COME AND GET ‘EM!!
It looks like all signs are favorable and this weekend is confirmed for our BIG TOMATO SALE! WOOHOO!!
What: Shibaguyz Tomato Sale
Date: Saturday, May 30
Time: 11am – 6pm
Where:
9029A 18th Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98106
We are located in a townhouse on 18th Ave SW between SW Henderson and SW Barton in West Seattle. If you use a map search engine, it will bring you right to our street address. After you arrive, look for the signs and the Shibaboyz… I’m sure they’ll be doing their part to help their dads during the sale… right…
If you have any further questions, please feel free to call our business line at 206-579-0599 and ask for The Shibaguyz!
Why have we waited so long, you might ask, when the big box stores have been selling tomatoes for WEEKS now? Well… have you noticed how cold it has been here at night in our little area of the planet? A lot of the unfortunate ‘maters we’ve seen out and about have either died back completely or are so stunted they may or may not recover to bear much fruit. Yes, there are those brave souls out there who have used hoop houses and commercial gadgets to keep their tomatoes warm enough to stay alive. The fact of the matter is, however, our soil temps just haven’t been up to supporting much in the way of these heat-loving wonders we all lust after in our summer gardens.
Believe me… we understand you enthusiasm. What we have found in the past is that a little bit of patience pays off in the great race for the ripening tomato here in Seattle. Our plants we put out at the beginning of May the past two years were no bigger or more productive than those we put out the first week of June. That being the case, why put ourselves through all the fret and worry of wondering if our lycopersicum lovelies were going to be frozen out?
*whew*
There… now whenever folks ask us this question, we’re just going to refer them back to this page. LOL
Following is a list of ALL tomatoes we are growing in our little space here. We have not taken an inventory as of yet for each variety but there are, literally, hundreds of starts on every surface and shelf in our hot room and on our patio. Our private orders have been filled and now we’re ready to open our stock to the public.
Prices range from $3.00 to $10.00 depending on size and variety. Each of these plants have been raised by us here in our grow room. All have been transplanted twice in order to encourage better rooting so you can just pop ‘em in the ground or a pot with a little food and they should perform very well for you. And, as always, The Shibaguyz use NO chemicals on our plants so you can be sure you are getting food that is safe and healthy for you and your family.
Again, this is a complete list of all varieties we are currently growing… not all of them are ready for sale this week. Those needing another week or so to set up will be available for ordering ahead of time with pick up dates within seven to ten days. Our location and contact info is listed below.
So… without further ado…
Here we go…
Paste Tomatoes
AMISH PASTE TOMATO
82 days
Originally from the Amish of Wisconsin. Seed acquired from the Amish farms in Lancaster, PA. The deep red, 8 ounce fruit resembles an acorn, with thick flesh and few seeds. Makes an excellent canning tomato! *Indeterminate vines.
Note: Ours grew to be over 12 feet tall!!!
SAN MARZANO TOMATO
80 days
An excellent tasting Italian paste variety known for its high yields. The deep red, pear shaped fruits (3½ by 1½ inches) are solid and meaty and grow in clusters. Great for drying! *Indeterminate vines.
Italian Roma Tomato
The Tomato Bush Italian Roma, ‘Lycopersicon lycopersicum’, is a determinate type Heirloom paste tomato from Italy. The Italian Roma is an excellent, old heirloom tomato used for sauce or canning. The very firm, meaty 3 inch pear-shaped fruits have very few seeds. They are very productive and can produce up to 200 fruits on compact vines.
Salad Tomatoes
BLACK PRINCE TOMATO
85 days
This old Russian heirloom has become very popular in gourmet restaurants! The smooth, round fruits have a deep, garnet skin color with dark, reddish – brown flesh. Very juicy and flavorful! For best flavor, the tomatoes should be harvested when the shoulders still have a trace of green. A MUST for the tomato connoisseur! *Indeterminate vines.
RED ZEBRA TOMATO
75 days
The showy, mottled skin of this variety hints at the rich, sweet flavor held within. The red, medium sized fruits are beautifully marked with gold highlights. A heavy producer of great tasting fruits. *Indeterminate vines.
STUPICE TOMATO
55 days
An exceptional tomato from Czechoslovakia! A great tasting, early variety that produces globe shaped fruit that are deep red, weigh 3-4 ounces and has potato leaf type foliage. A tangy, real tomato flavor! *Indeterminate vines.
