Philly - place to purchase heirlooms?

Fiishergurl · May 10, 2016

Well it ends up that hubby and I are going to Philly next week for the summer. He's building a restaurant up there so we will be there for 3 -4 months. I have to leave my whole crop of beautiful tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and flowers behind just as the tomatoes are starting to ripen and the peppers are coming on strong. I won't even be able to try most of the "new to me" varieties I'm growing this year.

But since we are going to be there for 3-4 months I would like to try to find a farmer's market or some place (besides a big box store) to buy a handful of tomato plants for the summer there.

If anyone knows the area and knows of any Farmer's Markets or Flea Markets where tomato plants are being sold please let me know.

Thanks,
Ginny

Jonnyhat · May 10, 2016

Booths corners in boothwyn, PA outside of the city. but honestly your best bet is to go over the bridge into NJ, some of the best tomatoes I have ever eaten can be found there.

I also have a few extra plants, I am about 30 min outside of downtown and they are ready to plant out.

Fiishergurl · May 14, 2016

Thank you Johnnyhat!! When you say New Jersey do you mean to buy tomatoes already grown? I worked in Bensalem about 15 years ago and a lady in the Office brought in home grown Jersey tomatoes and they were to die for. I dont know what kind they were but they were huge red beefsteaks.

Ginny

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Jonnyhat · May 15, 2016

yeah, you can buy seedlings at a lot of the stands in NJ, you at one time could get them at Cowtown which was a farmers market but lately has reduced it self to a place for people to sell knock off gucci purses and such.

Gardeneer · May 16, 2016

I have hears that Burpee has a nursery somewhere in Philly area. But I don't know if they sell heirloom plants.

Gardeneer

Adenn1 · May 16, 2016

Out in the Media area is Wolff's Apple House...it is a nursery and has a good selection of heirloom tomato plants (http://wolffsapplehouse.com/).

In Plymouth Meeting is Maple Acres...they used to sell some plants...but you would have to call (http://www.mapleacresfarmmarket.com/).

Fiishergurl · May 16, 2016

Thank you all for the help and great info. We are going to be only 20 minutes from Wolff's Apple House so I will probably start there and see what they have. Thank you again!

Ginny

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Fiishergurl · May 17, 2016

I read some reviews about Wolff's Apple House and it says they have over 200 varieties of tomato plants. We should arrive at our destination today by noon and my husband already knows we are making the trip to Wolff's this afternoon after we unpack. No time to waste... :-)

Ginny

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Fiishergurl · May 17, 2016

Am I late for planting out? Trying to decide if I need to stick to shorter season varieties.

Ginny

Adenn1 · May 17, 2016

Ginny,

I think you will find a good selection of heirlooms at Wolffs...I was there a few weeks ago to get hot pepper plants for my son. It was cold and raining and I did not take a hard look at what they had for tomatoes...but I have gotten good heirlooms from them in the past. They also sell fresh produce, breads, soups, etc. It's a cool place...and much better than your box stores.

You are no late for planting out...the weather this spring has been wet and pretty cool. The ground is still pretty cold and those who are in already...their plants are not doing anything. I would plant what you want...and hope the weather improves.

Good luck and let me know what you find/buy at Wolffs.

Fiishergurl · May 17, 2016

So we stopped by Wolff's today but only had 15 minutes to look around before they closed. My husband had run by his job site and got hung up there. But I really love the place!! The variety of tomato plants is very impressive. I am into heart tomatoes right now and they had a good selection of those. I didn't purchase any today due to lack of time, but going back on Saturday to find the ones I want.

Here is a picture of some of the heart tomato plants. There were 100s and 100s of plants.

Thank you Adenn1 for mentioning this place and thanks to everyone else, especially to JohnnyHat for offering some of your own plants... :-)

Ginny

ginger2778 · May 17, 2016

Snap up some of those Wes and Hungarian Hearts, and do I see Anna Russian? Ginny, you are in a great place, and I am jealous. Also jealous that you can grow in real soil up there and get plants that can take off and grow as big as they like.
Nice!!!

