This is one of the first tomatoes that I grew in San Francisco, but I grew it indoors, and it did great, but given that you have to hand pollinate tomatoes indoors, and the tomato size is small and plentiful, it was a lot of work. I was skeptical about how well it would do…
Category: Tomatoes
Growing Tomatoes in San Francisco & Disease Control – Update
This year, I got a late start to starting the tomatoes. I was optimistic about the grafting, but poor germination with the rootstock and uneven stem sizes lead to failed grafts, and I had to start over a couple of times, eventually deciding to grow the traditional way, from seed, in July. Azoychka, which had…
Blue Beauty Tomatoes in San Francisco
I’m going to preface this by saying, this not so positive review is more than likely from the environment these tomatoes were grown in. The balcony where it continues to grow (yes, even in the middle of October) is full of sun, but there are frequent heavy winds bringing very chilly, moisture laden air. Some…
Berkeley Tie-Dye Tomato
Earlier this year I ordered 5 varieties of seeds from Wild Boar Farms. I was blown away with the number of distinct, beautiful and unusual tomatoes available. I stumbled onto this breeder’s varieties after looking for a good mix between OSU’s Indigo Rose and a tomato with some more desirable traits. The tomato I found…
San Francisco Fog Tomato
Talk about a cold weather tomato. It totally lives up to its namesake. They taste like typical hot-house tomatoes from the grocery store. Medium gel, with a mealy texture. That said, I only rate it 5/10…however, I would consider growing it again. Why? This plant produces loads of tomatoes that after 5-10 seconds in boiling water, the…
Black Prince Tomato
This was one of my all time favorite tomatoes (rating 9/10). The flesh is dark and multi-colored, flavors are complex, yet sweet, medium gel and tender flesh. Nearly no blossom scar, the stem anchor is shallow, almost non-existent, the skin is blemish free on most, and no cracking…except when there was some inconsistent watering. The…
Ispolin Malinovyi Tomato
Rating 4/10. 160 days from seed to first pick. Total lifespan 178 days. Average weight 252 gr ams. Total harvest weight 6.3 kilos. I’m not that thrilled with this tomato. It’s going to go towards many bottles of sauce however. Freshly sliced, this tomato was crunchy, and the skin super thick. Flavor was really mild….
Gigantesque Tomato
I rated this 6/10. It has pinkish/red half pound fruits with very little gel, kind of mushy with a bland flavor in some tomatoes and a delicious flavor with notes of strawberry in others. Most of these tomatoes are destined for sauces, rather than slicing and eating raw. Total lifespan from seed to compost, was…
Azoychka Tomato
This is by far one of my favorites (9/10). For a colder weather variety, this produces some amazing flavor. It has medium gel, great wrinkled flesh, and a citrusy flavor that makes it unique. It is a Russian heirloom that is rated as one of the best yellow tomatoes you can grow. From seed planting…
Stupice Tomato
Stupice 30 days Stupice 63 days Given some of the descriptions that others have for Stupice grown in San Francisco, I didn’t have any expectations that I would like this tomato, but it’s actually pretty good. It is one of the two main varieties that are supposed to do well in San Francisco. Read more on…