Kirby Road Farm 

Fiona Tomato Varieties 2008

Len's Prize (largest one last year was 4 1/4 lbs.) and Joan's Roma are two varieties that are only available at our farm. Our great-niece, Fiona, is pictured holding a Len's Prize which weighed in at 3.4 lbs.  This particular tomato fed six of us for lunch and we still had some left to save some seeds; it was so good looking that we decided to call this strain "Fiona".

The tomato plants are sold out for 2009, thanks to all who put in their orders and to those who purchased their plants at the Farmers' Market.

Last summer got off to a slow start, but the strong plants seemed to bear more fruit over a longer period of time than usual. We were very happy with the quantity and quality of our tomatoes in 2008.  After several years of hot and dry summers, cooler temperatures and rainy weather late in the summer of 2007 provided the perfect conditions for Late Blight, and many people lost their tomato crops to the disease which can turn tomato plants and their fruit into a black mess practically overnight. This could happen again and the best way to prevent Late Blight is to supply a cover from the rain, and still allow for lots of air circulation; the dryer the foliage the better.  The Tomato Care Page  should help to identify a couple of diseases that are common to our area as well as how to prune the various types of tomato plants.  If you have any questions about our varieties or the care of tomato plants, please give us a call at home at 250-338-6388, or Len is always eager to talk about tomatoes and he can be reached on his cell phone at 250-218-0296.  Orders, enquiries, or comments are also welcome by email at (take out the spaces) kirbyrd @ telus.net.

On the list below, click on the underlined link to view pictures and more details about the varieties.  Indeterminate tomatoes should be pruned to one or two vines and need support.  Determinate plants usually do not grow more than 3 or 4 feet and do not require pruning.  The fruit is cleaner and in better condition if the plants are caged or tied to a short stake.

Large plants in gallon pots - $5.00 per plant (*except Sweet Hearts which are $6.00)
Big Beef Big Beef  Large, meaty beefsteaks. Indeterminate
Early Girl Early Girl
Sorry, sold out
See New Girl		 Early, medium-sized shiny red fruit on a vigorous vine.  Indeterminate
Fiona Fiona Seeds selected from a good-looking "Len's Prize" which weighed 3.4 lbs. Indeterminate
Peach Garden Peach Heirloom yellow tomato.  The soft, velvety skin has a slight blush, delicate flavour.  Indeterminate
Lemon Boy Lemon Boy Large, meaty, bright-yellow with lots of flavour.  Indeterminate
Len's Prize Len's Prize Our own selected seeds from huge, prize-winning tomatoes.  Indeterminate
Lunch Box Lunch Box Egg-sized tomato on a compact plant.  Determinate
Moneymaker Money Maker Old English variety, medium sized fruit can be grown in the garden or greenhouse.  Indeterminate
New Girl New Girl   Early, medium-sized fruit very similar to Early Girl, but more productive.  Indeterminate
Sweet Cluster Sweet Cluster Firm, round, 2" fruit, very dependable.  Indeterminate
Joan's Roma Joan's Roma  Our own variety, large, juicy, tender skinned, tasty fruit in the roma shape. Indeterminate
Chocolate Cherry Chocolate Cherry Heirloom, deep purple cherry tomatoes, sweet, exceptional flavour. Indeterminate
Gold Nugget Gold Nugget Early, bright-yellow cherry tomatoes grow on a bushy plant, best in containers. Determinate.  Also available in large pots (see below).
Red Alert Red Alert
Sorry, gallon size sold out
Still some large pots available for $15.00		 Very early red cherry tomatoes with excellent flavour on bushy plants. Determinate.  Also available in large pots (see below).
Sun Sugar Sun Sugar Golden cherry tomato with wonderful flavour grows on tall vine.  Indeterminate
Sweet Baby Girl Sweet Baby Girl Red cherry tomato, plant quite compact for a vine type.  Indeterminate
Sweet Hearts Sweet Hearts
*Seeds are expensive, note price		 Red Grape tomato, very sweet, large plant.  Indeterminate. $6.00 per plant
Tumbler 2 gal pot Tumbler Red cherry tomato plant that hangs over sides of container or hanging basket.  Also available in large pots or hanging baskets (see below).

Cherry Tomatoes in large pots, (your gardening is done!)

Tumbler, Red Alert, or Gold Nugget in a 3-gallon pot  $15.00
Duet - two plants: yellow Gold Nugget and red Tumbler in one large 5-gallon pot $20.00
12" hanging baskets with two Tumbler plants $20.00

Home Recipe:  Slow Roasted Summer Tomatoes Tomato Care Plants