I too am looking for heirlooms this spring, since my place of 9 years, NJ botanical gardens, has closed! Any suggestions, I will post.

Stacy

Maplewood Garden Club is having their annual plant sale May 5, 6, 7 at the town pool. The Junior Garden Club always sells multiple varieties of heirloom tomatoes. I believe that they sell them on the first afternoon of the sale, so if you could be there around 4:00, you'll get a good selection.

There are usually tons of heirlooms at the Somerset County 4-h plant sale. Not sure of the date this year, It's right off route 202 in Bridgewater, usually in May.

I'll have lots of extra seedlings, I tried to drum up enthusiasm in a swap but not much interest. email me off list, I'm in Morristown at least twice a week, would be happy to pass on some extras.

Thanks everyone. Very busy this year...I'll try to make one of the plant sales.

evan1,

I have a number of heirloom varieties that I started. I'd love to do a swap.

Ellen

I'm still up for one. I'm central so anywhere Middlesex,Somerset,Morris,Hunterdon,Union, northern Mercer would work for me. The plant swap they are doing in June is just a little late for peppers and tomatoes, which is what I have.

I have purchased heirloom tomatoes from Dreyer's farms. It is best to call them first to see if the plants are available.

DREYER FARMS
831 SPRINGFIELD AVE
CRANFORD, NJ 07016
908-276-1290

I believe that Leaping Lizards in Basking Ridge has at least Brandywines.

908.542.9797

Cross country Nursey sells the plants and ships them too.

Here is a link that might be useful: Cross country Nursey

You've all been very helpful, thanks. Now, if any of you can tell me how to critter-proof them once I get them...now that would be something!>)

In cages the deer seem to leave them alone and nail the pepper plants. Only the tomato horn worm has casue a problem for me here. Voles are the biggest problem have had other then the deer and they seem to leave them alone.

I've had mixed results with deer- two years ago they ate everything except the stems, another year they left them alone. I resort to a big ugly black netting fence around my patch now.

Evan - it doesn't seem like we can drum up a lot of interest in swapping the tomatoes. If you want I can send you a list of what I've got growing and we can do a small in person trade. I'm in hunterdon county near Flemington.

Ellen

Here's the info on the 4H Sale:

May 12, 2001
from
9:00 am to 1:00 pm
Somerset County
Rutgers Cooperative Extension Building
4-H Center
310 Milltown Road, Bridgewater, NJ
(between Route 202 and Route 22)

Here is a link that might be useful: 4H Plant Sale in Bridgewater

May 12 2001? Are you sure that info is up to date? May 12 is a thursday this year.

ellenh- I'm fairly close to you, I'll send you an email and we can work out a time and place.

Evan - The sale is on the 14th, not the 12th. I have it written on my calendar.

I'll email you. Anyone else want to join in???

Ellen

Whoops...sorry about the misinformation, folks... looks like the page I found was a leetle out of date. LMAO

Ellenh- I sent an email via gardenweb. Let me know if you got it and we can coordinate. I was tempted to put a fe in the ground this weekend but I'm holding off for warmer soil.

I have about 25 different ones growing and will have extras also. Even the Ulgy Ripe. was amazed thatsome one on line was selling those for 4.95 per plants. I am in south Jersy if any one is interested in trading.
ML

This morning, I saw an assortment of 3" pot heirloom tomatoes at Metropolitan Plant Exchange at the intersection of Rte. 10 and Pleasant Valley Way in what I believe is either Livingston, West Orange or Verona (I'm originally from NY and have not yet mastered Essex County). Anyway, they are in the annual section along the edge of the fence. Kind of hard to find amid the flowers, but, as of this morning, they are there.

I stopped by the Somerset Master gardeners sale Saturday- very disapointing on the vegetable side- esp tomatoes. I didn't see any peppers either. Not that I needed any.

I'm going to Morris Cnty Farms on Smith Rd. in Denville. Heard they have lots of vegetables. Anyone been there?

Anyone here in south Jersey? Have plenty of extras.

figtreeundrgrnd, I live in Morris County and I will probably have a couple of extras of some types. I only grew one to four plants of any type. I've already promised some to family and neighbors but usually when it comes down to it, you never know if they will take them. (And if they do, they will probably kill them). I hope to go through it over the weekend. LMK if you are interested and I will include you in my sorting.
I should warn you that I have a lot of aphids in my yard right now and though my tomatoes aren't infested, I've found a couple here and there that I've hand picked off, so if you are aphid free (is there such a thing?), you might want to consider that. They aren't all over the place. They prefer my viburnums and roses I think.

Silly me. I have 85 seedlings! What to do.

Well, I found some Brandywine, went to Lancaster, PA., made a day of it. Put six in (I'm a glutton for punishment)! Last year I battled critters and disease with these but the tomatoes were lucious! The ones they left for me that is!
Whoever was eating my tomatoes must have been a gourmet...beside the 'deer off', I tried vinegar and hot sauce on them and they still munched...I was just making salsa for them...should've put out some chips!)

All the way to Lancaster! Wow. Should I say I saw it a little closer than that?
Last year, the farm on Black Oak Ridge Road in Wayne sold Brandywine and Cherokee Purple over the counter. They also had sungold in pints for the last two years. They got theirs to mature in a decent amount of time. Mine ripen so late into the season.

You should check the Morristown community garden behind the treatment plant next to 287 off Hanover Ave. This time of year many people leave their surplus seedlings to be adopted by the gate. Usually many heirlooms. And free.

Funny you should mention that evan...I stopped by there Monday on a tip from an acquiantance...alas, nothing there!
I know, Lancaster is a bit far to go...but, thanks to you fine folks, next year I'll have plenty of resources...Thanks everyone!>)

If anyone wants to come to the Central Jersey swap tomorrow, I'll bring some of my tomato seedlings. See the NJ exchange page for more details.

Ellen

Wish I had more room for tomatoes... I'm also growing cauliflower, peppers, cukes, beans, peas, strawberries, blueberries, figs, eggplant and cantelope (Whew)!

I've purchased plants from Laurel at www.heirloomtomatoplants.com for the last 4 years, and they have always arrived in great condition, when they are ready.