formed a kinship with both. As long as they stayed out of the garden and the fruit trees, all were welcome in Mango's backyard. It was interesting to see those relationships grow and develop.

Unfortunately, Mango developed a bit of a limp last winter. Although it was unrelated to his rat hunting escapades in the garden, it still worried me a bit. Yes, Mango received veterinary care. But, I passed when the veterinarian proposed a surgical solution that carried a cost comparable to the purchase of a new car. There are reasons why I passed. I suppose the biggest reason was that the proposed solution was largely experimental. There was a chance it would not have worked. There was also a slight chance that it would have resulted in a permanent reduction in Mango's ability to walk, let alone run.

Mango on Garden Patrol

Given time, and the onset of summer weather, I had a strong suspicion that Mango's limp would improve with time and rest. It was a correct assumption. Mango's limp vanished as the weather turned from winter to spring. It wasn't long before my rat hunter was springing over fences again and charging after unfortunate dogs who dared to walk in front of his home. All was soon right in Mango's world again. If you don't believe me, just ask the poor German Shepherd that dared to lift his leg on the corner of some inviting grass in the front yard. Mango plays with all dogs who choose to visit. Or launches a surprise attack from beneath a bush or car.

The recent discovery of serious rat damage in the garden, however, surprised me a great deal. No rat had dared to visit since Mango started his daily patrols as a small kitten. It did not take long before that recent discovery of rat damage led to another distressing sight. Mango showed up a moment later, limping badly on the same back leg that troubled him a great deal last winter. I knew immediately that Mango had done battle with a large rat or several rats, and those garden raiders had managed to get the better of him. Or, that was the initial belief. It's been a week since that discovery, and the rat or rats have not returned. There have been no further raids on the garden. Mango's limp, meanwhile, has improved somewhat dramatically.

Mystery Potato Leaf Heirloom

This did not stop me from stripping the garden of every last ripe tomato on the vine. I was not going to wait and risk further rat raids that would have laid waste to garden growth efforts. This was a very early harvest compared to years past. I normally have to wait until late August to see this kind of production out of the garden. This year, however, is proving to be one of those special production years. It might be the record heat that has hammered Northern California this summer. It could also be some changes I adopted in providing water to each tomato plant. It might have been some changes that I adopted when I prepared the garden area for spring planting. Or, I suppose, it just could be one of those years. I'm not sure.

I can only tell you that prime tomato production season has arrived early this year. Every plant in the garden, from hybrids to heirlooms, is sporting a fantastic early crop and enough green tomatoes to guarantee a fantastic late crop. Most of the late production is springing from the heirloom varieties like Caspian Pink, Pruden's Purple, Black from Tula and Watermelon Beefsteak to name a few. This is completely normal. Heirloom varieties are known to deliver bountiful crops both early and late.

Brewing Tomato Sauce

Hybrids are a bit different in respects to production. Those time honored favorites like Better Boy, Better Boy Plus, Big Beef Plus and Steak Sandwich Hybrid tend to produce one big crop. They tend to ripen at the same time and ripen earlier in the season than heirlooms. Which works for me. It makes for a nice garden mix. A sink full of red, pink, black and yellow colors is a pleasing sight to behold. It also means a lot of work!

As for the rats that made an unwelcome visit one night and took chunks out of two big Better Boy tomatoes, they have not returned. This is surprising because rats are very smart creatures. Once they discover a food source they normally make a return appearance. But, they have not returned. I'm fairly certain that it is due to Mango's patrol efforts. He has not provided me with any garden gifts just yet. Which is fine by me. As long as he keeps the raiders out, I'm fine with it. The rats have not returned to the garden, nor have they attempted to raid the black fig tree nearby. This is another welcome development.

Heirloom Tomato Sauce

My recent "EMERGENCY" harvest moment resulted in enough tomatoes, sweet bell peppers, hot jalapeño and paprika peppers, onions and basil to create 15-pints and five quarts of thick garden-grown tomato sauce. It has also resulted in multiple cherry tomato deliveries to the five children who live next door. They can't get enough of them. That kind of appreciative audience works for me. I hope you experience the same type of blessing.

EDIT: I am always listening to the advice of other long-time gardeners. Many are suffering from raids by rats or other wildlife this season. Rats are showing up in backyards where they have never paid a visit before. There are some gardeners who suggest that these raiders are, in reality, stressed by our extraordinary heat this summer combined with a lack of water. They have suggested bowls of water placed strategically outside of garden areas. This sounds like good advice to me.

