The site of my main garden belongs to a friend, who wants his land back. Because I’m finishing there and looking for another place, I won’t be growing as many plants this year.
At the same time, I have some space on my roof and am growing some things in containers. I’m always a little ambitious on what can actually fit on my roof, and this year is no exception. I have already planted, or am in the process of planting, the following:
Tomatoes:
- Pineapple
- Black Pineapple
- Black Prince
- Silvery Fir Tree
- Matt’s Wild Cherry
- Sugar Cherry Currant
- F2 Hybrid, Ida Gold x Whippersnapper
The Silvery Fir tree is a carrot leafed tomato. What’s that, I hear you ask? Well there are ‘normal’ leafed tomatoes, and some of you who have grown heirloom tomatoes have probably seen ‘potato’ leafed plants where the leaves resemble the potato plant. Well this is ‘carrot’ leafed. I guess the tomatoes are ordinary and red, I don’t know. Does it say something about me that I am growing a tomato plant to look at the leaves? I got this tomato via a seed exchange with a tomato grower in Denmark.
The F2 hybrid was breed by Lieven of Garden of Eden, who breeds it specially for the F2 generation. F2 hybrids are genetically unstable, which means every plant is different, and the F2 generation is the most unstable. I will plant three of this tomato so I can compare them. I’m going to give some plants away to friends, so we can compare with each other too.
Potatoes:
- La Ratte d’Ardèche
- Peruvian Purple
- Charlotte
- Sarpo Mira
- Catriona
Cucumber:
- Kaiser Alexander
Lettuce:
- Doree de Printemps
- Pinokkio (Pinocchio)
- Sherwood
That Silvery Fir Tree sounds interesting, I hope you can get a picture of it! I am growing Pineapple this year also.
I’m looking forward to seeing this tomato foliage! Have you ever grown the garden peach tomato? I’m curious about fuzzy tomatoes.
I grew Silvery Fir for many years in the UK (where I think I introduced it). Anyway, aside from the lovely foliage, it is also an excellent, and very early, bush tomato. A real winner, in my opinion.
Garden Peach did nothing for me. But then, neither did Brandywine, which so many people in the US rave on and on about.
I think I overestimated my space too. Part of that was because husband wanted half an allotment full of potatoes, which we will never be able to eat! I can’t resist the tomatoes though, so I have to find a place for them. There is an orchard behind my allotment plot. I’m going to ask if I can put rows of tomato plants in pots between their trees. It’s not very shaded.
As regards the land, have you looked on marktplaats? Quite often there are allotments for sale in some of the complexes in North Amsterdam. Our association doesn’t allow any structures and is purely a ‘moestuin’ complex, but the real ‘volkstuinen’ have space to put up a hut and greenhouse etc. Do a search, maybe there is something there that you might like?
It seems like this is the year for pineapple. I know Kenny from Veggie Gardening Tips is also growing it. I’m also going to give one to Ash in a few days…
I’ve never grown the peach tomato. I love Brandywine, but it’s kind of a fussy plant and not very productive.
Ash:
I’ve been looking at Volstuinen (allotments) in and around Amsterdam, and I haven’t found anything I like yet. The biggest problem is my garden now is 800m2, and none of the volsktuinen are bigger that 200m2, and I haven’t found a place yet where it was possible to get more than one. Of course if there is any structure on it, that also takes up some of the space.
Like you said too it’s a matter of purchasing them from the previous owner, and most of them have unwanted structures or plants I would need to pay for, then probably remove anyway. As well as a volkstuin I am also looking for just a piece of land to buy.
Also, I forgot. I’m also growing beans ‘Cherokee Trail of Tears’ from Ottawa Gardener on my roof this year…
I’ll be interested to read what you think about Sarpo Mira – seems to have excellent blight resistence.
Was interested to read Jeremy Cherfas’ comment – this maybe the same Cherfas who used to run Future Foods – I got some great seeds from the years ago, especially Lacinato kale