Do you love tomatoes, want to grow tomatoes, or want some advice on new varieties to try? My guest this week is tomato crazy gardener, Kelly Gilliam. Kelly was a regular of the now defunct You Grow Girl forums way back in the day. Back then she was gardening in zone 8b out on the west coast, but has recently moved to zone 3 in Edmonton, Alberta where the growing conditions are very different. One of her strategies for this shorter growing season has been to focus on varieties that mature and produce in about 80 days or less.

If you’re into tomatoes and tomato-relatives or are interested in starting your own seed bank, I think you’ll like this episode.

Episode #4: Kelly Gilliam | Tomato Mania

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About My Guest

Kelly Gilliam is an avid edible gardener who has called several climate zones her home over the past 10 years. Originally from Edmonton, she moved to the west coast, caught the gardening bug there, then carried that with her to the Kootenays, Vancouver Island, and then back home to Edmonton where she’s learning to readjust to a shorter season, but much more sun. Kelly sits on the board of directors for Seeds of Diversity Canada, and also runs her own seed bank whose purpose is to grow out and distribute as many seeds to as many gardeners as she can.

Kelly’s front yard tomato garden in Victoria, BC, Canada.

‘Silvery Fir Tree’ is one of Kelly’s favourite determinate tomato plants for container growing. It produces nice-sized, red fruit that are good for slicing on a sandwich or saucing.

One of Kelly’s favourite tomatoes and mine too), ‘Yellow Pear.’ This plant is a monster so be prepared to give it a lot of space. However, it will produce a lot of really delicious and adorable little fruits.

Tomato ‘El Nano’ from Argentina.

Further Resources

• More on Kelly’s website about Cotztomatl (Physalis costomatl).
• Learn more about growing tomatoes with the Tomato Growing Guide.
• Find out about a few of my favourite tomato varieties: Tomatoes Worth Growing.
• Dwarf tomato varieties for pots and small spaces.
• Other varieties mentioned in this podcast: ‘Zapotec Pink Pleated,’ ‘Sophie’s Choice,”El Nano,’ ‘Stupice,’ ‘Silvery Fir Tree,’ ‘OSU Blue,’ ‘Kimberly,’ ‘Japanese Black Trifle,’ ‘Black Seaman,’ ‘Purple Prince,’ ‘Purple Calabash,’ ‘Yellow Pear,’ ‘Kootenai,’ ‘Hahms Gelbe Topftomate,’ ‘Ditmarsher,’ ‘Whippersnapper,’ ‘Dr. Wyche’s,’ ‘Fantome Du Laos,’ ‘Broad Ripple Yellow Currant,’ ‘Coyote,’ ‘Tsygan,’ Mennonite Orange,’ ‘Garden Lime,’ ‘Pink Zebra.’
• Plant Gene Resources Canada
• Rugose leaves – Rugose leaves have a puckered, wrinkled, or pleated surface that remind me of a twisty roller coaster ride. Dwarf tomato varieties (small varieties that usually grow no more than 3-4 feet tall) tend to have this type of leaf.