Richmond Nursery - Our History Fri, 27 Nov 2020 01:07:06 -0500 Joomla! - Open Source Content Management en-gb Growing Tomatoes Growing Tomatoes

Time to take the confusion out of tomatoes.

There are lots of different tomatoes out there. And I mean lots. Let's break down tomatoes a little and make it easier to choose what tomatoes are best for your garden.

Tomatoes can be broadly divided into a few different types or classifications based on their fruit characteristics.

  • Beefsteak - Beefsteak is a classification, not one specific variety. These tomatoes tend to be large and meaty tomatoes. The size varies, but they do tend to be on the large size. The beefsteak type called Supersteak produces about 2lb tomatoes which is pretty impressive.
  • Slicers - These are basically the all-around tomatoes that you often get in the stores. Medium in size and good yields.
  • Paste, Sauce or Saladette - These are the more fleshy and dry varieties. Roma is probably the most common one and San Marzano is a very traditional Italian paste type and probably one of the driest tomatoes. They make great sauces and saladette usually refers to having chunks in your salad that don't fall apart like a Beefsteak probably would.
  • Mini - These are basically all the small tomatoes. Cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, pear tomatoes, and now current tomatoes. These are all small tomatoes, usually with a high yield.

Now that we have our types settled out, you can narrow down your selection process. Next is to look at how the plant grows which is one of two ways.

  • Determinate or Bush Type - These plants grow to a specific height and then stop growing up. Some are larger than others, but they take up far less space in the garden. Some super determinate types, like the compact Megabite, make excellent patio tomatoes in pots. They generally need less support, though it's always a good idea to add a little support to a tomato so the fruit doesn't touch the ground.
  • Indeterminate - These plants just keep growing. Some can be quite massive. My Supersteak plant covered an area at least 6' diameter last year. These plants really do need support as they just keep on growing.

Knowing the size and the type of tomato really helps narrow down your tomato selection. Next is to look at harvest time. Each variety has a different harvest time, often shown on the tags as days to harvest. If you're after multiple tomatoes, it's a good idea to stagger the harvest time by picking some with a short harvest time of 60-65 days all the way up to late harvest times of 80 days or more. By doing this, you don't end up with all your tomatoes at the same time. By getting larger plants started earlier, that means they spend less time in your garden before they set fruit. Often earlier crops of tomatoes grown in large pots are already 30-40 days old so that cuts your first harvest time in half.

Lastly, what's an heirloom? Essentially, it's an older variety of tomato with less breeding involved. It's a rather loose definition since and heirloom to one person may not be "old enough" to be and heirloom to somebody else. Sometimes heirlooms have a stronger flavour, but the trade off could be lower yields, cracking, or susceptibility to diseases. Heirlooms are also not necessarily labelled as such so it takes a little homework to figure them out.

You have your tomato selection all figured out. Now it's time to plant. I always say, use some poop. Tomatoes like food so adding a healthy dose of manure does wonders for a tomato plant, or any vegetable garden for that matter. If you're growing in a pot, you will need extra food in the form of fertilizer. From there on in, enjoy your tomatoes!


]]> (Super User) Gardening Wed, 23 May 2018 07:40:27 -0400
Growing Garlic Growing Garlic


There's nothing like fresh garlic. And if you've ever tried imported garlic from Asia beside locally grown garlic, you will be a true believer in local garlic.

Garlic is actually quite easy to grow. Like most plants there are technically many varieties of garlic available. The size, taste, and cold tolerance are all different between varieties. Some are hotter, some mild and monstrous, some that perfect balance for your pallet.

Growing garlic really is easy. Far easier than you may expect. It's also a very compact plant so it's great to grow where you may have limited space. My first trial at garlic at home was along the back edge of my front flower beds between the house and our flowers. This narrow strip was perfect since it was sheltered nicely and the garlic was taller than our flowers to it added a little extra interest to the garden. By the time the garlic was done and ready for harvest, the annual flowers took over the bed. It was a win-win situation.