Fiishergurl · May 17, 2016

Marsha,

There's also Orange Strawberry, Orange Russian and Russian 117 along with several other hearts I cant remember right now plus about 100 or more of all kinds of other types. Wes and Anna Russian are definites, will try Hungarian Heart too... :-) I still have to grow in pots though. We are in a hotel this week but the short term apartment rental that we are working on booking has a small garden space in back... all concrete but it will work... :-)

Ginny

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ginger2778 · May 18, 2016

Luckily you are very well versed already in how to grow in pots. We will be needing your usual excellent photos, keep us posted. I would love to see the space and layout too.

Adenn1 · May 18, 2016

Ginny,
Those are some great heart selections...can't go wrong with any of those. I would get to Wolff's first thing Saturday morning and enjoy looking around. You are only a couple minutes from Media and the town has some good restaurants. Let me know if you want any specific recommendations.

Good luck,
Mark

May 10, 2016	#1
Fiishergurl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Oak Hill, Florida Posts: 1,781	Philly - place to purchase heirlooms? Well it ends up that hubby and I are going to Philly next week for the summer. He's building a restaurant up there so we will be there for 3 -4 months. I have to leave my whole crop of beautiful tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and flowers behind just as the tomatoes are starting to ripen and the peppers are coming on strong. I won't even be able to try most of the "new to me" varieties I'm growing this year. But since we are going to be there for 3-4 months I would like to try to find a farmer's market or some place (besides a big box store) to buy a handful of tomato plants for the summer there. If anyone knows the area and knows of any Farmer's Markets or Flea Markets where tomato plants are being sold please let me know. Thanks, Ginny

May 16, 2016	#6
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	Out in the Media area is Wolff's Apple House...it is a nursery and has a good selection of heirloom tomato plants (http://wolffsapplehouse.com/). In Plymouth Meeting is Maple Acres...they used to sell some plants...but you would have to call (http://www.mapleacresfarmmarket.com/). __________________ Mark

May 17, 2016	#10
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	Ginny, I think you will find a good selection of heirlooms at Wolffs...I was there a few weeks ago to get hot pepper plants for my son. It was cold and raining and I did not take a hard look at what they had for tomatoes...but I have gotten good heirlooms from them in the past. They also sell fresh produce, breads, soups, etc. It's a cool place...and much better than your box stores. You are no late for planting out...the weather this spring has been wet and pretty cool. The ground is still pretty cold and those who are in already...their plants are not doing anything. I would plant what you want...and hope the weather improves. Good luck and let me know what you find/buy at Wolffs. __________________ Mark

May 18, 2016	#15
Adenn1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Philly Posts: 559	Ginny, Those are some great heart selections...can't go wrong with any of those. I would get to Wolff's first thing Saturday morning and enjoy looking around. You are only a couple minutes from Media and the town has some good restaurants. Let me know if you want any specific recommendations. Good luck, Mark __________________ Mark

May 10, 2016	#2
Jonnyhat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 337	Booths corners in boothwyn, PA outside of the city. but honestly your best bet is to go over the bridge into NJ, some of the best tomatoes I have ever eaten can be found there. I also have a few extra plants, I am about 30 min outside of downtown and they are ready to plant out.

May 14, 2016	#3
Fiishergurl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Oak Hill, Florida Posts: 1,781	Thank you Johnnyhat!! When you say New Jersey do you mean to buy tomatoes already grown? I worked in Bensalem about 15 years ago and a lady in the Office brought in home grown Jersey tomatoes and they were to die for. I dont know what kind they were but they were huge red beefsteaks. Ginny Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Tapatalk

May 15, 2016	#4
Jonnyhat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 337	yeah, you can buy seedlings at a lot of the stands in NJ, you at one time could get them at Cowtown which was a farmers market but lately has reduced it self to a place for people to sell knock off gucci purses and such.

May 16, 2016	#5
Gardeneer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: NC - zone 8a - heat zone 7 Posts: 4,919	I have hears that Burpee has a nursery somewhere in Philly area. But I don't know if they sell heirloom plants. Gardeneer

May 17, 2016	#12
ginger2778 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Plantation, Florida zone 10 Posts: 9,283	Snap up some of those Wes and Hungarian Hearts, and do I see Anna Russian? Ginny, you are in a great place, and I am jealous. Also jealous that you can grow in real soil up there and get plants that can take off and grow as big as they like. Nice!!!