Four years ago I planted a cherry tomato plant in a container on the back deck. The first year it was a little disappointing in its production. Only a few tomatoes popped out and they were hard and not very appetizing. When it withered at the end of the season, I was tempted to pull it out, but then I read on a gardening blog, “The tomato plant is a tender, warm-season perennial that is grown as an annual in summer gardens all over the continental United States.” I thought, “A perennial huh, I should give it another chance.” Convinced of its potential to rethink its lame ways and become a bountiful plant, I left it in the pot and watched it miraculously survive a rainy and very cold winter. To my delight it came back with green shoots in April.
That summer I fed it plant food and watched it go nuts. The little cherry tomato plant produced 2″ and 3″ fruit. For the past three years it has resurrected, bigger and better, each year. We named it Lazarus. This plant is amazing. It has been producing fruit since June this year and last week on November 10, 2012, I harvested more tomatoes for a Greek salad and there are still more green tomatoes ready to ripen.
This morning, from my garden in the front yard, I harvested a cucumber, basil, red and green peppers and an onion. I made an amazing salad for lunch all with home grown produce that I picked myself. Okay, there is something to be said for the California Coastal Indian Summer, but it’s November for crying tears and I can’t believe the bounty is still coming. It looks like there is one more round to go, so I should be able to enjoy this fresh salad one more time before Thanksgiving. You can also enjoy this great salad by purchasing organically grown produce at your local markets.
Join me in this festival of harvest – whether it’s unexpected or not.
[…] Nov 192012 Last week I harvested tomatoes (in November!) from our amazing tomato plant, lovingly named Lazarus, for a Greek salad. This morning from my garden in the front yard, I harvested a cucumber, basil, […]