Pomodoro! Part 1

If there is one thing that I love about summer, it would be tomatoes. Up here in the higher parts of New South Wales the frosts move in during autumn and winter, and only the hardiest of vegetation survives - even the grass quickly goes brown after a few of the heavier frosts. As such, the growing of many types of vegetables is restricted to a short period, and a lot of the time it's a gamble to whether the plants can grow and fruit before the frosts, or whether you've planted the plants too early and a frost is going to get the immature plants. Seeing green leaves one day and then black shrivelled things where the leaves used to be the next is not a happy situation to be in.
Anyway, back to the idea of today's post. Tomatoes are lovely things. The Italian word for tomato is pomodoro (literally golden apple). If you only associate them with the red things in supermarkets, I strongly suggest that you grow a plant or two (they are relatively easy to grow, and will live in a pot full of a good growing medium on your verandah with no problems). The reason that I am telling you this is not just because they taste better, but the sight and smell of the tomato bush is - for me at least - summer personified. The green stems and leaves are odd-looking, covered in small hairs and are easily damaged. But when you damage them (ie when picking the fruit) the smell that is released is something else completely. It's hard to define. It can only be said to be the smell of summer (apart from grass clippings). It's a habit in the family to pick off a few leaves when the plants are immature to smell them. Odd, yes. But try it and see.

I've spoken about tomatoes on here before, but I will do a short write-up on the types growing in the garden this year.
Swift: One of my favourites of all time. Developed in Canada, they claim to be up and fruiting in 50 days, but in my experience 60-70 is more like it (probably due to the lower summer temperatures). Small, determinate bushes that produce golf-ball size fruit. They don't need staking, but it is recommended.

Principe Borghese: A classic small Italian plum. Indeterminate bushes that really need staking. Produces piles of small plum tomatoes. Brilliant taste.

Rouge de Marmande: A classic French variety producing large red fruit with a creased top. Indeterminate.

Grosse Lisse: A variety that was brought into Australia by an immigrant in the 1930's. Name means "Big Smooth". The variety in Australia since it was brought in. Takes a while to fruit, so probably better for warmer areas.

Lecase di Apulia: Indeterminate type originating from the south of Italy. I got the seeds of this variety after watching a TV show (I think it was Rick Stein's Mediterranian series) where there was a variety in Southern Italy that kept for 8 months after picking. I have never been able to see how long it lasts because they quickly get eaten. One of the many problems in growing good food!

To be continued...