Announcing our 2008 Tomato Plant Sale

It's getting to be that time of year again, folks!  Love Apple Farm will start selling tomato plants (also called starts or seedlings) Saturday, March 15, and continue selling them three days a week.  Our open hours will be every Saturday, Sunday, and Wednesday, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  We should have plants for sale through May (or while supplies last). Click here to go to our page that details special appointment needs, a map to the farm, and our complete list WITH description of the 125 different tomato varieties we will be selling this year.

Photo courtesy of Tana Butler.

Comments

[Assertagirl]

Oh, if only you weren't on the other side of the continent! I'll be getting my tomato plants started in the next week or so here in Ontario. Spring can't come fast enough.

[Baroque]

Awesome! I will stop by this weekend, buy a few seedlings and start building my drum!

[Mary Molle]

I'm getting anxious for tomato time!

bw tje cat aka Mary Molle

[Kristine]

Cynthia,

I'm so looking forward to this year's tomato season - especially since I plan to head up coast your way to take advantage of your seedling sale this year. I haven't yet planted anything from you, but am excited to try! I've only had one successful year with tomatoes in this state - last year in a little garden in my backyard in Salinas - prior to that they just didn't fare well in pots in not very sunny Marina. I grew up in the midwest and all my grandparents and greatgrandparents (even the "city slickers") had tomatoes growing every year - I got spoiled. I never realized how much I would miss that moving to the coast. While delicious, farmer's market tomatoes just don't taste the same. Now it's my turn! See you soon!

[Annette J]

Tomato and spring time is a special time of year when seeds, plants and people renew and start again. Plant sales are the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year. It is great to have your sale start the season!

[Kelley Patrick]

Cynthia,

Ever since I discovered you a few years back I am an heirloom tomato growing addict! I have had the greatest luck with your tomato plants, especially Chuck's Yellow. If you want more pounds of beefsteaks than you and your friends know what to do with this is the plant! The hardest thing about visiting your wonderful spot is restraining myself from buying too many plants for my tiny condo yard! No one every believed me that they grow to over 6 feet! I look forward to seeing you soon.

[Zachary Goldberg]

I have been dreaming of your tomato plants for a year. Last year was the first time I purchased seedlings from you. I planted them at my girlfriend's house, tended to them, and became eager for my tomatoes to ripen. But, before they had a chance, my girlfriend dumped me.

[Jerry Brock]

We have been getting plants from Cynthia for years, and have become hopeless tomatoe freakazoids. Way to many choices aaaghhh!. We took a seed class, and now raise our own every year, but we keep coming back for the new varieties. We also eat at Manresa in Los Gatos and it is fantastic (especially the produce). I am so glad this woman is not still practicing law.There are way too many lawyers, but not nearly enough Cynthias.

[george yahwak]

Thanks for the reminder...glad to see planting season (indoor) starts in 2 weeks here in CT, and my order is going out to you tomorrow morning.

[donna snodgrass]

I took your tomato class at GRPG and came home with a 24 flat, 3 seeds in each. Wow Cindy!!!! I ended up with 64 tomato plants. I kept 5 for myself and gave many to friends and family (20 went to Reno and did very well in yards there) the remainder went to my garden club. I had selected a variety of colors and shapes so everyone got a bit of tomato variety education. It was a great experience and gave me a great respect for all the people that grow hundreds of little seeds every year. It's a lot of work.!!

[Ariyana]

I've never planted your tomatoes, but I'm planning to stop by this year!

I live up the coast a ways, so I'll be excited to get a cherry and maybe a small tomato that handles cooler weather well. That's probably all I'll have room for on my apartment's patio! :)

[ij]

A voracious pill bug (or two) just mowed through my tray of tomatoe seedlings... : (
I'll have to swing by and replenish with some of those fantastic sounding heirlooms of yours. See you then!

[Peggy Youmans]

I can't wait to get started. I grew up in Turlock and was so used to my family's home grown vegetables. I can't eat a store bought tomato. I discovered Love Apple Farm a few years ago and adopted the idea of growing in the black pots. It worked great the first year. Then a friend in produce told me his father always planted his tomatoes on Ash Wednesday. So I did that last year. I did not have good luck. But I'm having to restrain myself. I want to plant now. Will be up to see you soon, maybe you can give me a tip when to plant. Thanks for all your good advice and the newsletter. Really appreciate it.
Sincerely, Peggy Youmans

[Cindy]

You have restored my excitement in growing tomatoes! After 30 years of vegie gardening, I was getting a little bored with my annual salsa garden. This year I attended your Feb 10th class along with my buddy Julie and between us we have now propagated ~150 seedlings with ~30 different types of tomatoes. All are progressing well and I am truly excited again about growing these unusual heirlooms. Thanks for bringing the spirit back to my garden!

