July in Pennsylvania this year -- a fine impression of Borneo, then for August, this glorious weather like early fall, splendid days and cool, temperate nights designed for sleeping.
Not designed for tomatoes to ripen.
The 'maters in my garden survived, with moderate foliage loss, the inevitable funk blight from the rain it raineth every day and set to producing #$%^tons of green fruit.
And more green fruit.
Or in the case of Rose Indigo, blackish-purple and green fruit.
Even the jungle of early-ripening currant tomatoes.* Still green.
But not my old friend Stupice.
You may, with sufficient googling, find negative reviews of this magical Czech heirloom cultivar.
Those reviewers have been allowed too much online time from the care staff at the home for the mentally should STFU. (Also, it's clear from their descriptions that some of them are not, in fact, growing Stupice.)
Stupice produces first. It keeps producing until hard frosts kill it stone-dead in the fall. It is perfectly happy in a hot summer, but can set fruit and ripen when nights are cool. It produces heavily. And it tastes fantastic. Balanced, complex, acid, tomato-ey, not insipidly sweet. Nothing not to like.
-----------------------
* So much better than cherry tomatoes that you don't even know, man.
Dogs. Dawgs. Other critters. Life as Oliver Wendell Douglas. Live heirlooms, both flora and fauna. Self-sufficiency. Suffering not a fool to live. Land stewardship. Turnip trucks, and those who have not fallen therefrom. Training things. Growing things. Search and rescue. What is this bug and what is it doing under my desk light? Embracing the reality that Nature Bats Last.
Great recommendation for a tomato. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI love, love, love stupice. They never let me down.
ReplyDeleteDistraction from the lack of puppy pics....you've been spotted! My own, beloved Ebil One, expects her first in just a few days. I am allowed to read this blog with her head in my lap while simultatiously rubbing her belly - period. Tomato shots are not making her happy. At All. The Black Queen she has titled herself would like to see the "widdle bebbies" today please. Or there will be consequences.
ReplyDeleteWendy