December 2007       (Our newsletters are all copyright The Tasteful Garden 2003-2007 if you would like to reprint any of this information please let us know by email.)

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Tomato Plants are our life.  We grow tomato plants so many months of the year, it seems like they are constantly in our greenhouses.  There is even one growing now that volunteered in an herb pot.  It is always a challenge to decide which varieties to offer you every season and we struggle with every decision to discontinue certain tomatoes in order to bring you some new exciting ones for your garden.

This year, because we had such severe weather and we know others have too, we are integrating our new Tomato Rating System which indicates how easy the varieties will grow in your garden.  If you are looking for the best container tomato, the easiest for beginners or just the most productive, flavorful tomatoes, our 3 star varieties are the best for you.  If you want to try something different, are looking for some interesting flavors, or just want to wow your neighbors with size or colors, choose our 2 or 1 star varieties.  A single star doesn't mean that the tomato doesn't taste fantastic, just that you may get limited quantities from a single plant.

Tomatoes, Peppers and Vegetable plants can be preordered now! Our catalog also still has plenty of herb varieties available which are ready to ship this holiday season. Herbs for Spring shipping will be added to the catalog as soon as the holiday season is over.  Although Basil cannot be shipped now because of cold weather, most other herbs are good travelers in cooler temperatures and our herb baskets and planters make great gifts. 

Holiday Gift Ideas Thinking about the holidays?  We can help!  We have a new gift planter which features a fresh live Poinsettia surrounded by fragrant Prostrate Rosemary. Rosemary symbolizes remembrance and is a nice way to say you are thinking of someone during the Holidays when you cannot be together.  Our herb planters and herb baskets are a fantastic way to say hello and Happy Holidays to friends and family we don't get to see very often. Our herbs will ship through the holiday season and our wonderful indoor herb kits are a lovely gift for anyone to enjoy during colder weather.  Hostess gifts are always a great way to say thank you for your hospitality as we travel and visit during the holiday season.  Shop with us and know that your gift will arrive safe and sound and smelling like a rose (or herbs).   We want to help make shopping easier by offering you a few items which will work for almost everyone on your list.  Beginning with our fantastic and colorful poinsettia planter, this is so nice for anyone because it smells so good and really says happy holidays.  These can be sent now and come completely assembled and ready for the table.  Here at The Tasteful Garden, we are cooks first and gardeners second and we have an addiction to kitchen gadgets.  Our kitchen tools are tried and tested in our own kitchen and are always the best quality we can find.  For other food lovers out there, we offer a great selection in our Kitchen Gadgets department of our catalog.  Items such as our Paella pan, Stainless steel tea pot, salt keep and herb mill are very unique gifts or get them for yourself!     Don't forget the Garden Tools & Supplies department for the best tools that make gardening more fun and less work.  We have a beautiful brass outdoor thermometer, a handy stool and tote, a bird feeder that is easy to fill, the best garden hats and an apron filled with pockets for seeds, gloves, tools and more. Visit our catalog for all your holiday shopping needs.  Also, we are always able to customize your gift or gift certificate, just call us for help at 866-855-6344.

Our Tomato Selections for 2008

Searching out the best tomatoes which will have lots of flavor and acidity, while still being productive and have some disease resistance is our goal. Some seed companies promote trendy tomatoes that have catchy names but don't produce well or even taste very good.  Our preference is for old reliable varieties which have passed the test of time and proven every year that they are some of the best.  Trying new tomatoes is part of the fun of gardening so we are glad to see that many of the most reliable heirlooms are being crossed with each other to create "new" heirlooms.  This cross breeding of heirlooms has produced several interesting new varieties and they can be very complex flavors.

Just a few of our new varieties are pictured here, one of which, the Black Pineapple or Ananas Noire, has proven itself as something really unique and extremely tasty. The green color gives it tangyness, the black color gives it depth and richness. Another cross is the Orange Russian 117, beautiful and so sweet you just won't believe it.  The red color streaking through the middle gives it the extra zing that plain yellow tomatoes just don't have.  Another heirloom, Stump of the World, was new last year and has proven to be one of our new favorites because the interior texture is just perfect for tomato sandwiches all summer long.  

Several fun new peppers have been added such as the Yellow C hot pepper and the Hersheys Chocolate Sweet Bell, as well as new squash and eggplant varieties.  We are very excited about our selections for 2008 and can't wait to get started planting.

Our catalog listings have changed format which we hope it makes it easier for you to browse and fine what you need.  Click here to View our new tomato varieties as well as our all of the peppers and vegetables in our catalog.  Pre-ordering helps us tremendously to calculate how many of each plant to grow and plan our season and guarantees that your plants will be in stock and ready to ship when you want them for your garden.  You can also send plants as a gift to be shipped at a later date when it is safe to plant.

2007 ANNUAL TOMATO SURVEY

We asked for your opinion on several of our tomato varieties and your responses are listed on our website and can be viewed by clicking here:

Currently Available in our catalog:

Culinary Herbs now in larger 4 1/2" pots are absolutely gorgeous and ready for growing in your kitchen or sunroom.  Rosemary, Sage, Oregano, Thyme, Chives, Parsley, Mints, Lavender and more!  We are offering our Rosemary plants in 1 gallon pots and they are beautiful and fragrant for growing indoors.  Also available Salad Burnett and French Sorrel in limited quantity.

Garlic and Shallots are still available and should be planted now in most areas. These are going fast so order now.  They are very easy to grow and perfect to stay in the garden through the winter with harvest ready in June. Read more about growing garlic in our catalog. Try something new from The Tasteful Garden...where its all about the flavor.

We hope your holiday season is joyful and helps you share lots of love with family and friends as well as a couple of really good meals!

Contact Us toll free 866-855-6344