Don't you DARE laugh!

Yes, they're for me.... SHUT UP, SHUT UP.... I TOLD you not to laugh!

You're just jealous of my happenin' Friday night, I knew it.

Litchi Tomato

For lack ofbetter way to link the l author of this post, I just copied and pasted the entire message board page here!
In my quest to find out more about this strange Litchi Tomato plant, I came across this message board thread. It sounds as if it is better suited to be out amongst regular landscaping plants or even potted up somewhere, due to its thorny nature, but also very good for bees, and works as an effective means of luring some undesirable insects from other veggies. I think I will be planting this near my potato cages! Read on for interesting info on it! For lack of a better way to link the author of the original post, I just copied and pasted the entire message board page here with the name of the original poster. I am surprised however, that this person is growing these in Wisconsin! Sometimes it pays to push the boundaries and experiment!

For lack of a better way to link the original author of this post, I just copied and pasted the entire message board page here!

April 6th, 2008, 01:20 AM	#16
zeedman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Wisconsin USDA Zone: 5a Posts: 298	Re: Can you tell me more about the Litchi Tomato I have several good photos, but haven't figured out how to post them here yet. The Litchi Tomato can be started indoors at the same time as eggplant or tomatoes, and transplanted along with them. The seedlings develop thorns very quickly - only a curiosity when small, but as the plants grow larger, the thorns become numerous & quite wicked. All surfaces are covered with them... leaves, stems, and the husk of the fruit. "To stake or not to stake"... My personal recommendation is to stake them, or better yet, cage them with fencing. The plants are quite rampant, growing easily as large as the tallest indeterminate tomatoes. Left to their own devices, they will sprawl 4-5 feet in all directions, and be virtually impenetrable. If you intend to harvest the fruit without injury, you will want to train them vertically. The plants are very free-blooming, and are actually good bee plants. They will bloom until frost, regardless of the fruit set. The 1.5-2" white flowers are attractive, as is the interesting foliage - just don't plant them where you (or anyone else) will be walking frequently. If you have small children, you might not want to grow it at all. The fruit are borne in long trusses like cherry tomatoes... but unlike the tomatoes, are covered with a thorny calyx. When fully ripe, the calyx peels back, and the fruit will separate from the stem with a slight pull. If not harvested promptly, some of the ripe fruit will fall; but they do not rot quickly, so you could still harvest them from the ground. The fruit are bright red, and anywhere from .5" to 1.5" across. The skin of the berry has a tacky feel, and is as tender as a cherry. To me, the flavor was a combination of cherry/gooseberry, sweet and very pleasant; it seemed to get better in the cooler days of early Autumn. You do have to get past the seeds though, which are larger than a ground cherry's. I add the fruit to apples cooked for jelly; it lends a wonderful flavor to the jelly. The yield starts slowly, increasing substantially late in the season - but to harvest them seriously, you'll need leather gloves (preferably with gauntlets) and a jacket with heavy sleeves... maybe even goggles! Litchi Tomato is frost hardy down to about 28 degrees F; while it may stop blooming after the first frost, the foliage will survive, and the fruit already set will continue to ripen. It is also a good trap crop for Colorado potato beetles; they passed up my eggplant for it. With the cut foliage & open habit, the beetles were easy to find & kill. One cautionary note (aside from the thorns): Even in my Wisconsin location, I have a lot of volunteers, so it shows the potential to naturalize. Birds didn't seem to be interested in the berries here (probably due to the thorns) but that may not be the case elsewhere. The volunteers didn't have time to mature here; but in Southern climes, it might become invasive. Last edited by zeedman; April 6th, 2008 at 01:23 AM.. Reason: typo

