This sumptuous, informative, picture-filled talk takes the audience through the tomato firmament, from seed to harvest. The first half of the workshop will focus on guidance for gardeners to choose just the right varieties, using a bit of history, real time pictures and experiences and a discussion of color and flavor characteristics. Following a breather for questions, Craig will shift from "what to grow" to "how to grow them successfully", with a section loaded with tips - from seed planting, through culture and trouble-shooting, to seed saving, even showing a few favorite recipes. All questions will be answered following the slides.
Craig LeHoullier, photo courtesy of Craig LeHoullier
Craig LeHoullier lives and gardens in Raleigh, North Carolina. A Rhode Island native, he caught the gardening passion from his grandfather, Walter, and dad, Wilfred. Craig achieved his PhD in chemistry at Dartmouth College, which resulted in a 25 year career in pharmaceuticals that ended in 2008.
Craig's gardening obsession, which started the year he and Susan were married (and their first garden, in 1981), is passing through several stages. His love of heirloom tomatoes began with his joining the Seed Savers Exchange, an organization for which he continues to serve as adviser for tomatoes, in 1986. He is responsible for naming and popularizing many well known tomatoes, such as Cherokee Purple.
In 2005 he added amateur tomato breeding to his garden resume, and continues to co-lead the Dwarf Tomato Breeding project, responsible for creating 90 (and counting) new compact growing varieties for space-challenged gardeners. His writing career kicked off with a 2012 request from Storey Publishing to write a book on tomatoes, resulting in Epic Tomatoes (2015). His second book, Growing Vegetables in Straw bales, soon followed (2016).
Craig is a popular lecturer across the country at major gardening events, as well as a frequent guest on podcasts and radio shows. His upcoming projects include a third book, which will focus upon the story of the Dwarf Tomato Breeding Project, and a webinar series & online courses in which he will share his gardening knowledge.
Registration link to come: