100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden by Carolyn J. Male, Frank Iannotti (Photographer), Kent Whealy (Foreword by)

From the Publisher

Drippy, delicious, mouthwatering taste. That's what heirloom tomatoes are all about. From seeds carefully collected and passed down through generations, heirlooms reinvigorate the garden--and captivate the gardener--with their beguiling flavors, their wild variety of shapes and colors, and their enchanting histories.

100 Heirloom Tomatoes for the American Garden covers every facet of raising these nearly lost treasures, including when to plant seeds and transplant seedlings, ways to prevent foliage diseases, cultivation, propagation, and more.

Following the step-by-step how-to is a stunningly photographed and comprehensive field guide to 100 tried-and-true heirloom varieties, from the spicy Green Grape--the only true ripe-when-green cherry tomatoe-- to Omar's Lebanese--a superbly flavored pink beefsteak that can grow as large as four pounds.

Booknews

Tomato aficionado and professor of microbiology Dr. Male provides a detailed analysis of 100 heirloom tomatoes, with observations ranging from their foliage type and productivity to nuances of flavor. Includes chapters on tomato culture and seed-saving, with excellent color photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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Table of Contents

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BLACK FROM TULA

Part of the fun and excitement of growing heirloom tomatoes is to experience the fantastic range of colors and tastes.  First-time growers of black-type tomatoes are often astounded by the unique color.  Some, unfortunately, are so put off by the unconventional appearance that they  never get to truly enjoy the wonderful flavor.

There are those who claim that black tomatoes have a salty or even smoky flavor, but I've found them to be absolutely rich and sweet.  When ripe, Black from Tula has prominent green shoulders and a dusky rose-black coloring. (When grown in the North, the black types don't develop the true blackish color that they do in the South.)   The chocolate flesh is contrasted nicely with the deep green gel capsules that encase the seeds.  The photograph also shows a distinctive spiral pattern of concentric cracking.

Black from Tula has a very heavy foliage cover of regular leaves, and is somewhat susceptible to early blight.  The yield is moderate.  It performs better for me than all the other black types except Noir de Crimee.

TYPE: family
ORIGIN: Ukraine
MATURITY: midseason
COLOR/SHAPE: smoky, dark reddish black with green shoulders; oblate
SIZE/ARRANGEMENT: about 10 to 12 ounces each, growing singly or in clusters of two or three
YIELD: moderate
PLANT/FOLIAGE: indeterminate habit with heavy cover of regular-leaf foliage
TASTE: rich and sweet
SEEDS: available commercially