Wednesday, August 08, 2007

Killer tomato



Dudes, check this out! Monster tomato, with a quarter for scale. And it was a suprise. I hadn't seen it growing. It was way, way inside a Constoluto Genovese plant. And I was reaching around in there and grabbing ahold of whatever looked ripe and pulled this thing out! Ha. It will be dinner tonight. I am picking serious tomatoes. In the last three days, 34 quarts and 4 pints. I have some serious canning to do with my deluge of San Marzanos. And I am making nice money with the tomato stand.
In other news, our Silver Maple was finally cut down on Monday. They didn't even give us any notice. So when I pulled out of the driveway Monday morning I had no idea it would be the last time I would see it. Our yard looks like it was bombed where that tree stood. And I feel very exposed. The sun really beats down in the morning and it just feels very open to the street. Husband is also freaked out about it and agreed to spend a good bit of money towards fall to have a substantial tree installed. It was for the best as almost all of the large limbs were hollow inside, but I seriously miss its leafy treeness.
Kitt tagged me for the seven random garden things meme and I am slowly compiling some items. Key word is slowly. It is 96 degrees here....feeling like 104. I break out in perspiration 5 minutes out of the shower. I don't like being sweaty. Still won't break down and get a.c. though husband is seriously tempted. It will be fall soon enough I'm afraid. I saw a garden center advertise mums on the way home. Good lord.

16 Comments:

Blogger BettyWestern said...

Pardon my ignorance, 'mums'? Do you mean chrysanthemums? Or something else? Nice tomato by the way!

4:51 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Is that tomato supposed to look like that? It looks like a ruffle!

We had a hot, humid day, too. August is not my favorite month!

6:15 PM  
Blogger Annie in Austin said...

Man, oh, man - one slice of that beauty would be be heaven. What a good thing you looked, Meresy, or you may have found it with holes punched by birds or with critter teeth-marks.

EAL at Gardening While Intoxicated is having Silver Maple woes, too - at least you'll get to plant a new tree - sometimes in cities when one comes down, the rules for spacing have changed and a new one can't be put in.

Annie at the Transplantable Rose

8:31 PM  
Blogger kris said...

That is a gorgeous tomato!!! How many plants do you have? Because ours are starting, but nothing like you have. It's okay - as long as we have at least one to eat everyday!!
Sorry about your tree - I remember the post where you said you were going to lose it - even with warning I'd guess it would have been a shock to come home and have it gone.
Mums???!!! Not ready for that - at all.

8:57 PM  
Blogger Rurality said...

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes! :)

9:08 PM  
Blogger Kitt said...

Now that's a tomato!

Sorry your tree is gone; it's like losing an old friend, I'm sure. I recommend a linden next.

The heat is returning here (100 by Saturday). It's a dry heat, but 100 is just damn uncomfortable no matter what.

1:54 AM  
Blogger cyndy said...

Nice Tomato! A blue ribbon-er! They do like their heat and humidity!

The low pressure should be moving outa here by the weekend. And I've already seen the leaves starting to change colors....sigh...

7:50 AM  
Blogger El said...

My tomato CAN beat your tomato! Yours is much prettier, though; mine was a catfaced Brandywine.

How many plants do you have, that you're getting such output?

8:35 AM  
Blogger meresy_g said...

Ummmm.....20 plants I think. Plus volunteers from last year. I know, a lot for someone that just recently started liking tomatoes. I just can't help myself in the spring with all the plant shows and stuff. All of the San Marzanos are coming in now and I have some serious canning to do this weekend. I really hope it isn't 90plus degrees. This tomato is supposed to look like this. When they are smaller, they look like heavily ribbed pumpkins, but when they grow big they are beautiful. It would have been a blue ribbon. Too bad the Etown fair isn't until the 20th. I don't think there are any more like this lurking out there.

Yes, around here mums means chrysanthemums. And I can't believe it is almost that time. Seriously, there should be a law, not until after Labor day.

Kitt, why do you recommend a linden? I'll have to do some research as I don't know much about that tree?

10:44 AM  
Blogger Liz said...

Lindens grow FAST.

Gorgeous 'mater! I just picked my first Early Girl yesterday. And now I hear that fall's coming? Aaagh!

8:46 PM  
Blogger Ali said...

Lovely tomato, I am seething with tomato envy. I have MONSTER plants, as my chief plant pincher hubby has been slacking, and lots of green 'maters but no red ones yet.

Sorry about the tree. A few years ago we had dreadful ice storms and lost many, many trees, I cried every time I saw the campus quad. Mourn but replant with joy.

9:38 PM  
Blogger Kitt said...

Lindens don't actually grow that fast, but they have a pretty, tear-drop shape, are very hardy, and have the most wonderful-smelling blooms for a couple of weeks in the summer. And they're not messy. They're recommended as a street tree here.

I posted about the one I planted at my old house, here.

2:56 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

That tomato is a beauty. What is the flavor like? Tart or mild? I love the shape and have marked in a catalog for next year. Does that plant produce a lot of fruit? I know, lots of questions but my tomatoes are not so good this year and need work! Next year!

10:11 AM  
Blogger Omelay said...

wow that tomato is amazing.

12:50 PM  
Blogger meresy_g said...

Layanee,

Constoluto Genovese is a fairly prolific producer. It is slow starter, really needing the heat to get going, but puts out lots of fruit. Not every tomato looks like this. Most are about the size of a tennis ball and look like heavily ribbed pumpkins. Some have no ribbing. I am not a tomato afficianado, so I would describe it as very tomatoey, not overly sweet, but certainly not tart. I have a coworker that described it as 'the best tomato they have ever eaten' after I brought some in. It has a good amount of flesh and few seeds and is a good keeper. My garden center sells them in the spring, but I usually keep seeds just in case, cause I would never want to lose this variety.

1:04 PM  
Blogger Mikaela said...

What a cool looking tomato! :D I love it!

2:34 PM  

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