Well, a new year is upon us and winter has settled in...but thoughts of what we want to do come spring arrives in the form of seed catalogs.

Let's get this discussion started. Welcome to the 2016 Northeast Veggie Gardens Thread.


Received seeds today from a small order through Victory Seeds...

Got the following...
Garden Pea 'Green Arrow'
Snow Pea 'Mammoth Melting'
Carrot 'Cosmic Purple'
Radish 'Early Scarlet Globe'

Up until the ice storm a couple of days ago, the garden herbs were doing well. Saw a lush blooming dandelion, growing in a small break in the sidewalk, on my walk last week. Daffodils, iris, and some early spring bloomers, including trees and bushes were actively growing. Strange to see in late December. Haven't even cracked the catalogs yet.

While temps have been mild here compared to normal (outside the last week, which has been more seasonable) there is nothing growing. Got a very light snow cover right now of only about 2 inches from our only measurable snow storm so far this season.

I've been checking the veggies in the catalogs....I know I'll get a lot of pickling cukes, zephyr squash, red & golden beets, Jade beans, peas, carrots, & red onions....not sure what else at this point.

Great topic to discuss. I can't wait to start my spring veggie garden.

This year have bought many (to many actually) tomato seeds. I will be starting my own tomatoes this year from seed.

I've done so a few times. However, WFF has a big tomato sale in May....you can get very unusual varieties, so I usually get mine there......

WFF?

I think that would be White Flower Farms.

We actually have a very good variety at our big local nursery (Hicks) but still not the most unusual ones that I want to grow. Yep, seeds for me to start in the spring.

Which tomato varieties have you settled on so far for this season Rita?

Is there enough room to list them all, Rita?

Yes, WFF is White Flower Farm which is just in the next town to the north......they have a great sale in June which I always attend......

robertduval14 said:Which tomato varieties have you settled on so far for this season Rita?

Oh my gosh. The list is very long, long long. I don't have room to grow all I have seeds for.

But they are all pretty much fancy types I can't get locally. We do have a great selection in plants here but not these. I bought from places I have mostly not even known about before and then from some favorite vendors.

All right!! Here is my tomato list from this year. I am starting all of these from seeds. I have never done this before but my list is really long!!

Royal Hillbilly
Country Taste
La Vie En Rose
Amy's Sugar Gem
Market Wonder
Money Maker
Pantano
San Marzano Retorta
Harless Creek Gold
Juanne Flamme
Black Icicle
Black Prince
California Red and Green
Golden Tiger
Purple Dog Creek
Mega Bite
Bush Champion
Bush Early Girl
Taxi


Green Zebra
Red Zebra
Black Zebra
Violet Jasper
Chocolate Pear
Uptown Funk
Anasas Noir
Aunt Ruby's German Green
Great White
Super Snow White
Kakao
Viagra (Niagra)
Sweetie Cherry
Chocolate Cherry
Black Cherry
Ron's Carbon Copy
Amur Tiger
Gypsey

Yellow Iclicle
Speckled Roman
Green Honey
Honey Drop Cherry
Golden Rave
Orange Zinger
Orange Paruche
Jans
Big Sungold Select
Candy Sweet Icicle
Green Tiger
Lucky Tiger
Pink Tiger
Sunrise Bumblebee
Pink Bumblebee
Purple Bumblebee
Blush
Indigo Ruby
Indigo Kumquat
Bosque Bumblebee
Sunchocola
Blue Chocolate
Ivory Egg
German Lunchbox
Ambrosia Giant
Azoychoka
Cowlick Brandywine
Mischka
Cyril's Choice
Russian Queen
Coyote
Yellow Reisentraube
Reisentraube
Black Plum
Garnet
Isis Candy
Nugget Hybrid
Amazon Chocolate

I have it all set up and tomorrow I intend to sow seeds.

I'm at a loss for words! You are amazing, Rita!

Impressive list! Can't say I'm surprised by it though...we all know full well that Rita does not do anything 'tomato' half-assed.

The only one on your list that I've tried is Pink Bumblebee...and I've got to say, while the tomatoes were certainly pretty, I did not care for their flavor very much at all.

I have way too many. Of some that I have multiples of to sow I plan on only planting one. For sure I will only be planting one of each of the Artisans. Those are those Bumblebees and Tigers and Blush. I saw those tomatoes and they are just so pretty I had to try them. But I have others that I am sure will do for taste if these don't turn out to taste as good as they look.

I bought seeds from so many places and not the usual places. So I think I have quite the selection.

What I don't have are the tomato varieties I usually buy and grow. No room for them now. So this year will be a really great one what with all these different and new for me tomatoes or maybe it will not be that great trying almost everything new. I shall find out.

These were from my Pink Bumblebee plant last year. These came off the plant late in the season, they were a bit 'prettier' earlier in the season with the red being a deeper red so the stripes were more pronounced. (It should be noted, however, that none of them looked as good as they do as sellers tags or websites).

robertduval14 said:These were from my Pink Bumblebee plant last year. These came off the plant late in the season, they were a bit 'prettier' earlier in the season with the red being a deeper red so the stripes were more pronounced. (It should be noted, however, that none of them looked as good as they do as sellers tags or websites).

• Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum 'Pink Bumble Bee')
• Uploaded by robertduval14

They look plenty pretty in your picture. But I think those pictures they use to advertise tomatoes always seem to make the fruits look better than they do in real life.

Photo magic.. horrible they do that to us

I know they suck me right in....always buy too much....Rita, that list is just awesome......wish I lived closer, would love to try some of those varieties....I've had Green Zebra & Black Cherry.....my fav toms are Cherokee Purple & Ramapo.....