First you need to select your bulbs. Choose ones that are firm and in-tact without damage. Bulbs should be separated into individual cloves for planting. Though larger cloves have a greater tendency to produce larger bulbs, smaller cloves often produce a concentrated flavour. Personally, I think variety is the spice of life so I make sure to get a few different kinds to hedge my bets and experiment with the diversity and flavours available.

You plant garlic very much like any other fall bulb like tulips or daffodils in the fall. Pointy side up, and plant about 1 1/2 to 2 times as deep as the bulb is around. That puts garlic at roughly 2" or 5cm deep in the soil. Commercial garlic gets spaced about 6" or 15cm apart, and 12" or 30cm between rows. That makes it quite compact and high density compared to other plants, perfect for in-fill planting.

Once it's planted, water it in well. Unlike tulips, rodents typically avoid your garlic which is very handy. Adding a touch of manure or compost on top always helps to feed the bulbs. Make sure the ground stays moist until the ground freezes. The little bit of moisture helps prevent cold damage (remember: wet roots don't freeze).

In the spring, your garlic will sprout up with a central stalk and leaves coming off the sides. Sometime in June you will start to see the beginning of the flower. It will come from the centre of the stalk and will be all curled up with a tear-drop shape at the top where the flower would eventually open. That's the garlic scape and it should be removed to help the bulbs form better. Garlic scapes aren't to be wasted. They taste wonderful sauteed in butter, added to sauces, or even preserved into a pseudo pesto for use later.

Once the leaves have essentially died off in the summer, it's time to harvest. Dig up your garlic and let it sit in the sun. Fresh out of the ground there's lots of moisture in the bulb and the skins aren't well formed. They can be eaten as-is, but the flavours intensify and develop as they're dried. Give them a couple weeks to dry up and enjoy your harvest. There really isn't anything quite like fresh garlic.

]]> (Super User) Gardening Wed, 20 Sep 2017 10:58:34 -0400
Preserving Food Preserving Food


Preserving food takes time and effort. It always has and it always will. So the question becomes why would we bother in today's day and age of globalization when fresh food is available year-round and pre-canned food is readily available?

The answer can be quite complex. Other that just the satisfaction of knowing you've grown the food you're eating and the taste is just so good, we all need to know the value of food.

There's a drive to feed the world and breeding of fruits and vegetables has been steered into the lines of efficiency, longevity, shippability, ease of harvest, and processability. Taste has been removed from the equasion for the most part. Preserving your own foods ensures you have the best tasting food grown the way you want it without that extra breeding for all the aspects that aren't as high on our priority list.

But more importantly, we all need to see the value of our food. We're lucky to have some of the lowest priced foods in the world, but the side-effect being that our food holds inadequate value. We've been a lucky society in that we've never come face-to-face with starvation like so many places in the world and so many of our ancestors but that luck has bred a wastefulness. Our children pick little bits and pices from their plate and leave the rest. I always remember my dad saying that, during the war, the most food went to those who could work the most on the farm. Whoever was smallest, got what was left. And he was the youngest. It taught him that all food has value and nothing, and I mean nothing got wasted.

Good ingredients take time and cost more to grow. Preparing good food the best way will always cost more than the lowest cost means. I remember when an unnamed food processor came to Canada and there was a stink over tomato juice. In Canada, it has always been mandatory that tomato juice is just tomato juice. But the processor, to save costs, preferred to re-constitute tomato paste with water like they do south of the border. I actually never followed the outcome, but it exemplifies the cost savings over the true value of the product. Does our tomato juice hold so low of a value that we can't even enjoy it without cutting processing costs even more?

It was a number of years ago, I first canned my own tomatoes for the winter. It was time consuming, it wasn't a very clean process, and it really wasn't horribly exciting. I learned the value of the lowly tomato that year. Every time I opened a can of tomatoes I enjoyed the flavour, and I was much less likely to have waste. I'd seal up the jar if there was some left and made other meals shorly thereafter to make sure we enjoyed every last bit of thsoe tomatoes. As benign of task canning those tomatoes was, it taught me a valuable lesson. It's also a lesson I really think our kids need to learn as well.

