Senga's Blog
Eco-chic Outdoor Living & Exterior Design
May 15/10 Year in Sustainable Garden: The Planning Stage: Zesty Lemon Boy Tomato
Only Your Hairdresser Knows!
I’m sitting in the chair getting the usual cut and colour job on a lazy Sunday afternoon at my hairdresser’s salon. We talk about what is happening in my garden at home and I get onto the subject of tomatoes. Immediately she lights up and starts to tell me about these yellow tomatoes she used to grow in her parent’s garden a long time ago. She couldn’t quite put her finger on it but somehow the name ‘ Zesty Lemon Boy’ resonated with here – she thought it sounded a bit ‘naughty.’
So of course when I was at my local nursery and saw the ‘bad boy’ edible I just had to purchase it and put it in my tomato repertoire on the edible green roof. After doing my research the jury is out whether this tomato is actually a heirloom or not. Hybridization has taken its toll and it is hard to distinguish the FN and VN and all other derivatives from this tomato. In any case yellow tomatoes will make a great addition to my funky red containers I am going to be using my children’s garden demonstration in upcoming blogs.
Information about ‘Zesty Lemon Boy’ Tomato You Need to Know
Botanical name: Lycopersicon esculentum ‘Zesty Lemon Boy’
Country of Origin: USA – Ohio (late 1930’s)
Description: Deep globe shaped 6oz fruit are lemon coloured inside and out on plants that are vigourous, extremely disease resistant and fruits prolifically throughout the growing season.
Best harvested: Fruit are about 3½” in diameter and weights about 6-7 oz. When mature.
Time to Sow Seeds: Early Spring - March 1 indoors (or 4 weeks before last spring frost)
Where to Sow and Grow: Start indoors and transplant to prepared bed with well rotted compost/manure in full sun. Space 30cm apart and trellis. In case of late frost protect plants under cloches which can be made from old clear plastic pop bottles.
Maturity: 72 Days
Tip: Be sure to pick before they get over ripe though, as they can get mushy otherwise.
Taste: mild and sweet yet tangy and definitely not bland.
Uses: Sliced fresh, Salads, salsas and yellow tomato bisque.
Place in Square Foot Garden: In the vertical vegetable section of the square foot garden on my edible green roof.
