A few weeks before my father died in March, I planted a row of tomatoes in his garden (along with other vegetables that aren't nearly as noteworthy.)  The variety I chose was Heatwave, a hybrid developed for the hot temperatures that are found in the desert Southwest.  They are determinate plants, meaning they don't vine.

The plants are absolutely beautiful; very compact, with sturdy thick branches and dense green leaves.  Determinate plants generally don't produce near as much as the indeterminate, or vining, variety.  I chose the bushy plants for their compact, tidy nature which would make it easier for Dad to navigate around the garden.

Although Dad didn't live long enough to see the the plants fruit, I am quite frankly amazed at how beautifully these Heatwave tomatoes are producing.  The majority of fruits are clustered around the bottom of the plants, and are large; almost the size of a baseball.  Mom, whose love of tomatoes undoubtedly fueled Dad's interest in growing the plants, is currently in tomato heaven.  They are ripening, although unfortunately all at once.  She harvested a good 5 lbs of tomatoes a couple days ago, displaying them in an old cardboard box that makes the produce look like something purchased at a roadside stand.  The heat is starting to get to the plants, but we have a couple more weeks of harvesting to go. We knew as soon as the plants started setting fruit that we'd be dealing with a bumper crop!