Tomatoes in Winter
Sometime between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox, “BLT desire” hits you hard. BLT sandwiches in winter should be joyful—freshly baked bread, sinfully meaty and thick bacon, lettuce that snaps—but something is missing.
The tomato is magnificent; large, firm, and bright red. However, it traveled farther than your last vacation and tastes like it just got off the railway car from Chihuahua. Sadness is the best description of the taste. A sad tomato makes an even sadder BLT. How is one to deal with sad tomatoes?
Tomato season is almost here. The weather changes day to day with 85 degrees one day and 62 degrees two days later. The key to a solid start to spring vegetables is ground warmth. Mother Nature, celebrating baseball Opening Day, might throw a curve. There is no guarantee that the weather will not do a drastic, plant stopping cold. When the ground can support healthy root growth and the fear of frost is gone, it is time to plant.
If you are looking for delicious tomatoes, time is important. Different tomatoes take different times to produce fruit. Plant tags will advise the length of time between transplant and enjoyment. Tomato size also dictates the amount of patience required. Start small to get a quicker return on investment.
Cherry tomatoes make for easy eating. Sungold—bright orange, super sweet and a vigorous plant—produces within 65 days of transplant. Other well-known cherry tomatoes are Super Sweet 100s and Yellow Pear. All provide prolific harvests.
Midsized tomatoes are perfect for BLTs. It might take two tomatoes versus one monster beefsteak but some midsized are super-fast producers. Early Girl will bust out big clusters of bright red tomatoes with loads of flavor and aroma in about 59 days. Indeterminate plants continue to grow and produce until frost. There are many varieties of medium tomatoes with more arriving every year. Look for Celebrity, Summer Girl, Bobcat, Fantastic, Brandywine, Lemon Boy, and Green Zebra for delicious medium sized tomatoes.
If you want a tomato that will hang over the sides of your BLT, you will need a slice of patience. Beefsteak, those favorite two-handed mamas, may take 80 days to produce and ripen. Checking plant tags will provide fruit weights. As long as it says beefsteak type, the tomato will be big. There are over 10,000 varieties of tomatoes, so surely there is one that will fit your needs.
Extend BLT season with a few tricks. If you plant early, use a clean plastic gallon milk jug as your mini greenhouse. Cut the bottom off the jug. Place it over the plant, pushing it firmly into the soil. Remove the cap for ventilation during the afternoon. At the end of the growing season prior to the first frost, pick remaining tomatoes and let them finish ripening on your windowsill or wrapped in newspaper in your pantry. Turn the fruit frequently. Enjoy your BLT. Can’t you just taste it?
Julie Silva is a University of California Cooperative Extension Master Gardener in Tuolumne County.