[Julie Forbes]

Wow! Last year I did an experiment. It was my second year planting tomatoes.

I planted 1/2 Love Apple seedlings and 1/2 my seedlings. My seedlings had gone in before the Love seedlings, so they had a head start in terms of time. However, they did not have a "leg up" in terms of amendments and proper seedling treatment.

My Love seedlings had proper seedling treatment and went into amended soil. I followed Cynthia's fabulous growing tips for all my plants and my Love plants yielded pounds more fruit than my own seedlings. The Love Apples grew over 6 feet tall and pretty much sang with health and vitality. My seedling plants, whispered a bit, gave some fruit and were loved none-the-less. Without Cynthia's growing tips, I am not sure my seedlings would have had more than a couple of tomatoes each. (Like the year before when my total yield was under a dozen tomatoes!)

This year, I had the opportunity to plant my seedlings in one of Cynthia's tomato classes in February. In a little over a month, again following the wisdom of Cynthia, they are gorgeous, happy and thriving and will be ready to plant as soon as the soil is warm and ready.

I am proud to be a tomato-growing-seed-nurturing-soil-amending-tomato-freakazoid!

Thanks Cynthia for feeding my passion! What was life like before I grew tomatoes????

[Dwayne Petty]

We stumbled on Love Apple Farm 4 years ago due to a traffic accident detour on 9. We have driven back from Fremont every year. Cynthia's plants are healthy, and I have grown the best tomatoes I've ever eaten. Wonderful variety, beautiful colors, great flavor! And Cynthia patiently answers questions and gives great advice. We'll be doing a family outing over to the farm again this year! Dwayne in Fremont

[mary-anne]

Great newsletter! I am passing it on to my mom who is an hour closer to you than I am. She is in Sunnyvale.

Not sure if we'll make the drive this year, but I so love your selections and healthy plants.

Mary-Anne

[Cindy Holmes]

Hi Cynthia!
I just planted some seeds this week (a late start I know) but i will be stopping by to pick up some seedlings of other varieties. Last year I planted your seeds in a full flat and I had more tomato plants than I could handle. I gave dozens of plants away to friends, family and coworkers and they were all very impressed with the beautiful tomatoes they produced. Some of these folks even planted them in Mt. Shasta where the growing season doesn't start until June 1st! This year we will be planting in Boulder Creek and I can't wait to see how they do. See you Saturday.

[Doug Whitmore]

I took your starting tomatoes from seeds class and have a flat of nice plants going. Some got a little sunburned (I've learned my lesson there) so I might need to come up and grab a few more plants!

[deborah bigelow]

hi Cynthia,
I am so excited that it is tomato growing season! I came to your cage building class last year and had so much fun.COming to your farm always inspires me. I love growing heirlooms and trying different ones from you every year. This year I have a combo of seeds I got from LAF and ones I bought at the garden center. stupice,camp joy cherry, tigerella, black prince and marvel stripe. The babies are looking strong and I try to follow all your tips! Hope to make a trip to Ben Lomond this Spring and maybe take another class.
Happy Spring!

[D J]

Hello Cynthia -

Three years ago I purchased several seedlings from you for my first attempt at growing tomatoes. OK OK. No need to throw any my way it just took me a little longer to realize how much more better tasting "home grown" 'maters are!
Last year I saved the seeds from my first year and had somewhat of a success. However, I think I'll return for more of your wonderful seedlings this year because yours tasted better, produced more fruit and the drive down is always a delight!
I've checked your list and look forward to seeing you soon.

[Adrienne]

Can;t wait to plant some of your tomatoes. I will pick up the seedlings during one of the two classes I am taking at Love Apple this month.

[Helen Russo]

Hello Cynthia,
I just planted some of the seeds from you, and am saving the rest for my friend and fellow tomato lover Peggy. Can't wait for summer. The plants that came from Love Apple Farm via Peggy last year were so fun because I didn't know what I was going to get! There were oxhearts, round ones, a paste one, late ones, and colors...wow. My family loved seeing what they all turned out like, and then eating them as fast as they ripened. :) Thanks for such a great blog, very inspirational.
Helen in Salinas, Ca

[Liz]

Boy do I feel left out! I wish that we could make the trip for the sale or a class! Wish we lived closer.

[Annie]

I've seeded my tomatoes too and have over 200 seedlings growing. Who knows how many I will be able to fit into my garden and who knows what variety I'm still wishing I seeded...You may just see me at your farm looking through your varieties for yet another plant! This year, I'm excited to try some new varieties as well as old standbys. I'll let you know how they do.