Beans! Beans! Beans!

Garden MESS!

Tonight's dinner vegetable comes to the table from that garden mass (or mess) to your very right. At one time, that big lump of greenery once looked like the straight rows of seeds that I planted in May. Those perfect and straight rows lasted for about all of five garden seconds. Then, the cucumbers ran over and strangled everything. Including the lawn.

There's basil in there! Three different varieties of basil I might add. You just can't see it unless you strain the old eyeballs. Another item in that garden mess is bush beans. There are two different varieties that I planted. Somehow they've managed to survive the cucumber vine onslaught that devoured all the space I set aside for them, and they are now producing some nice looking beans.

I harvested a few of them for dinner tonight, along with some basil. They will go nicely with the chicken legs that are currently marinating in a mixture of lemon juice, garlic salt, seasoned salt, and pepper. There's no big secret to preparing green beans, at least not in this house. I will cut off the stems and probably cut them in half, and then steam them for 10-15 minutes until they reach the desired level of "done" that I'm happy with. After draining off the water, I will mix in about a tablespoon of butter and perhaps a half tablespoon of chili garlic sauce that I have handy.

Bush Beans and Basil

If chili garlic sauce isn't your style because of the heat involved, I can always default to a jar of Tom Yum paste that I use in my favorite soup creation.

The bush beans represent one of the cheapest things to come out of the garden this year. All of the varieties that I planted, about eight seed packets worth, are heirloom varieties. Heirloom means old. These are the bush bean varieties that came out of your mother's garden, or perhaps your grandfather's garden location or maybe even great grandfather. They've been around for a very long time.

There's a reason why they've lasted so long. It really doesn't matter where you plant these bush bean seeds. They seems to do well from one end of the country to another. Specific climates don't really come into play here. Nor does the planting location. Seeds can be sown directly into the ground, or even a pot filled with gardening soil. The end result is they grow like the dickens. They also produce a boat load of seeds. Those seeds produced by commercial farmers go right back into the nation's gardening supply and wind up in seed packets that are still sold at a very economical (CHEAP) price.

Most of the beans that I harvested today and are pictured above are of the Cherokee Wax variety. They are a milky yellow-white in color. There are a few different stories about how this bush bean was discovered. I'm not sure which one is correct, but I can tell you one story is rather sad.

Cherokee Wax Beans

The first story is that the Cherokee Wax bush bean comes from the Cherokee people that are native to North America. It is believed that the Cherokee grew them for generations in the Great Smoky Mountain range of Tennessee and North Carolina. It is further believed that the Cherokee people carried these seeds with them during the Trail of Tears of 1838-1839, when they were forcibly moved from the Smoky Mountains to Oklahoma.

The second story is that the Cherokee Wax bush bean comes from agricultural research done at Clemson University in South Carolina. This variety was first released to the public in 1947 and has become a standard favorite in just about every American garden. Did Clemson University receive seeds for this bean from native Cherokees? That answer is probably a resounding yes, but I am not sure either. There's also a third story that this bean originated in the Andes region of South America.

Regardless of where it came from, I can tell you this is a great bean dish to have at the dinner table. They can also be canned for future use, a project that I may undertake with a second crop that I planted about a month after the first planting effort.

25-Cent Seed Packets

The second variety of bush bean that will be at tonight's dinner table is called Top Crop. Also known as TopCrop, this variety is a 1950 All-America Selections (AAS) winner. It was reportedly developed by Dr. W.J. Zaumeyer, who is listed as working for the United States Department of Agriculture in a 1930 crop report issued by the University of Wisconsin. These are green in color, and like the Cherokee Wax bean, are very good.

It's safe to say that I love bush beans. They are cheap seeds to buy and easy to grow. Bush beans make a fine side dish, and are welcome additions in soups, stews or anything else you may want to add them too. If I don't get around to canning a jar or ten, large amounts are tossed into a freezer-safe bag and frozen for future, winter usage.

These bush bean plants were not at all bothered by our recent heat wave in Northern California and, because of that heat, are a tad early this year. This does not bother me in the slightest. Food from the farm in back is always a welcome addition.

The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of The Month! JUNE 2024 Edition!

