Why don't you start calling nurserys in your area and
see what they have. More and more places are carrying
heirloom and other obscure (at least to non-enthusiasts)
tomato plants. Even Wal-Mart carries some decent plants.

And perhaps someone will chime in with some sources in your
area.

I've found a few places in my local area, but SoCal is a
bit far from coastal NC!

good luck!

How far are you from Raleigh? Craig LeHoullier raises a huge number of different varieties and sells them at the Farmer's Market there. And I know there are others in the area who do the same.

Just enter Craig's name at Google and look for his topcities home page and there he always lists what he's growing and you can e-mail him off his website as well. And if you aren't that close to Raleigh he knopws the growers in the area and can perhaps give you some info about those folks.

But I also reccommend Darrel at selectedplants.com if you need yet another recommendation for his plants. Lots of choices, superbhly packed and prices very reasonable.

Carolyn

Thank you, qaguy. I did find a surprising selection at Lowe's last yr but it was April already and I don't want to wait for them just to discover that they have a poor selection this yr.
Thank you, Carolyn. I will plan a trip to Raleigh and I will email Craig and find out what he will have to offer. I have been to the big state flea market there, but not to the farmer's market- only found out about it a few months ago.
Also glad to hear that selected plants is a good place to order from. Thanks for the great info. Brandy

Brandy, I used to buy my plants from an herb farm in Leland NC (Shelton Herb Farm) don't know how close you are to them. I have started about 20 different variates I planted 288 seeds and will only be able to plant 40. I would be more than glad to give you some. I have

yellow brandy wine
persimmon
aunt gerties gold
brandywine ss
black from tula
german red strawberry
blondkopfchen
kelloggs breakfasy
caspian pink
cherokee choc.
cherokee purple
prudens purple
jumbo jim orange
flamme
sugar beefsteak
white currant
black cherry
bloody butcher
russian rose
sungold
If you can drive to Lake Waccamaw NC I love to share some with you. Most are up but a few. I noticed brandywine ss had nothing.Maybe this morning, if they didn't all freeze to death last night. I have them in a greenhouse with 2 heaters going so I think their fine.
my email is chole401@earthlink.com Theresa

Thank you, Carolyn. I will plan a trip to Raleigh and I will email Craig and find out what he will have to offer. I have been to the big state flea market there, but not to the farmer's market- only found out about it a few months ago.
Also glad to hear that selected plants is a good place to order from. Thanks for the great info. Brandy

*****

No need to e-mail him, just go to Google and enter his name and look for his own website hosted by topcities and there you'll no doubt find the huge number of varieties listed that he'll have as well as the dates and times when he'll be at the Raleigh Farmer's Market. He posts all that info at his site every year.

If I weren't so lazy, LOL, I'd give you that web address ASAP, but I guess I am too lazy to do it and I can't remember it right now.

And I know he's welcomed a few folks to pick up their plants at his home if they can't make it to the Farmer's Market.

And I also know he's very concerned about any gardens in NC re the water restictions. He just bought some rain barrels and is going to try and capture what he can with those.

Carolyn

You might also look into Abundant Acres. They have a great selection, great service, and careful packaging. They specialize in tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant, and also have a variety of rare solanum plants like I've never seen.

Here is a link that might be useful: Abundant Acres

They have a great selection, great service, and careful packaging.

****

And I did take a look and they do have an interesting variety of tomatoes.

But

Opalka isn't spelled right. Sob
White Queen is not a Livingston variety
Arkansas Traveler is not an heirloom
Joe Bratka did not introduce Mule Team
.....and there are more misstatements. I wonder if they'd be interested in my e-mailing and trying to correct some of the errors.

I used to do that years ago at different places but haven't done it lately. I stopped doing it b'c some folks just don't want to hear about wrong information at their websites. Sigh. I don't need the aggravation these days. ( smile)

Carolyn

Lakeshorenc, Are you on Lake Shore Dr in Lake Waccamaw? I'm from Wilmington and I used to go to Lake Waccamaw all the time.

Carolyn, too bad that people resent being corrected (esp when the info IS correct) but you are so right.

A little off the subject but just last night I almost injured a child in the grocery store that was skating on those darned sneaker skates. I politely told her mother that I nearly hit her as she rounded the corner. She didn't say a word, just gave me a dirty look.

People!

Thank all of you for the great info.
Theresa, I have emailed you.
Carolyn, I too have a rain barrel, but I need to get more guttering put up to truly take advantage of the rain. Brandy

Peggy, I sure am. My parents had a summer house here since before I was born, so I've been coming here my whole life. I have lived here permanently for 15 years. Met my husband over the summer 24 years ago. I'm originally from Kings Mountain NC. I love Wilmington, my husband and I love to eat at Circa1922.If your interested in any tomato plants I could spare a few. Most have sprouted except SunGold, Brandywine ss, and White Currant. I put the heater a little closer to them to see if that would help. These cold nights are not helping.
I put the wrong email address on my last post it's
chole401@embarqmail.com
Theresa

Hi Theresa,

Small world isn't it? Wilmington has changed so much since I was a child growing up there in the 50's & 60's. I've never heard of Circa 1922 so I googled it and it made my mouth water. Ummmm...tapas, sushi and good wine. Nothing better!

