what early/late tomatoes have you tried?

15 years ago

In Southern California we can grow tomatoes almost all year, but for the early and late tomatoes folks have better luck with those varieties adapted to colder climates. We found some 'Siberian' tomato seedlings at a farmer's market yesterday so we will try a couple of them. I was wondering what experiences with late/early varieties California gardeners can share, what are you favorite varieties to extend the tomato growing season? what does well in our climate?

Cabrita

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Comments (14)

hosenemesis
15 years ago
Bad question to ask me this year. My five tomato plants produced a grand total of twelve tomatoes. I have pulled all out except for the Early Girl, which did not produce early this year and is pretty diseased looking right now.
jxc3203
15 years ago
Cabrita;
I have been researching cool weather tomatoes as well. Here are a few types:
Legend
Oregon Spring
Stupice
Glacier
Manitoba
Do a google search and you will find descriptions and prices. Jason
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Dawn, I agree on the flavor thing on the earlies, and is one of the reasons I wanted to try the Goliath Collection and see if some of the early ones were a little better in taste. I didn't list the cherry tomatoes I will have because if everything sets fruit at the same time, the cherries will be early just because of their size. lat0403 - Sungold is a hybrid and not AS likely to be in the swap as the open pollinated ones, but you might get lucky and someone will decide to share their pack with you. In the next few days we can start placing a wish list out on the Swap thread and I will try to fill as many of the request as I can. Maybe someone will see your wish list and just put your name on a pack. Susan, I would sure like to find an early that was both good tasting and early because I crave that first ripe tomato in spring. Even when you do your best to plant the early ones, it depends on a lot of other things. In spite of all I can do (short of a greenhouse), I usually get my first tomatoes around July 1st. I could be a couple of days earlier or later, but that is the norm for me. One year I put a few in WOW and got some earlier ones the same week that most people were putting their tomatoes in the ground, but it was a lot of trouble and I still had to cover them some nights. Of course, I am very far north and only about 40 miles from Joplin MO, and probably 30 miles south of the Kansas state line. While Dawn is enjoying her first tomatoes, I am checking mine everyday and thinking they will never come. However, Jay is not much further north (but almost across the state) than I am and has a totally different climate than I do, and while he is just beginning to get his first tomatoes for the table, I am picking tomatoes and making salsa about every other day. So what is an early tomato....and where....and is it worth all the trouble. Someday I will have a greenhouse and can have some early ones without working myself to death for them. I heard my DH mention that to the building contractor the other day, so maybe it isn't too far off. One year Dawn gave me a cantaloupe plant that she had planted the same time as she planted hers. I planted it in a black container and put it in a sunny spot and drooled everday while she talked about eating melons. Finally mine produced, about a month later, and made 6 or 8 nice melons. So I guess my point is...all things are just not equal, or even fair. LOL
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CA Kate z9
15 years ago
This will be the 3rd year I've put in an Early Girl in April/May and reluctantly pulled it out in February. I've had a good crop of tomatoes early on and then again starting in the cooler Fall. My present EG has 5 major leaders each about 10 - 12' long climbing over and falling to the other side of the trellis. I give the plant an extra dose of compost about now.
greenwitch
15 years ago
I've grown Taxi and it's a really nice flavored yellow tomato. I'm growing it again this fall along with Siberian and Oregon Spring in 15 gal squat containers. I've also held over a spring planted Champion that I finally pulled out because it just seemed wrong picking tomatoes in apple/pomegranate/pumpkin season!

Here is a link to my list of cool tolerant tomatoes (almost at the end) in Growing Tomatoes - a good tasting determinate anybody know 1?:

http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/tomato/msg0900160716633.html?20
jll0306
15 years ago
Technically, I think we're inland from most of you, probably next door in terms of zones. In Zone 18 winter lows can range from 28Â°F to 10Â°F, but I'm on the year-round tomato quest, too.

I'm doing the container shuffle now with several still-blooming, bearing plants (thank goodness for husbands and wheelbarrows) from dappled shade to full sun. They should keep growing from now through Thanksgiving at least. I also have a small roma that seems to be a good candidate for indoor growing.

