Unusually Cool Summer

Global Warming, huh? We've had two really hot days so far, the rest of the time only high 70s. The plants don't know what to do.

In early May, I planted two tomato plants, taking it seriously this time. Dug a foot deep trench, added more than 25% soil amendment, got premium 4" plants from Yamagami's. I even buried a soaker hose, put on bark mulch and fancy tomato cages. The good part of these expensive cages is the supporting bars clip on so I repositioned them as the tomatoes grew, to support the heavy fruits. Worth the money.

I pointed the sprinkler heads away so that I can water them less frequently but deeply, and not water spot the leaves. I turned on the soaker hose, just a trickle, for an hour or so once a week. Last week, I forgot to turn the tap off so it was on for more than 6 hours! Then I read that soaker hoses emit a gallon per minute per foot. Seems too high a rate, but in any case, that deep watering should ding my water bill.

The big 'muscular' tomatoes are supposed to take 60 days to ripen. See? They're multi-lobed rather than spherical. The fancy 'French chef favorite' ones are supposed to take 70 days. It's been, oh, 65 days. Maybe they'll turn red in the next 5 days? Too much water and no warm weather means even when they turn red, they might not be very sweet.

Here's a picture of the French Chef's Favorite

(not their real name). Smaller fruit, smaller leaves, fewer fruit per branch, shorter plant, and not as red when ripe.

Well, I gotta say, growing big tomatoes is more rewarding than growing cherry tomatoes. All those years of growing various varieties of cherries only end up feeding the bugs. These tomatoes are high enough up, I guess, to keep them bug-free, so far.

Other garden notes: My Nagami Kumquat was looking sad: yellow and no blossoms. I thought it was root bound so finally bit the bullet and put it into the ground. Highly amended soil in a wide but not so deep hole: planted 2-3 inches above soil level; landscape cloth to control soil erosion and bark mulch. Two weeks go by, no reaction at all; leaves still yellow. But today, presto, lots of little flower buds. maybe I'll get some kumquats after all? Will post a photo when the flowers bloom.