Unusual Variety of Tomato Plants to Buy in New Haven area

[shoes]

I am trying to track down some "Sum Gold" tomato plants for my father-in-law's garden. I tried Cheshire Nursery, which normally has a great selection, but I was disappointed.

I heard about some other place in the New Haven area that has a wide variety of tomato plants. Anyone know of a place? Anyone seen this specific variety around?

[junescook]

Btw, no big rush to get those plants into the ground. The temperatures are still on the cool side. They're not going to do much until the ground gets warm; that's why folks around here connect tomato planting with memorial day weekend. Also using black plastic mulch under your tomatoes can serve the dual purpose of preventing weeds and warming up the soil.

[johng58]

Try VAIUSO'S NURSEY in Branford. They are located near Lake Saltonstall and can be seen off I95. They have all kinds of Heirloom tomato plants including Brandywine, Cherokee Purple,Yellow Striped,and many many more.

[junescook]

Tomatomania, the traveling sale of some hundreds of varieties of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes will be at White Flower Farm in Litchfield from Friday May 20th through Sunday the 22nd. WWF is not so far from New Haven and it's a nice ride. Just head up rt 63 from the end of Whalley Ave thru Naugatuck, Middlebury and Watertown, and it's just beyond the Morris line on the left, definitely well before the center of Litchfield.

http://tomatomania.com/whiteflower/

And if you happen to go on Saturday afternoon, you can visit Arethusa Farm, just up the road on the left, home of the top three cows in the US, and owned by the guys who imported Manolo Blahniks.

http://arethusafarmdairy.com/farm.html

[algct]

Check out River Crest Farms in Milford. They are located on Oronoque Road in Milford.

Now open Mon- Saturday 9 to 5, and Sundays 9 to 3. River Crest Farm • 534 Oronoque Rd • Milford, CT 06461 • [phone].

They have some great varieties of tomatoes. Try the Tula Black if they are growing them this year. I'm heading there this Sunday - maybe a week too early for tomatoes, but I want to be able to get the varieties when available.

[debvil]

hey algct great tip on Rivercrest -bought some great varieties of tomatoes & the prices were v.good. Told them I was sent by Chowhound & they said someone (maybe you) was in today saying that they had plugged River Crest on CH.

will recommend to others.

[shoes]

I got some at the Edgewood Park farmer's market on Sunday. Thanks.

[harrie]

I second the Rivercrest endorsement - loads of variety, and while I didn't see everything, everything I saw looked good.

[amanda3571]

Did you ever go to Gilbertie's as per your rec above? Thinking about going there today...

[sibeats]

We normally go to Gilbertie's every year for veggie plants...haven't been yet this year but they normally have a very nice variety of things, and the plants have always done well for us.

[debvil]

didn't go yet since rivercrest covered my Heirloom tomato needs - may stop down there in the next 2 weeks for some tarragon & pineapple mint.

[amanda3571]

I went yesterday. Small heirloom selection, but overall nice selection of tomatoes & other veggies. Hoping they will put more out over the weekend.

[algct]

Glad to have helped.

Now if the weather cooperates, we might have a fair season. Much too rainy, hot too early.
Only a few tomatoes have set. Then again, the plants are 3' high now & healthy. Beats the plastic "taco" tomatoes in the supermarkets - when they come in.

To quote Bob Dylan -
Oh the fishes will laugh
As they swim out of the path
And the seagulls they'll be smiling
And the rocks on the sand
Will proudly stand
The hour that the ship comes in.

Just substitute "tomatoes" for the ship....

[debvil]

Just called Gilbertie's in Westport - tomato plants will be in May 9 - had several heirloom types last year. Saw stripeys, cherokee, brandywine, mortgage lifter, yellow cherry (not sure if they were sungold though) last spring.

[sibeats]

White Flower Farm has tons of varieties...they are in Litchfield, but they do ship.
http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/
I ordered 14 different varieties of heirloom tomato seedlings this year from them.

[harrie]

I haven't seen too many tomato starts out yet; it's still pretty early. A couple of vendors at the Wooster Square Farmers' Market had some, though. It's too early for me to buy them so I didn't check them out, but I can look at them this week (Saturday) if you like. I am guessing that's actually Sun Gold?

Edit: This is one of the vendors at WSFM - http://starlightgardensct.com/ - and he does Sungold, but says he's just starting to seed them.

A place where I've bought great starts is Robert Treat Farm in Milford - but their tomato starts aren't out yet.

[newhavener07]

Second on the Wooster Square farmer's market, I've had great luck with their sungold plants although they're pricey. Much too early to put tomatoes out around here, tho, in the 40s some some nights lately.