Planting Calander

Sunday, March 19, 2017

Tomatoes planted

I planted in my seed house several varieties of tomatoes on Feb. 15
Today I transplanted them in the garden, under a plastic rings cover.

I have been trying for several years now to find varieties of indeterminate tomatoes that do well in the slightly cooler temperature of the Santa Cruz Mountains.  Here is what I am planting this year.

Stupice - (Solanum lycopersicum) - this is a variety I am now grow every year.
Czechoslovakia Heirloom sent to the U.S. from the by Milan Sodomka circa 1990.
It is a compact plant with potato leaf foliage loaded with clusters of 2-4 inche fruits.
55-70 days from transplant, heavy yields all season, indeterminate.

Ukrainian Purple or Purple Russian - A new variety I am trying.
Ukrainian heirloom sent to the US from Irma Hemkel circa 1980.  
A tall plant with interesting dark green 'feathery' foliage with plum-shaped fruits are purple-red, smooth and perfect. 3-4 inch fruits and 6 ounces.  
75 days from transplant, heavy yields all season, indeterminate.
Flavorful, sweet, meaty flesh, Resistant to cracking.
One of the best varieties for salsa, fresh eating, and beautiful and delicious in salads, but they are also tasty cooked. 

Black prince A new variety I am trying
Originally from Irkutsk, Siberian Russian, this is a black Heirloom tomato.
A tall plant, This is a fairly early tomato, and one that is more apt to set fruit in cool climates. 
Slightly pear-shaped fruit are deep garnet red with some dark chocolate brown and black.
Medium sized with 2 1/2 inch diameter average 4 oz.
60 days from transplant, heavy yields all season, indeterminate.
Tomatoes are full of juice and incredibly rich fruity flavors. This is a tomato that chefs I deliver to rave about for it's rich flavors. 
Very popular in Russia that there is now a company in Volograd that is producing an extract of the Black Prince called "Black Prince Tomato Oil." The Black Prince tomato is said to have considerable health benefits beyond the presence of lycopene.  

Missiouri Pink -  A new variety I am trying.
An American Heirloom Grown since the Civil war by the Barnes family who grew it as an ornamental, believing (as many people did at the time) that tomatoes or "love apples" were poisonous
Best grown in tall cages, This potato-leaved variety produces big beefsteak, pink fruit.
Large sized 
75-85 days from transplant yielding 1-3 fruits per cluster
are slightly sweet and very rich-tasting, juicy, meaty texture.