If you're offering me plants...well, that's so nice of you and typical tarheel style. Thank you but I have all I need and in fact, I'll be sending some plants down to my brother near Carolina Beach in a couple of weeks.

Happy gardening!

Hi Brandy:
Here is Craig's website in case you have not located it yet. I am starting all my tomatoes from seed this year but if I fail I will be paying him a visit at the Farmers Market myself.
Good luck

http://nctomatoman.topcities.com/

Order from the link below

Here is a link that might be useful: Selected Plants

But I also reccommend Darrel at selectedplants.com if you need yet another recommendation for his plants. Lots of choices, superbly packed and prices very reasonable.

******

....is what I wrote above John, so that's two of us who think highly of Darrel and his plants and variety choices, etc. ( smile)

I will probably have to order Brandy Boy and I will go w/ Darrel, since he comes so highly recommended. I am going to take Theresa up on her kind offer, and then figure on getting anything else I need from Craig at the Farmer's Market.
I think it is wonderful there are so many of us who love our tomatoes! And that so many of you took the time to share your sources w/ me. Thanks! Brandy

What are you looking for Brandy? I started a few Brandy Boys maybe 3 weeks ago in GA ... and maybe 30 more last week in a motel in Wilmington ;) Yup, I have it bad this year! They are now back in GA in one of the greenhouses.
Maids thought I might be doing something else!
Working out of town ( several months more in the Wilmington area) has me a bit behind but I still have some 80+ varieties started.
Maybe I can leave you some for pick up on N. College?

Thank you Cozy. Of the ones I've tried so far, Brandy Boy and Lemon Boy are my favorite large tomatoes, and Sungold for the cherry type. I think I probably could drive down to Wilmington for them. I am planning to get some from Theresa at Lake Waccamaw once they get big enough, but she doesn't have either Brandy Boy or Lemon Boy. How much would you want for your plants? Maybe there are a couple other varieties you could recommend as favorites? Thanks, Brandy

Shoot Brandy, they are yours ... part of the fun ;)
Give me 24 hrs down time, and I'm back home with the wife and kids ( just a 6 hr drive) but there are several nice folks around that will hold them for you.
Not sure if I can help with Lemon Boy or not ... that data is at home. I am close to 800 varieties with a growout plan ( some 80 more varieties to start this weekend) but that is there and I am here :(
And of course I pass by Theresa on 74 (dang long slow road) so the same goes for her. Her email is posted above so I'll try to remember to send her my grow list this weekend. I have a friend whose parents live on Lake Waccamaw.

Brandy, my babies are growing like crazy. I'm gonna pot them up this weekend. They should be ready to go in a few weeks.This has been my first year ordering and planting seeds. I will have to say most are doing great except the seeds I got from Tradewind seeds. I have had no germination from the White Currant or the Sungold (Sungold I was looking so forward to having)!I emailed them and so far have received no response. Last time I'll order from them!

Cozy, I would love to see your list , so email me. I will be glad to share too. And yes 74 is a snoozer, so be careful.
Theresa

Email sent. Not current nor all inclusive but perhaps interesting ;)

Carolyn, I'd love for you to make me aware of any inaccuracies you might find on my website, Abundantacres.net. Providing accurate information is as important to us as offering a great selection of heirloom plant. Thanks!

Here is a link that might be useful: Abundant Acres--Growers of Heirloom Plants

Carolyn, I'd love for you to make me aware of any inaccuracies you might find on my website, Abundantacres.net. Providing accurate information is as important to us as offering a great selection of heirloom plant. Thanks!

*****

I'd be happy to when I have the time as well as the inclination, and there's no major tennis Opens on TV, b/c I'm a confirmed tennis afficianado. LOL And I'd only look at the ones I know, that is, not doing any research on anything, which I assume you've already done. Right now I'm packing tomato seeds for SSE requests, packing seeds for the person who grows my few plants for me and doing the same for the person who does my seed production for me, since I can do neither of those activities since falling in Dec of 2004 and three surgeries later am still using a walker.

But my mouth, fingers and brain, the latter being a self assessment, are all just fine. LOL

And of course I recognize the user name johno b'c he posts at a message site I know.

But I don't think I know who you are, do I? ( smile)

In any event, although I'd been to your site before to help answer someone's question, I didn't look around then and I didn't look around now when I saved it to my faves for further reference.

Carolyn