My Tomato Garden in N. California on November 15 - "picks" (and pics)

[rnewste]

Our 80 degree weather we've had in early November has given way to upper 60s during the day. Mid 50s at night.

The Indian Stripe keeps loading up, and a few are now starting to blush. BTW, that is a cluster of ripe Champion in the background (both plants put in August 5):







I've been picking a few Purple Cherokee (plant on the left) and the Carmello on the right is just now kicking in:



Both of these were planted on August 8 in a 2:2:1:1 mix of Sta-Green Potting Mix, Cactus Mix, Perlite, and Turface.





Overall, my most "robust" plant is a Cherokee Purple in a 3:2:1 ratio of Sta-Green, Bark Fines, and Perlite (planted September 7):



Absolutely green from top to bottom.

This Cherokee Purple is scheduled for the dinner table tonight!



Another report on December 1.

Raybo

[rutabagaboy]

Very Nice. California is a big state, where are you?

[rnewste]

I am West of you, in the San Jose area. A bit more moderate climate than you have this time of year in Sacramento.

Raybo

[rutabagaboy]

Yes, we've had light frosts the past two nights (possibly more - I was on vacation). It hasn't killed anything yet, but soon will. The tomatoes I planted in June and transplanted into the garden in July did stagnated, so I envy your success.

[habitat_gardener]

Some of my peppers and dwarf tomatoes froze a week or so ago, probably from the cold winds we have that blow at ground level. One small dwarf tomato in a taller pot was unaffected, and the pepper plants that were shielded in the right direction were also ok.

But tonight a freeze is forecast, so my season is probably over. Usually the killing freeze comes during the first week of December. I did have a very lush and healthy Purple Haze F3 a couple days ago, and several other varieties that were still producing, including Druzba, Fox cherry, Sun Sugar F1, and Brown Berry. I also had greenies on Caspian Pink, Dr. Wyche, and Dagma's Perfection.

I'm between SJ and SF.

[rnewste]

Habitat,

I am in Campbell, and the garden is somewhat sheltered, facing due South. Forecast is down to 42 tonight, but this should not damage the tomato crop. Last year, we did not have a hard freeze until January 15, so fingers-crossed, we hope to have fresh, off-the-vine tomatoes on the Christmas dinner table again this Year.

Raybo

[huntsman]

Hey Ray!

Great pics of great plants, which leads me to ask: Do you tie the tendrils (are they called that?) upwards?

I'm about to cage for the first time, and had imagined the tendrils were woven through the mesh horizontally. Would it make a difference?

Paul

[dipchip2000]

This is Dipchip,, just try to keep feeding all limbs into the cage and let them grow upward. I prune off any that are outside the cage that might touch the soil. This helps avoid soil born diseases. Let the plant grow over the top of the cage if it desires. Just my way of doing it and seems to work.

PS did the seeds I sent you arrive yet,probably not South Africa is a long way from Oklahoma?

dipchip

[huntsman]

Thanks, dipchip!

No, nothing at all, I'm afraid, but our postal service has mixed results, to say the least...!

Just to clarify...would you weave the limb in and out of the square mesh, or just have it all inside?

[rutabagaboy]

If you weave the stems through the wire mesh, you'll be making it difficult to tear down your setup after the season has ended.

If you don't prune them - which would likely avoid the problem altogether, it would be better to just stuff the branches back into the cage (or snip them off) as they protrude from the cage. Of course, you'll miss a branch or two that "escape" the cage during the season and become too long and stiff (and brittle) to stuff back into the cage and you might weave them back into the cage at a higher point or you could tie them to the outside of the cage.

[huntsman]

Great advice - thanks!

Sorry about the hijack, Ray!