I'll be trying 5 early varieties: Early Girl hybrid, and Northern Exposure, Stupice, Bloody Butcher, and Glacier from seed.

All of these will be introduced outside here just as our winter begins. If I can get them through the cold nights, maybe they will respond to relatively warm, slowly lengthening days.

The plan is to cluster some of them under a temporary tomato shelter, under the mesquite tree that will be losing it's leaves. It will leaf out again just in time to protect the tender earlies from the oncoming heat.

Cabrita, would you start the Campari-maybe seeds this early?

j.
wanda
15 years ago
San Francisco Fog is a good producer for me in the cooler months. It doesn't like the heat of summer and sort of goes dormant until fall when it begins producing again. I've picked tomatoes from it as late as January from a spring planting.

wanda
jll0306
15 years ago
This question inspired me to update my tomato list. It's topped out (I hope) at fifteen varieties, but I have gone into some sort of tomato multiplying mania.

I have seeds, seeds in the mail, seedlings, broken branches rooting, rescued volunteers transplanted, and since it may be true in this zone that old tomato plants never die, an old performing Super Sioux set out to pasture.

I think I'll start some of Cabrita's Campari-maybes and Dave's Red House Standing next. Then Glacier. Then Red Robin. Then I stop. No more tomatoes!

Artichokes, Eggplants and Peppers, YES!

j.
samanthaz3211
15 years ago
Hi all - I am staring out of the window at my huge 'Eva's Purple Ball' tomato plant. It is still producing flowers and baby tomatoes. This is the first year I've grown this one, and it was the first to fruit, and appears to the be the last to fruit! Any of the Russian-named cultivars will grow in the cooler months, too; Siberian, Silver-fir tomato, etc.
jll0306
15 years ago
I swore I was going to stop at 15 varieties, as soon as I got the Glacier and Red Robin seeds started. But I was offered a few Black Cherry seeds in a recent trade. I've never grown anything but basic red tomatoes, but everyone raves about the taste of the Black Cherries, so now of course I have to try them, too.

And here you go, telling me about a purple variety I have not heard of before. How was the taste? Is it a good candidate for those of us in the ht dry part of the state?

So many tomatoes, so little time!

j.
Swedeinla
15 years ago
Early Girl has been my best performer in timing (planting early and late), location (tons of sun, slightly less sun) and taste (I just love its flavor). As long as you feed her well, earky girl for me in L.A. is a solid (and forgiving) performer.
jll0306
15 years ago
My first ever Early Girl is in a prime spot by a south wall. She's only 18 inches tall, but has her first fruit set already. I'm glad to hear such a good report from someone who has first hand experience.
bridgetp
15 years ago
I had excellent success last year with Siberian and Bloody Butcher. Overall because of the extreme heatwave in June 08 most people had small crops in '08. Tomatomania.com is a great resource. Their seedling sale at Tapia bros in Encino will be March 27, 28, 29
MrClint
15 years ago
I've trialed a number of tomatoes and have settled on Silvery Fir Tree and Celebrity for the most part. Early Girl, Momotaro, Sungold, Stupice, Jetsetter and Juliet were all excellent. The knock on these indeterminates is that they get huge and flat out ugly in the summer heat. My garden resides in a standard sized suburban lot, so visual appeal has to factor into the equation. Silvery Fir Tree and Celebrity are very well behaved and put out large and tasty crops.
barbiekemp
15 years ago
A little old man at Home Depot was standing next to me yesterday. He was looking at all the tomato varieties on sale in small pots. I thought he was crazy when he insisted I buy an Improved Early Girl so soon in the season... only 50 days, he said... OK, mister, I'll take it!

Repotted it asap into a gallon pot, and said a little prayer. Too soon, I'm thinking. Well, maybe he knows something I don't. After all, last summer every plant the DH set out gave me Bonsai sized fruits: tomatoes, peppers, hot and bell, and the eggplants... good grief! All were rootbound.

So I'll give this old man a chance to show me up, and we'll see how well Early Girl does. I just really was craving fresh tomatoes for sandwiches last summer, and my craving has gone unsatisfied. Maybe this year?

what early/late tomatoes have you tried?

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hosenemesis

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