summertime garden

The tomato plants formed their own jungle biome. But then the pattypan squash plant has come along quite well in the last week and may dominate everything. I have lettuce and arugula on the edge. We will have an increase in temperatures later this week. I am predicting the squash plant will win this battle. The lettuce will most likely wilt.

I have Black Krim, Paul Robeson, Green Zebra and one Brandywine. The Brandywine is the one that struggles each year. The beach environment is just too chilly for Brandywine to flourish. The black Russian tomatoes invariably do well each year (that would be the Krim and Robeson). The green zebra likes it a bit warmer than the black Russians.

First Black Krim tomato of 2017

It's early to be harvesting tomatoes in this area, I know. Here's the back story.

This tomato plant overwintered on my balcony because I planted the seeds in 2016 a bit late. So it sat there through our torrential rains of 2016 and did not even try to bear fruit. Did I also say that the balcony in the winter also gets basically zero hours of direct sun? Definitely no incentive to do anything but survive. Nonetheless, I chose to keep it because I had read tomato plants, in its natural environs, could be perennial plants and just maybe I could get a head start on tomatoes in 2017. I got the poor plant into the ground March 16, a month after I started seeds for this year's tomato plants, and it did well, which is why I have a tomato to harvest so much earlier than normal for this garden plot.

First Black Krim

The very first tomato of the 2015 season, not surprisingly, is a Black Krim. They are very nice tomatoes, especially for our coastal region, a bit smoky and salty in flavor. Mine do not get very large but that is okay because these are perfect for salads. Black Krim, at least in my garden, start early and end late. I'm very happy with these and save seeds every year.

Garden in early July 2015

The tomato seedlings have flourished this year. I am happy with their growth. Black Krim is in the back to the left. On the right is the Brandywine. On the front left is the Paul Robeson. There are a few developing tomatoes but they are hidden in this photo. I did plant them around 1.5 feet apart, but this does not appear to be enough room. The Black Krim and Paul Robeson are cooler climate tomatoes, perfect for our coastal region with morning fog in the summer time. I don't have much space so I have only planted one of each so far. They are all from seeds I have harvested in past years.

First Black Krim of the year

Late start this year to the tomatoes. Today I spied this one hidden in the leaves! We are having the morning fog but the evening temps rarely drop below 60 which makes it fine for tomatoes.

New year's tomato

It has been cold for southern California, with overnight lows in the low 40s F. I finally picked this today, New Year's day, to ripen at home. This has been the last Black Krim. I still have some Sungold (no photos) but the quality of the fruit drops when it gets chilly. I'll probably pull that one soon as well.

To all, wishing plenty of happy new year thoughts and all the best for a good gardening year!

Still hanging in there

This is a Black Krim and could literally be my last tomato. It continues to hang in there despite the cooler weather and the rain. Here it is from another angle.

So I ate it (the tomato, that is)

Black Krim. This is not the last one. There is still another one hanging in there. But seriously, it is getting cooler. We are getting rain. Definitely it is time to think about next season. I will probably start the tomatoes February or March, indoors, of course, in a few months.

The last tomato

We have had the warm weather return again, Santa Ana conditions for those who are local, and so I remain on the fence about what to do about the last tomato, still hanging in there.

Autumn tomatoes

We having a very warm September. Still have a few Black Krim tomatoes hanging in there. I pick these early because I still haven't figured out the critter problem which continues to plague my plot. They ripen on the counter top at home.

The first of the season: Purple Cherokee and Black Krim

Here we go: the first tomatoes of 2014 and um sorry but I forgot which is which. I think Purple Cherokee is on the left and Black Krim is on the right. I harvested the one on the right early because the squirrel problem continues. Squirrels run rampant in our community gardens.

Tomatoes: all in a row

Yesterday's harvest all lined up. The largest is the Sudduth's Brandywine, the first of this year. The next two are Paul Robeson and the last are Black Krim, both Russian heirlooms.

Black Krim: the first

Another Russian heirloom. While this is the first one that will be eaten, I had ones ripening earlier which dropped to the ground and got moldy. Such is life. I'm sure there will be more tomatoes soon.

Black Krim seeds germinating

Black Krim is the first to come up on Day 6, and it is 100% germination at that. Not bad. I saw the seedlings yesterday and didn't take a photo.

