Hattie’s Garden open weekly Thursday and Friday from 10 to 5

There is nothing like a fresh picked tomato from your own garden. And the good news is there is still time to get those last plantings of tomatoes in the ground and have a good harvest.

My friend Tommy Eliason of Kalmar Farm told me the drop dead date for planting tomatoes is July 4th. Tomatoes are a warm weather crop that needs long days and lots of heat in our mid-Atlantic location.

July 4th is the last date you can reliably set a tomato plant in the ground and expect some decent amount of harvest. Our final planting has made the date and are ready to go this week!

We do several plantings of tomatoes here at Hattie’s Garden and encourage you to do the same. All tomato plants have a life cycle, even though most will continue to produce at least some fruit indefinitely. First we get the initial few tomatoes, then a few more and suddenly the plants are just loaded with tomatoes.

After that, the plant continues to produce, but more slowly and with less vigor and depending upon conditions, the plant frequently succumbs to a leaf disease of some type due to various stresses and the endemic nature of disease in the soil. By planting more than once, you can ensure a much longer window of tomato harvest and continue to enjoy an abundant harvest well into the fall.

You can find us this week on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Historic Lewes Farmers Market (HLFM) located at Kings Highway across from Crooked Hammock Brewery, Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Hattie’s Garden located at 31341 Kendale Road in Lewes, and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the HLFM located at George H.P. Smith Park. If these times/dates do not work for you, please email Hattie to make other arrangements.

Tomato Plants

Hattie’s Garden does a “last planting” for our customers that includes over 20 varieties this year. Varieties are planted in a more limited number, and you will have the best selection by stopping by this week. You may also reply to reserve your favorite variety.

Hybrids: the luscious, unsurpassed slicing tomato Big Beef, an All American Selection winner Celebrity, the very productive and new designer variety heirloom beefsteak Pink Berkeley Tie-Dye and the delicious, more disease-resistant New Girl.

Paste: the first-rate performing Speckled Roman and great- flavored Amish Paste.

Heirloom: the sweet and delicious German Johnson, gorgeous Striped Johnson, the wonderful Prudens Purple, the complexly-sweet flavored Cherokee Purple, the wonderful tasting Black Krim, the renowned Black Prince and the sweet, mild and smooth orange Golden Jubilee.

Cherry: delightful SunGold (hybrid), super sweet Supersweet 100 (hybrid), lovely Jasper (hybrid), luscious Honeybunch Grape (hybrid), the delightfully delectable Indigo Cherry Drop (new hybrid designer variety), and the cherries: the juicy, delicious Black Cherry (heirloom), and flavorful Tommy Toe (heirloom).

Additional Plants for Your Garden

In addition, we have plenty of eggplant plants and hot pepper plants.

Flowers

For flower plants, we offer new plantings of the heat & drought tolerant Gomphrena in two varieties: QIS Mix and QIS Purple. These make great bedding flowers or cutting flowers lasting a long time either fresh or dried for arrangements.

We also have plenty of Zinnias in all sizes ready for planting. Beginning with the Benary Giant Mix (4-5″ flower and 4-5 foot plant) which come in separate colors or mixes. Remember these are cutting zinnias and while they will continue to bloom all summer, the more you cut them, the better they will grow and bloom.

In order of height, we offer the following additional zinnias for your garden: Oklahoma Zinnias (2″ flower and 3 foot plant) and Cut and Come Again Zinnias (2-3″ blooms and 2 foot plant).

There are also French Marigolds for you in an extra dwarf Lemondrop and dwarf Brocade or Queen Sofia.

Produce and Cut Flowers

We are pleased to offer Patty Pan squash, Hakurei turnips, Young Arugula, Loose Leaf Lettuce and Mesclun.

Our fresh herb mix is also very popular and this week will include parsley, oregano, thyme and rosemary. You may substitute marjoram for oregano if you prefer. We also have large bunches of both flat and curly parsley.

Our cut flowers are exploding into bloom. This week bouquets include snapdragons, dianthus, zinnias, cosmos, yarrow and more. Each of our flower cuttings, which will last you at least a full week, are pretty enough to stand alone in a vase. However, we do assemble, in advance, some lovely individually-wrapped bouquets. And of course, you may also request a custom made bouquet, using your choice of flowers, made on the spot. Each bouquet comes with a packet of flower food.

Yours in the Garden & Markets,