SWISS ALPINE TOMATO
80 days
This old world favorite was brought over from Switzerland in the 1880’s. This highly productive plant produces small, 4 to 5 ounce tomatoes, with deep red flesh and that true, sharp tomato flavor! Sets fruit even in cool weather. Remember those good old tasting tomatoes? This is it! *Indeterminate vines.
COSMONAUT VOLKOV TOMATO
72 days
The juicy red, luscious fruits are perfectly shaped, and grow on short vines that remain healthy and vigorous when others have shut down. Named after the Russian cosmonaut, this variety will consistently produce a bumper crop of fruits with a rich, tomato flavor, even with areas with a shorter growing season. **Determinate vines.
FIRST PICK TOMATO
60 days
A French variety popular for generations in the Baptiste family of Reims, France. The fruits are deep red, globe shaped and weigh 4 to 5 ounces each. This plant sets fruit in cool weather, providing tasty tomatoes sooner than other “early” varieties! Also does well as a fall crop, setting fruit in the cooler night temperatures. Exceptional flavor for an early tomato! **Determinate vines.
LONG KEEPER TOMATO
As the name implies, this tomato is meant to be grown for storage. Plant later in the growing season, so the fruits start to mature in late fall. Pick the ripe and partially ripe tomatoes before the first fall frost, and store in a well ventilated area with temperatures around 60 to 70 degrees F. Will last from 6 to 12 weeks in storage! Semi-determinate vines.
OREGON SPRING TOMATO
55-80 days
This very early variety is a great choice for short growing seasons or container growing. The flavorful, red, 3 oz. fruits are nearly seedless, and are uniform in size. Good choice for an early tomato crop. **Determinate vines.
Cherry Tomatoes
SUGAR LUMP TOMATO
70 days
This old German heirloom is exceptionally sweet and high yielding! The deep red fruits are ¾ to 1 inch in diameter and grow in clusters of 6 to 12 fruits. *Indeterminate vines.
BESSER TOMATO
75 days
From the southern area of Germany (Freiburg region), this old favorite dates back to the 1800’s, and is a must for any tomato lover! The plants produce 3/4 inch diameter fruit in clusters of up to 12, very sweet, cherry tomatoes. The vigorous vines need strong cages for support.
*Indeterminate vines.
MEXICO MIDGET TOMATO
65 days
A very prolific producer of small, ½ inch, deep-crimson colored fruits that have great tomato taste. The tall vines keep bearing till frost. Great for snacking or in salads. *Indeterminate vines.
SIBERIA TOMATO
40-70 days
Excellent choice for cold weather areas. The dwarf, sprawling plants are able to set fruit at cooler temperatures. This Russian variety produces plenty of red, 1½ oz. fruits with good, strong flavor. Does well in containers. **Determinate vines.
SUB-ARCTIC PLENTY TOMATO
40-60 days
For those with short growing seasons, this extremely early variety has upright stems packed with 1½ inch fruits. Has excellent cold-setting abilities. Great for early summer harvests or when used in Fall container gardening. **Determinate vines.
RIESENTRAUBE
80 days
Grown by the Pennsylvania Dutch as far back as 1855, the name of this old German heirloom translates to a “giant bunch of grapes”. Clusters of 20 to 40, 3/4 ounce fruits abound on its vines, while the flavor is similar to larger beefsteak varieties. *Indeterminate vines.
Hartman Gooseberry Tomato
70 days
Bright Yellow cherry tomatoes on vines that produce several hundred fruit per plant. Great flavor and excellent in salads or sliced with olive oil and mozzarella cheese. *Indeterminate vines.
- -NOTES- -
* Indeterminate vines- Plant continues to grow throughout the season until frozen or hacked down. Continually bears, harvest all season long, smaller amounts over longer periods.
** Determinate vines- Plant grows to a standard size, fruit sets and ripens around the same time. Harvest usually lasts a few weeks.
Water and Fertilizers – Most of the tomatoes we offer have the same requirements, water at plant base never foliage except foliar feeds. Tomatoes can be heavy feeders; use balanced organic fertilizers like worm tea or fish emulsion.
- Excess nitrogen = big leaves, no fruit
- No calcium = blossom end rot
- Extreme heat = blossom drop
- Infrequent watering = cracked skin
