First heirlooms of 2011

[Stepheninky]

Between the cold wet start of our year here in KY and the hail storms and now the blistering heat I have finally picked my first heirloom tomato. These three are all Olive Hill tomatoes, they are not fully ripe and to be honest just starting to blush but did not want to take any chances with critters or the tomatoes busting if we get some rain though it is only a 20% chance of rain tonight.

I do not have a proper set of scales so unsure of weights. In the pic of me holding the largest one, I did measure my hand from where the thumb joins the wrist to the
tip of my middle finger and it is 9 inches. If that helps to give some scale, so long wise the tomato in my hand is close to seven inches.

[VGary]

Stephen, Your Olive Hill tomatoes look good. I had the same problems of transplanting late because of the rains. My tomato plants are the best looking I have ever had and are blooming like crazy! Problem is I have extreme Blossom Drop due to the 100 degree plus weather. I hope for rain daily but it is very unpredictable. I do try to water when needed. I have a few tomatoes on the vine but none other than a few cherry types have ripened. Don't know if I will even be able to save seed for another year; that is one of my main reasons for growing heirlooms!
Keep us posted!
Gary

[Stepheninky]

Originally Posted by VGary

Stephen, Your Olive Hill tomatoes look good. I had the same problems of transplanting late because of the rains. My tomato plants are the best looking I have ever had and are blooming like crazy! Problem is I have extreme Blossom Drop due to the 100 degree plus weather. I hope for rain daily but it is very unpredictable. I do try to water when needed. I have a few tomatoes on the vine but none other than a few cherry types have ripened. Don't know if I will even be able to save seed for another year; that is one of my main reasons for growing heirlooms!
Keep us posted!
Gary

Thanks Gary,

Yea it does seem to be taking them a while to ripen. Hopefully this cold front that is supposed to be coming through will help things along rain and bloom wise. Not sure how but my plants are all fairly loaded up even with blossom drop. These three and the three from my bush Goliath make only 6 tomatoes harvested this year not counting cherry tomatoes. Hopefully things will get better soon. My plants also look really good for this time of year even with the heat, hopefully both our plants can weather the heat and get to work pumping out those matters.

[fortyonenorth]

Looking good Stephen!

[gtnate]

Those tomatoes have character! I hope they taste good.