Since my first experiment with my tomatoes, I continue to try and preserve what I can. I make a hot sauce of Thai chilly peppers with onions, carrots, and lime juice. A Moroccan style Harissa sauce with garlic, olive oil, and all kinds of spices for a real kick. I smoke and dry my jalapenos into chipotle powder. We freeze our strawberries for a mid-winter snack. There's more I want to do, but I fully admit time is tight. Every time I cook, I know I have more delicious food that I value more than the $0.99 can from the shelf. Somehow, it also makes my food taste better.

]]> (Super User) Blog Fri, 30 Sep 2016 08:55:20 -0400
Squash Soup Squash Soup


Of all the things I've cooked, I don't think anything has needed as much tweaking as making a squash soup. The base part is easy, but making it over-the-top can be tricky.

For the base:

  • One squash - butternut squash is my preference for soup
  • One medium potato - to thinken the squash
  • Stock - I like home-made chicken stock, but any will do to your liking
  • Olive oil and/or butter
  • One Onion
  • One clove of garlic
  • Cream - whipping cream or table cream, depending on how thick you want your soup.
  • Salt, pepper, and nutmeg

Chop the onion and garlic give them a light browning in olive oil or butter. Add the stock and cubed squash and potato. Cook covered over low heat until the squash is soft throughout. Add the cream, salt, pepper, and fresh grated nutmeg. Blitz the cooked soup into a smooth consistency.

So that's the base of the soup. Unfortunately, I always find it a little bland. On my last iteration, here are the extras I added:

  • Half a home-made chipotle pepper - adds a touch of heat to the back of tongue and hint of smokiness
  • Dollap of unsalted butter - for extra creamieness in traditional French style
  • A few sprigs of parsley - for that tangy grassyness
  • Truffle oil (or slices of truffle if you happen to have some) - gives that extra little earthiness.
  • Shot of Sherry - adds that earthy and almost "mouldy" depth
  • Anchovies - for extra saltiness and umami to fill your mouth
  • Fennel seeds - just a touch to round things out a bit
  • Dash of Indian Saffron - for the exotic hint

As I said, no other dish changes as much with every preparation as squash soup. There's no right or wrong. Just keep tasting until you think this batch is perfect.

Once it is, there's nothing quite like that warm, rich, creaminiess and those buttery and earthy notes of the squash to warm up a cool, crisp fall day.

]]> (Super User) Recipes Tue, 20 Sep 2016 17:39:47 -0400
Spaghetti Squash Spaghetti Squash









Easy, delicious, and healthy.

]]> (Super User) Recipes Sun, 11 Sep 2016 15:21:33 -0400
Caprese Salad Caprese Salad


You can't get much easier of a salad than a Caprese Salad. Tomatoes and herbs from the garden, some good olive oil, mozarella cheese, and a dash of salt and pepper.

  • Tomatoes - a good slicing tomato works best here
  • Fresh Basil
  • The best Mozarella you can get, preferably traditional Buffalo Mozarella
  • Olive Oil, again the best you can find for full flavour
  • Salt & Pepper

Slice the tomatoes and mozarella into equal sized slices. Alternate layers of tomato, mozarella, then basil. Drizzle with olive oil and a touch of salt and pepper. You Caprese Salad is ready to serve.

]]> (Super User) Recipes Mon, 05 Sep 2016 09:49:42 -0400
Lamb Meatballs With Root Vegetables Lamb Meatballs With Root Vegetables


In this dish, the strong lamb flavour is countered by the buttery sweetness of carrots and parsnips. It's both an easy and economical dish.

