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decogrl_gw

Where to find Heirloom tomato plants in VA

decogrl
18 years ago

I am in northern VA and want to buy heirloom tomato plants. I have just had an area cleared for growing veggies and am excited that for the first time in 4 years, I have a full sun location to grown them.

Any suggestions??? I don't want seeds but plants

Comments (6)

  • starflakes
    18 years ago

    I will not vouche for how good these online tomatoe plant suppliers are, but it is a start for prices as they are expensive.
    On a local nursery location you could yellow page shop, but alot nurseries only stock hybrids now. One though that is older is Big Boy, there is an open pollinated version available from Glen Drowns in Iowa, but only as seeds.
    I would only offer that I know you did not want seeds, but I had to go that route several years ago for several reasons and I never regretted it as I learned I could sprout the seeds, put them immediately into the garden May 1st in my location, under a hot cap the same day and they did just fine with only watering and later caging them.
    It brings a great deal of accomplishment to save seeds then and start new plants each year as they "become yours".
    While I am trying Big Boy open pollinated this year, I was impressed last year with Red Pear, Sioux, Druzba, the mid season Oxheart, Amish Rose and for an early determinate Silvery Fir Tree for variety suggestions.
    Last year Fir Tree and Oxheart was sprouted May 1st and I had ripe tomatoes the first of August to the 14th.
    I hope that helps some.

    http://www.appalachianseeds.com/catalog.html

    http://www.selectedplants.com/

    http://www.whiteflowerfarm.com/

  • cecilia_md7a
    18 years ago

    Have you posted your question on the Mid-Atlantic or Virginia gardening forums? I don't know anything about the VA forum (as I live in MD), but there are quite a few NOVA gardeners frequenting the Mid-Atlantic one. I'll bet somebody there can let you know if any of the local nurseries carry heirlooms. (I know that Behnke's in Beltsville, MD and Valley View Farms in Hunt Valley, MD usually carry a selection, so I'm sure some of the independent nurseries nearer to you must.)

    If you can't find a local nursery for your heirlooms, try mail-ordering plants from Seed Savers Exchange. I ordered Stupice and Purple Russian plants last year. The plants were healthy and were packed carefully.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Heirloom tomato plants at Seed Savers

  • irish_rose_grower
    18 years ago

    I bought my heirloom tomatoes from Selectedplants last year. They were very healthy plants and produced huge amounts of tomatoes. I had Andrew Rahart, cherokee purple and others.

    Good luck.
    Maureen

  • tonitime
    18 years ago

    Word of mouth is often best for this! Consider calling the garden mgrs. at these places, as they undoubtedly would know of individuals growing what you want:

    Colonial Williamsburg Phone: (757) 229-1000
    George Washington's Mount Vernon
    Phone: (703) 780-2000
    e-mail: mvinfo@mountvernon.org
    Monticello
    Phone: (434) 984-9822 (public affairs)
    If you leave a message for the staff gardener to call or email you back, you may have a great resource for heirlooms of your area. I had good experience doing that at Shaker Village-Pleasent Hill, KY. I grow out heirloom tomatoes and peppers for sale here in KY - a very small side work while starting our own. If money isn't an object, a gal named Laurel has a wonderful tomato biz for sending plants all over the country each year. If she can send them to the Martha Stewart Show, she could do the same for you!
    http://www.heirloomtomatoplants.com/
    I am not affiliated with her business, but happen to really like this gal!
    Good Luck........consider being a seed starter instead - then you can grow anything your heart desires with a little effort each spring..it's the best!
    Toni

  • bluekat76
    18 years ago

    I bought a few heirloom tomato plants last year from Debaggio Herbs in Chantilly, VA. They had quite the selection. The website is being updated but you can sign up for a catalog when they are mailed.

    www.debaggioherbs.com

    -Kim

  • ntktwalr
    7 years ago

    Concur w/DeBaggio's Nursery--website is up and running, tomatoes available.. They have 70+ plus tomato types-many heirlooms, been using them for a decade or two. Also have great variety of other plants including many pepper types and 20+ Basil types (& Vietnamese Cilantro-hard to find but great to grow and easy & may return next year). Plants this year are $2.39, price is up, but cheaper than anywhere else unless you are buying 6/4 packs of small, all the same at a big box like WaLMART. An alternative is checking your local Farmer's Market-they should be starting back up. You can find a good variety of tomatoes at a reasonable price there as well. If you do Heirlooms, don't miss out on all the varieties of "Black" and "Purple" tomatoes--& get at least one Caspian Pink for Full Heirloom flavor...

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