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 Green Zebra

These were grown from seed. The first of the green zebras of the year are coming in. Given our predatory squirrel population as they have figured out to wait for the tomatoes to turn red, I wanted to try growing green tomatoes. Maybe I'll have some tomatoes to harvest because they stay green when ripe. Hah.

The tomato patch, mid July

My tomatoes grew into one very large mound. They were planted around 1.5 feet apart. Obviously, this was not far enough apart. Because of the horrific drought we are experiencing here in California, I water judiciously, usually once per week of deep watering. The tomato plants still grew very well. I may cut back the watering even more once I see more fruits developing. We'll see. For comparison, here is a photo I took earlier this month.

First Brandywine developing

First Brandywine developing. I have a shot of the plant in this photo, right side. I generally have noticed the Brandywines in my garden in past years do not produce many tomatoes. However, the fruit that develops tend to be quite large. Due to the predatory squirrel issue, I'm thinking this year I will harvest any tomtatoes earlier than I would like. This is not my preference but if I don't do otherwise, I will not be able to enjoy any tomatoes.

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.

Green zebra tomatoes

Late start this year for the green zebras but they are catching up quickly.

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!

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.

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.

The good, the bad and the ugly: my potatoes

I simply do not have a showcase garden. My veggie garden can look quite ragged at times especially when the tomato plants begin to senesce about midway through their cycle. I find tomato plants age quickly and basically look just terrible by the time they are giving up the last tomato.

However, by far the worst offenders are the potatoes. I grow them in containers in my garden, and they start out fine early on.

Towards the end, they look like this.

Not pretty, are they. Even worse, I like to keep them in the containers for a bit longer so that they can mature a bit. Sorry, neighbors. But freshly harvested potatoes for dinner is a rare treat and well worth the ugly.

An abundance of Sungold cherry tomatoes

Some days, there is simply an abundance of Sungold cherry tomatoes. This was one of those days. Half were given to the local Boys and Girls club where they were made into tomato caprese skewers. The other half stayed with me, the tomatoes which split. They were cut in half, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, and slow-roasted in the oven for several hours. 200 F.

Sungold ripening one block from the beach

I have good news and bad news about Sungold cherry tomato. The good news about Sungold is that the Sungold is a major overachiever. They produce large clusters of tomatoes, and this they continue from the beginning of summer to the end. Sungold does well here, one block from the beach. And the bad news about Sungold is simply that I can not save their seed since it is a hybrid.

first pineapple tomato ripens one block from the beach

My first Pineapple tomato begins to ripen, one block from the beach. I harvested it today because it hovers too close to the ground for my comfort. And now that it is almost perfectly ripe, I did not want it snagged by the opposum (yes, you!) who visits our garden plots at night. I'm thrilled with the progress of this tomato because it simply does not do well in our cool coastal climate. After three years, this tomato is the first I have grown. It seems Pineapple develops later than the others I am growing, and there are definitely fewer tomatoes per plant.

At home, it continues to darken with orange tints. The seeds will be carefully saved for next year.

My late summer tomatoes: pineapple

Several years ago, I spied a gorgeous yellow mottled with orange beefsteak tomato at the local farmer's market. It's name was Pineapple, and, naturally, after buying it, I saved its seeds. It turned out, quite frankly, to NOT be a cool weather tolerant type which meant it would be a challenge to grow here in my garden one block from the beach. In the last two years, they did not well. They grew tall, gangly and spindly, bearing few fruits which never ripened, with the leaves spotted with mildew.

I wanted to keep trying. This year, I started seeds in February rather than March. I planted the seedlings in the sunniest warmest corner of my garden.

And there be fruits! I noted these don't yield as much as my hybrids and they aren't as far along as the others. But I'll have late summer tomatoes this year barring a catastrophe. The seeds will be saved again for future years.

First Sungold

The first Sungold cherry tomatoes. Just a few today but looking forward to a deluge in the future.

First Momotaro

The first Momotaro.