For our region, southern California coastal, Black Krim has been hands down one of the easiest to grow, from seed to seedling on. Our foggy summers do not faze them as much as the other types of tomatoes, and they produce fruit steadily. The smoky flavored fruit aren't huge beefsteaky guys in size but are quite nice for salads.

Last few years, they did well and hope they will do well this year.

Starting tomatoes this year

As the White Rabbit declared he was late, so am I. Last year, I started in late January and now, 'tis early March. As I did last year, I soaked the seeds in water for an hour before placing them in potting soil.

The seeds I chose (and who knows what germination luck I'll get) were: Black Krim, Momotaro (hybrid), Sungold (hybrid), Paul Robeson and Brandywine Sudduth. I personally collected the seeds for all except for the hybrids which came from Kitagawa Seeds.

2012 Tomato Post-morten

Pineapple Tomato

Momotaro Tomato

The tomato plants have been pulled up and composted, to come back next year as soil.

To recap, this year, in my limited space, I grew several Black Krim, several Momotaro, several Pineapple and two Sungold cherry tomato, one in the garden and one on the balcony.

Overall, it was a very good tomato year in that we did not get the usual coastal fog in the summer, not a even a hint. This means, tomatoes, plant and fruits, were happy.

The SunGold on the balcony was a bust, however. It only gets a few hours of sun every day, at the most four hours a day, not enough to produce a health plant. I did get some cherry tomatoes but not enough to warrant the space, as I had it in a 15 gallon pot. I'm not doing this again for 2013.

For next year, I would have fewer Pineapple, perhaps just one plant rather than three. They produce very large fruits that are 'okay' in flavor and not great. I would prefer to use my limited space for another beefsteak, maybe a Sudduth's Brandywine, if the weather holds true to 2012. Also on my wishlist would be a Paul Robeson. So I would keep one plant but add a Sudduth's Brandywine and a Paul Robeson for next year.

The Black Krim were fantastic. They started early and ended late. It stays for next year. The SunGold is always a monster overachiever. It stays for next year. Momotaro is a faithful heavy producer of gorgeous sweet tomatoes. This also is a 'go' for next year. The only negative, and this goes for the SunGold as well, is that it is a hybrid. That means, I don't save seeds as the next generation is unstable.

I'll start seeds in February and March 2013.

tomatoes one block from the beach

Selected tomatoes from my harvest today. This Momotaro looks simply gorgeous. This year, I have only planted four varieties: Black Krim, Momotaro, Sungold, and Pineapple. I planted seeds the end of January this season. I nurtured them inside on a east facing window and then later I acclimated them on my balcony throughout our colder months.

Momotaro, a hybrid, and Black Krim, a Russian heirloom, do well here one block from the beach. However, Black Krim has peaked. I only have a few left while Momotaro is probably close to its peak. Looking below, the center one is Black Krim. Notes to me for next year: plant more Black Krim. I crave Black Krim's smoky and slight salty taste. These I can eat as is, like an apple. They are best, in my opinion, sliced, drizzled with a good extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with a good salt.

The Pineapple Tomato comes from a tomato I bought at the local Farmers' Market a few years ago. I saved the seeds. The last two years, they did not do well at all. They are not well-adapted to growing next to the beach. This year, we have had sunnier and warmer days. This will be the first year I have tomatoes.This one is just beginning to show its true color, which is yellow with orange mottling throughout.

The Sungold is a hybrid. I have only one plant, as it tends to be an overachiever.

First Black Krim

It fell off early as it is still not completely ripe so it'll go on the kitchen window ledge to ripen.

Tomato update

Let's see. I have green Momotaro.

These Momotaros grew in a bunch.

I have green Sungold.

I have green Black Krim.

I finally have Pineapple tomato blooms. These are blooming later than all others. Very photogenic, I might add.

I spied a small Pineapple tomato. The first!

Lastly, the Sungold on the balcony in a pot seem to be ripening already. We have had a few, and they are delicious.

Green tomatoes

I've got tomatoes developing on nearly every tomato plant. The one exception is Pineapple, which seems to be just flowering now. This one is most definitely NOT a cooler climate tolerant tomato and represents my little experiment for trying to grow a regular tomato in a cooler climate. To help them, I did plant them in the sunniest warmest parts of my plot. We'll see if we get any fruit at all because in a month or two, we will get the coastal fog flowing in around noon time. And, of course, this doesn't make for optimum tomato growing.

Sungold

Black Krim

More Black Krim

Momotaro

Sungold on my balcony (in a pot)