April 6th, 2008, 09:47 AM	#17
Denninmi Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 4,212	Re: Can you tell me more about the Litchi Tomato Quote: Originally Posted by zeedman The fruit are bright red, and anywhere from .5" to 1.5" across. The skin of the berry has a tacky feel, and is as tender as a cherry. To me, the flavor was a combination of cherry/gooseberry, sweet and very pleasant; it seemed to get better in the cooler days of early Autumn. You do have to get past the seeds though, which are larger than a ground cherry's. I add the fruit to apples cooked for jelly; it lends a wonderful flavor to the jelly. The yield starts slowly, increasing substantially late in the season - but to harvest them seriously, you'll need leather gloves (preferably with gauntlets) and a jacket with heavy sleeves... maybe even goggles! Thank you for that excellent firsthand report on all aspects of this plant, but especially for the paragraph above -- after all, if it's an edible, I guess the most important aspect is "how does it taste?" If I enjoy them as much as you seemed to last year, I think this will be a crop which sticks around in my garden. I love any kind of fruit, but especially exotic ones.

April 7th, 2008, 09:53 PM	#18
zeedman Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Wisconsin USDA Zone: 5a Posts: 298	Re: Can you tell me more about the Litchi Tomato OK, I found the instructions for posting photos on this board. Here is a photo of the plants in full bloom: And a truss of ripe fruit:

April 8th, 2008, 01:33 AM

Novelty Seeds to Share!

I don't have my entire seed order in yet, but I do have 2 varieties to share if anyone wants to give them a try! You will have to check your own growing area/requirements for these, and I have no advice since it's my first time for them, too!

Litchi Tomato (Baker Creek) - rare seed, heirloom edible plant but is more of an ornamental oddity, you can read about it here.

Purple Romagna Artichoke (Baker Creek) - not sure if this will produce for me this year, but it is a perennial that I have always wanted to try to grow because it is so huge and beautiful in the yard!

I have a few extras of each of these, and they need to be started indoors 8-12 weeks ahead, so for many of us, that is now! Drop me an email or leave yours in comments section with your address if you are interested in trying one or both of them, and I will get them out asap!

Happenings in Planet Random

Some random photos of what's been going on around the homestead while I have been busy doing my seed order and now getting files cleaned out for tax-time. I admit I have been neglecting some things around here such as laundry, learning to knit, blogging, but I have gotten a few projects started around here (cleaning closets, planning the garden) and have been making lists of "to do" items that need "doing" before spring! It's a little too early to start my seeds, but no doubt that will provide some good garden-related posts soon enough. Until then, my ramblings about miscellaneous stuff will have to suffice!

Brandywine Tomato in the kids' room has blossoms and we are actively pollinating!

My ficus bonsai had scale so that was lots of fun getting rid of that. Maybe it came from outside since that is my only houseplant that summers on the deck. I used an organic oil spray twice over the course of ten days and it seems to have done the trick.

Remember these? Loch got this for Christmas and he is having a hard time getting it away from me. I forgot how much I liked these when I was little. Potholders, anyone?! Now I will have to find one of those latchhook rug kits, I remember doing those too... maybe it will get my confidence up for knitting!

Sprocket is very happy with the new blankie Sailor/Husband crocheted for her, he has since made a hat and is now working on learning to knit a scarf. I still know nothing!

Pond is frozen. The goldfish are still alive, dormant at the bottom. Nature is amazing, this will be their 3rd hot summer and cold winter in the unheated whiskey barrel!

How did I go so long without this tool???!!!! Stirrup hoe for Christmas, and it was warm enough to use it! I weeded a whole backyard length of border beds that were choked with weeds and grass in just a couple of hours. I am sure my husband loved telling people he got " a hoe" for Christmas. No, his wife isn't that generous :)

Sad time... my husband and I built this kid kitchen together about 5 years ago and the kids loved it, but they are getting older and it is taking up a lot of space, so I sold it on Craigslist, sad but it went to a little 2 year old girl for Christmas, so I know it will be appreciated.

Cooking these days is involving a whole lot of comforting, hot foods! This is Wild Boar with Stewed Heirloom Tomatoes, spinach and herbs & penne from the freezer w/Homebrewed Ale - the garden is still giving!

Couldn't resist adding this photo of my niece, can you tell she's a Minnesota baby?!

I realize that this post is a rambling collection of completely unrelated thoughts and photos. Don't you feel sorry for my family? They have to live with this...