After a successful Backyard Garden 2012 and the rolling over to the Vernal Equinox, it was time to plant Backyard Garden 2013.

My garden is Certified "Backyard" as it always will be. I use a combination of Hybrid and Heirloom varieties of plants, specifically tomato. I have not purchased a tomato from a grocery store, Whole Foods or otherwise, since last season when I ripped my tomatoes out. The only tomatoes I have used for personal consumption are the ones I bottled or the Italian canned variety from the store (high quality canned ones obviously).

I also planted curly Italian pepper plants, which are not easy to find anymore. I haven't planted these in many years. I love Italian peppers and look forward to my first meal of fresh bread, olive oil, cheese, tomatoes, and peppers in a couple months.

For those that would like more detail on the configuration and the "starting line-up" of tomatoes, I've attached a picture.

The Isis Candy was one of the sweetest cherry tomatoes I had all last year, hence its return in the starting line-up. The Druzba is a bushier plant that produced early and vigorously last year. The Pineapple was super-sweet early season and grew more acidic late season with great colors. I couldn't find the San Diego variety this year, as it was my favorite tomato in 2012.

I planted the Hybrid varieties in less desireable areas of the garden from my perspective. The soils are a little drier and compact, although I do my best to help by tilling and adding manure. Ace, Champion, and Early Girl I have worked with before, generally robust and can take the heat. I also planted all of the Sweet 100s in the back row. I may allow these to grow a bit more wild, rather than cage them. My experience with cherry tomatoes, they need a lot of room, so generally my cherries are on the ends of the garden for access.

New to the line-up for 2013, the Garden Peach and Italian Heirloom.

Now we wait for abou 70 or so days for some fruit.