For the Lamb Meatballs:

  • Ground Lamb
  • Ground Corriander Seeds
  • Ground Cumin
  • Salt
  • Paprika
  • Mint
  • Onion
  • Oil for Frying

Dice the onions finely and place into a bowl with the ground lamb. Add some of each of the spices to taste and mix well. Let sit a few minutes for the salt to help bind the meat. Roll the mixture into about 1" diameter meatballs. Set aside while you prepare the root vegetables.

For the Root Vegetables:

  • Carrots
  • Parsnips
  • Unsalted Butter
  • Whole Cumin Seeds
  • Parsley
  • Salt & Pepper

Cut the carrots and parsnips in diagonals to create even sized pieces. In a wide pan, melt the butter and add the root vegetables. Stir well to coat with the butter. The vegetables should be in a signle layer and should sit in a small amount of butter and not be dry in the pan. Cover and cook on low heat tossing every 10 minutes or so until soft. Remove the lid, increase the heat sligtly, and add the cumin, a touch of parsley, salt, and pepper to taste. At this point, you're trying to lightly caramelize the sugars on the vegetables with slightly higher heat to make a glaze. Flip occasionally to get an even glaze.

While the vegetables are glazing, heat some oil in a fry pan nice and hot. Add the meatballs gently without crowding the pan. Brown the meatballs evenly on all sides.

Place the glazed vegetables on a plate and spoon the meatballs over them using a slotted spoon. Optionally, drizzle the remaining melted root vegetable butter over the dish.

]]> (Super User) Recipes Mon, 05 Sep 2016 09:30:00 -0400
Romaine Lettuce Romaine Lettuce


Unlike some other lettuce, Romaine packs more of a flavour punch. By itself, it can be bitter so finding a good way to prepare it always helps.

The first thing to remember is how to clean and prepare it. The first rule is to avoid using a knife to cut up lettuce and instead tear the leaves. When you tear the leaves, the cells stay in-tackt and separate from each other while a knife cuts the cells open. When you cut the cells open, that releases the moisture and flavour onto your knife and not in your mouth. So always tear your lettuce and don't cut it (with a few exceptions).

Second, give it a good rinse. Romaine is notorious for hiding little bits of grit in their leaves. Pre-soaking your lettuce in cold water with a spash of white vinegar will also help keep the lettuce crisp.

My favourite way of having Romaine is in a Caesar Salad. Let's forget pre-packaged dressing for now and make our own. It's not so hard to do and you just need to remember seven main ingredients:

  1. Salt & Pepper
  2. Parmesan Cheese
  3. Garlic
  4. Olive Oil
  5. Vinegar (preferably Apple Cider, White Wine, or lastly White Vinegar - Red Vinegars tend to overpower)
  6. One Raw Egg
  7. Worcestershire Sauce

Start by crushing the garlic in a garlic press. Add salt and pepper, a dash of Worcestershire sauce, the raw egg, olive oil, and vinegar. Use amounts you're comfortable with - after all, it's your dressing. Mix well. Add Parmesan cheese and mix until it's at the concistancy you like. Optionally, you can add a few diced anchovies as well. Once it's all mixed, dress your Romaine and it's an instant salad.

Play with the proportions a little. You may like more or less garlic depending on your taste and the quality of the garlic. I tend to use close to a 50/50 ratio of oil and vinegar, but some people prefer different amounts. Just remember the seven main ingredients and go from there.

Romaine on the BBQ?

For all the men out there (or meataterrian women) playing with the BBQ which believe salad isn't food, it's what food eats, here's another easy way to make Romain for those in the family that want some greenery with their BBQ. It's easy and it's delicious.

Start with a full head of Romaine Lettuce and cut it lengthwise into two halves (the exception to not using a knife). Give it a rinse, then a pat dry. Grab some olive oil and a brush and liberally brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with some salt. Put the Romaine on the BBQ roughly half way cooking your steaks (timing on the BBQ is always important). Once you start to see grill marks, give it a flip. You want to have tasty grilled spots but still keep the inner part of the lettuce crisp. Once cooked, move it to a plate. I usually put a spoonful of dressing both under and over the lettuce. Although I prefer blue cheese to compliment the grilled taste and the steak I usually serve it with, feel free to experiment with your favourite dressings. Half a head of Romaine serves one person.