The Most Interesting Man in the World

Grow Tomatoes My Friends! Fine words of advice indeed from a treasured actor like Jonathan Goldsmith. He used his persona as The Most Interesting Man in the World to convince you to drink Dos Equis beer. Which isn't a bad idea. But I'm using his character for a much different and healthier reason.

I don't think he will mind very much.

I do know that I'm a tad late with this blog post. After all, it does come about seven days into the month of July. But I have been dealing with a bit of a difficult heat wave in Northern California at the moment. While it seems like it's been two straight weeks of temperatures at or near 1001 degrees, that's a tad facetious. However, I can tell you that it's tough to do anything in the garden over a long period of time when the mercury hits 110. Which it has. Far too often for my liking to be brutally honest.

Don't get me wrong here. Summer vegetable gardens LOVE heat. Those summer producers love everything about bright sunshine and sizzling hot afternoons. As long as they get enough water, everything in the vegetable garden world is as good as it gets. Peppers, for example, LOVE heat. Hot peppers and sweet bells love it equally. Given them enough water in a heat wave like this one, and they will respond with record growth and happiness.

Pink Vernissage Tomatoes

The same is true with just about everything in the summer garden. This includes The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the Month. This is a large cherry variety. It's about the size of a golf ball. It is one of six cherry varieties that call the garden home this year. But this one is a tad unique. It's not native to California. It's not native to the USA. It comes to my garden by way of a Eastern European country that's been in the news for the last few years. That country is Ukraine.

There's a Russian tomato grower there who is attempting to do all sorts of increidble stuff with my favorite summer fruit. He is the Ukrainian copy or counterpart of California's own Brad Gates, the founder of the Wild Boar Farms collection of unique tomato varieties. The cross-breeding done at the farm of Ruslan Dukhov has resulted in my Tomato Plant of the Month: Pink Vernissage. Dukhov runs his experimental tomato breeding farm in an area called Mushirin Rog. That is in the Dnepropetrovsk region (Oblast) of Ukraine. Please don't ask me to type that out again, let alone try to pronounce it.

The Pink Vernissage, according to Dukhov, is a cross between the Stupice (Stoo-Pick) tomato variety and another that is local to Dukhov's region. it's called the Kitaiskiy Barkhatnyi. Please don't ask me to pronounce that either. I could barely type it. I've grown Stupice a number of times. It hails from Czechoslovakia, near the town called Stupice. It is a time-honored favorite in Eastern Europe, and was one of the first varieties introduced to American growers after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Stupice is one of those varieties that seems to grow extremely well no matter where it is planted. This includes a crack in a sidewalk.

Pink Vernissage Clusters

The Pink Vernissage, or Vernissage Pink as some seed websites call it, is as unique as the striped varieties that have been developed by Gates at Wild Boar Farms. Loosely translated, the term Vernissage means art. It certainly is that. This unique tomato variety is both spotted and streaked with colors of pink, brown and orange. Like every tomato that is vine-ripened in extreme heat and sunshine, every bite is a delight to the tastebuds. My Pink Vernissage plant produced the first ripe tomatoes of the summer season and continues to set clusters of four or six tomatoes on a plant that is now reaching six feet in height. It's open-pollinated, which means it will continue to deliver fruit until the frost of winter shuts it down.

Pink Vernissage isn't Dukhov's only contribution to the world of unique tomato varieties. He's responsible for dozens more. This includes other contributions in the Vernissage variety that carry colors of green, black and yellow. If there is one difference between the work of Dukhov and Gates, it's this: Gates isn't doing his experimental work smack dab in the middle of a war zone. Dukhov, unfortunately, is. His farm is uncomfortably close to the front lines of the conflict between Russian and Ukrainian forces. While it seems that soldiers would not at all be interested in raiding a tomato farm, that hasn't stopped errant shells from falling. One of those misfires reportedly damaged a greenhouse.

Pink Vernissage

That hasn't stopped Dukhov from doing his wonderful work with tomato plants at his small farm. He has a website, which is in Russian and tough to follow. He also posts videos on YouTube, which are also in Russian. Which means it can also be a little tough to follow. Unless you know Russian. Which I do not. Despite the language difference, there is an infectious excitement in his voice when it comes to discussing his favorite subject.

Every tomato tells a story it seems. The Most Interesting Tomato Plant of the month certainly does that and more.