i think i remember growing matina many years ago and i didn't have good luck with it

Matinas are early ones, taste better than Early Girl I think, and rather small sized. They bore a lot of fruit, starting early and producing tons of tomatoes right until fall. Another thing I like- no green shoulders.

In this picture the Matinas are the smaller ones on the plate in the foreground and on the meat platter. See- no green shoulders!

Any of the weird colored ones- like purple or black- I have trouble telling when they're perfect for eating.

Karen

very, very nice.

wow, I agree, nice! thanks for the experience and of the pics

Oh, for some home grown tomatoes. It's still a tad early to start the tomatoes here, but I've been tweaking my list for weeks now. So many choices, so little room. As of yesterday, here is my latest attempt at a 'final' list:

Aker's West Virginia
Black Krim
Chocolate Cherry
Djena Lee's Golden Girl
Eli
Goose Creek
Kelllogg's Breakfast
Kennington's Big Red
Lillian's Yellow Heirloom
Marianna's Peace
Martino's Roma
Neves Azorean Red
Persimmon
Pruden's Purple
Sungold Select
Super Beefsteak
Azoychka
Break O'Day
Carbon
Didi's Yellow
Green Moldovan
Japanese Black Trifele
Rose De Berne
Super Sioux
Bloody Butcher
Early Wonder
Kimberly
New Yorker V
Small Fry
Stupice
Tiny Tim
Tumbling Tom Hybrid

Some will go into the ground, some into Earthboxes and hopefully some into eBuckets. A couple will be in hanging baskets and a few in 5 gal. nursery containers. I really want to make room for a Moreton somewhere ... maybe another eBucket for that one. This year HAS to be better than last.

Mary K.

thats an impressive list. good luck

Thanks, Frank. I'll need some luck. Due to so little room, I'll only have one of each plant. I just hope the weather cooperates this year.

My friend ordered a package of Amish Paste & La Roma. Haven't tried those before. They sound good. I start the plants and give a whack of plants to my friend, who shares awesome salsa & stuff. She's the cook & I'm the grower. Works great!

Wow--that's a great arrangement, Joanne. Wish I could find somebody here willing to do that. I'm so excited about finally starting my tomato seeds this weekend. Our weather has finally warmed up this week, so spring is on it's way!

It is a great arrangement. We swap flowers for (I think) baking. Actually, I think it's just food for plants.

I thought I would start them in the GH this year and as luck would have it, we had cloudy snowy days. So I switched the petunias (all germinated) from the inside shelves & tomato trays from the GH. The tomatoes usually germinate within 3 days indoors. I tried 3 different peppers and they have all germinated so I moved them to the GH too. I feel like I'm behind the 8-ball this year. Haven't even started my wintersowing.

I'm getting ready to seed my tomatoes this weekend--peppers got started last weekend. I've been spending the past several days analyzing my shelving units w/lights to figure out where everything is going to fit. I'm praying for an early spring so I can move my big containers of herbs that I've overwintered outdoors. I've got an entire flat of peppers for our Master Gardener's group--what was I thinking when I volunteered to do this? They are all going to have to go into larger pots soon, which will take even more space. Can I rent some greenhouse space from one of you?

All the tomatoes germinated & now are just forming their true leaves. Very exciting

Another view

Geez, I haven't even sown mine yet. Hopefully this weekend. I plan to wintersow them in 16oz. cups again, adding soil to the top as they grow.

Karen

I didn't sow mine yet either.. slacking off

that is quite set up you have there and the plants look great.

Looks great Joanne. Everytime I see a picture of your greenhouse, I have some major greenhouse envy!

I have to do the bubble wrap thing.. and find a heater... hopefully I will get it done this year

Just came upstairs from watering and checking on everything under the lights. I got tomatoes sprouting YAY!

They are quick to germinate.

Here's the varieties that I have this year.
TOMATOES
Tomato - Cherry Cheesmani Heirloom small yellow pear
Tomato - Cherry Chocolate Cherry Heirloom dark cherry
Tomato - Cherry Sungold 60 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - Cherry Sweet 100 60 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - Grape Juliet 60 Days Indeterminate (vine) mini Roma
Tomato - Grape Sweet Mojo 60 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - Greenhse Cobra 65 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - Huge Brandywine Heirloom 70 Days Potato Leaf
Tomato - Huge Oxheart Heirloom 80 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - Huge T&T Monster 100 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - L Carbon Heirloom Large dark
Tomato - L Celebrity 70 Days Determinate (bush)
Tomato - L Chocolate Cherokee Heirloom Large dark
Tomato - L Mortgage Lifter 85 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - L Purple Cherokee Heirloom Large dark
Tomato - L Super Fantastic 70 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - L Ultrasonic 65 Days Semi Indeterminate (bush) globe
Tomato - M Manitoba 60 Days determinate (bush)
Tomato - M Bonny Best 72 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - M Early Girl 52 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - M Green Zebra Heirloom medium indeterminate
Tomato - M Matina Heirloom early globe potato leaf
Tomato - M Stupice Heirloom early Potato Leaf
Tomato - Paste Mamma Mia 62 Days Determinate (bush)
Tomato - Paste Amish Paste 80 Days Indeterminate (vine) 8oz
Tomato - Paste La Roma Heirloom
Tomato - Paste Roma VF semi Bush 65 days
Tomato - S Tumbler 49 Days Determinate (bush)
Tomato - S Tumbling Tom 49 Days Determinate (bush)
Tomato - XL Big Beef 73 Days Indeterminate (vine)
Tomato - XL Ultra Sweet 62 Days Indeterminate (vine) globe

Cucumber English Telegraph

PEPPERS
Pepper Gypsy Hybrid Sweet 60 Days matures yellow to red
Pepper North Star Hyb 65 Days matures green to red