Early tomato - Red Robin !

16 years ago

I'm in "seasons reversed" coastal Wellington (New Zealand) where we've a Oregon/Californian climate with frosts rare, & can report a wintered over OUTDOOR Red Robin is just on the verge of being picked. This is equiv to you folks "up top" picking in April of course. I've grown all manner of tomatoes for decades & have never had such an early showing. Traditionally us Kiwis only PLANT our garden tomatoes in late October & look to have some home growns by Xmas. Don't get too envious- it can get quite windy here ! Stan

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Comments (3)

bigdaddyj
16 years ago
Well, I'm not envious. I grow tomatoes all year round. In the winter I have a couple plants indoors that do nicely and I've grown Red Robins indoors many times thru winter.

The real reason I'm responding is because I'm wondering if you can hang onto winter a bit longer? I'm not ready for it. LOL

Congrats on growing RR outdoors. Seriously. You cover it up much on certain evenings?
digit
16 years ago
Since Wellington is on the North Island - I'm assuming that 7.4 earthquake this morning didn't shake any of those tomatoes from your Red Robin, Manuka!

A tsunami has now been discounted so you're good there, too.

I was recently reading that Early Girl was developed as a tomato which could grow at 40Â°F. What's that? 40Â°F = 4Â°C . . . (NZ may be "seasons reversed" but the US is just "backwards" ;o).

Obviously, a really close-to-the-ground plant like Red Robin would have more protection "hunkering down" during cold weather. Can only just imagine this since it's been 40 years since I moved my gardening to Intermountain zone 5 from California coastal zone 9. Frost would still occur in December and January and I remember that it once snowed!!

Happy Spring, Manuka.

Steve
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anney
16 years ago
Hi, Manuka!

It's the absolute end of summer here, and my Red Robins are beginning to color up a couple of months after I planted them outside in a pot. I've picked four ripe ones already and used them to save seeds -- each little fruit doesn't have a lot of them. I think the Red Robins are awfully cute with such sturdy compact plants and fat little cherry maters. I'm hoping to grow them inside while it's cold here, though I don't know if it will be warm or light enough.

Let us know how yours get on as the weather warms up.