Ok, so maybe it’s not actually raining tomatoes. That would hurt. But don’t you think this song (how great is this video?) would be perfect with the lyrics changed to “It’s raining tomatoes!”? Yes? Me too! The video would consist of people outside with their mouths opened while cherry tomatoes fall into them!

The month of July is usually the start of tomato season and this month they didn’t disappoint. They started to grow then they slowly started to turn red. Then they all hit. There are cherry tomatoes, roma tomatoes and the biggest beef tomatoes I ever saw in my life! I’ve mentioned this before but tomato season both excites me and scares me.

It’s exciting because the garden is not complete without the tomatoes and I absolutely love them! It’s frightening because the tomatoes grow quick and they grow many at once. One day it’s a regular day then the next day you’re staring at 100 tomatoes sitting on your counter top waiting for you to make the first move. Are you going to make salsa? Tomato sauce? Stewed tomatoes? Do you wonder how to make diced tomatoes? Are you going to try something new?

Then you have to time it right too. Then you have to start making room in your freezer or pantry for the tomatoes. Then you gotta get your apron on, put a day aside and get your tomato groove on.

The cherry tomatoes always grow great and in great big clusters. I love watching their colors change on a vine from the closer tomatoes being red to the outer ones a green. Slowly the entire vine turns a beautiful bright red.

Our roma tomatoes this year also grew in big groups. Right now it’s not uncommon to see 20 of them growing alongside of each other multiple times on the plant.

This year we decided to try Brandywine tomatoes because the seed description blew our minds. It said “The large fruits, often over 1 lb., have a deep pink skin and smooth red flesh.”. Really, 1 pound tomatoes? Really, 1 pound tomatoes grown in a container? Really, 1 pound tomatoes grown in a container on a rooftop? You betcha. We picked the first 2 last week and they each weighed 1 pound, 4 ounces! We got them over 1 pound! They are giant and beautiful! I love them!

Now picture time with our tomatoes!

CHERRY TOMATOES

Here’s the cherry tomatoes growing on the vine with their various colors. Notice how the first tomato to turn red is always closest on the vine. Since that’s the first tomato to grow it will be the first to turn too.