So plant a few Romaine or Cos lettuce as they call them in the garden and enjoy a simple and easy salad or grilled Romaine for dinner. You can't beat home-grown.

]]> (Super User) Recipes Tue, 17 Jun 2014 20:00:00 -0400
Asparagus Asparagus






]]> (Super User) Recipes Wed, 04 Jun 2014 00:00:00 -0400
Heirloom Tomatoes Heirloom Tomatoes


I write this article as I'm making tomato sauce to be preserved for our long cold winter. This is my first year canning tomatoes and sauce and I've paid more attention to the varieties of tomatoes I'm using. So this subject does deserve some attention.

So what exactly is a heirloom tomato? Essentially it's an older variety that's stable and comes true from seed. Quite a few tomatoes are hybrids which means their seeds come from two different tomato parents crossed together but the seeds from the hybrid won't produce the same tomato. Plant breeding dates back centuries. Although most plant breeding was simply done by natural selection, it's still plant breeding. Imagine a farmer in the 1700's or 1800's growing tomatoes. They take the seeds they have and plant them to get a thousand plants. They grow them through the season. Some do well and some don't. Some die from diseases while some are more resistant. Some crack more and others don't. All kinds of things happen. Our historic farmer then harvests his tomatoes and brings them to market. But unlike modern times where we get new plants or seeds each year, he needs to collect his own seeds. Being a clever fellow (which many farmers are but don't get their due credit), he only saves the seeds from his best tomatoes - the ones that grew well, didn't get diseases and didn't crack. Do this for a few generations and suddenly the crop gets better and better each year and also gets more and more consistent. The cross pollination from those first 1000 plants has stabilized to create a new variety. Essentially, this is the source of heirloom tomatoes.

Modern plant breeding has a somewhat different criteria than our historic farmer did. After all, he hand-worked the field and people came to him to get his tomatoes. That, and he sold everything fresh. Modern plant breeding, because of consumer habits, has necessitated a different criteria of plants. Our tomatoes still need to be disease free and crack resistant with a decent yield just like our old farmer, but other factors have come to the forefront like shelf life, resistance to bruising, preservation, uniformity, colour, and other factors irrelevant to the older farmers. But there is one key criteria that was different to our ancestral farmer: taste. Our old farmer looked his customer in the eye and handed them a beautiful tomato and it had to taste good while today we have no idea who grew our tomato. We rarely know who produces our tomatoes.

Since modern tomatoes have a different criteria, that makes tomatoes different. Not necessarily better, but different. Modern tomatoes are more resistant to cracking and have less diseases and higher yields than heirlooms. But usually, though not always, heirlooms taste better.

What do I prefer? Well, mostly heirlooms and a few modern hybrids. Heirlooms like Beefsteak, Brandywine, and Purple Cherokee don't really have modern counterparts and just can't be beat. The old Roma is rather hard to beat, though the modern Roma counterpart Bellstar is very impressive and still tastes good. On the other hand, odd-ball heirlooms like Black Krim which cracks a lot and it's hard to tell if it's ripe is a tough call. It's taste is quite good, but it can be mealy. Green Zebra is also interesting, but again, hard to tell when it's ready since it's still mostly green. The modern hybrid Celebrity is also a very impressive tomato and the flavour isn't bad, either.

In the end, it will be a matter of trial and error to find the perfect tomato. Luckily the pure processing tomatoes aren't commonly available to home gardener so we've eliminated the factory tomato from the picture. But I do highly suggest keeping a notebook and try different varieties, both heirlooms and hybrids. Make notes on how they grow and especially how they taste. In the end, your pallet will make the decision. Plant a couple new ones every year and an old favourite or two and make your notes. And if you do find one variety more spectacular than other, pass it on so others know. Above all, enjoy the satisfaction of growing your own tomatoes.
