First Ripe Tomato

I try to always document this day in the year, mostly for my own reference.  Then, there's also that desire to brag a little.  This year, I'm not sure it qualifies as bragging, but I finally have my first ripe tomatoes.

These are Sun Gold tomatoes, and they ripen very early.  If you consider August to be early.  Well, the point is that they ripen earlier than other varieties.  Last year my first ripe one was July 23rd.  The year before, it was July 17th.  I posted a Sun Gold tomato salad recipe on July 20th that year. 

It has been a cold, wet spring in the west of the country this year.  Snow packs are still high, the weather only just turned warm, and tomatoes aren't exactly getting in early.  Here's a photo I took of Mt. Adams last weekend.  Look at all that snow!
Not that I'm complaining.  It's always nice to have water.  Some of my spring crops are still going strong, and I have a ton of beautiful, huge sunflowers - all volunteers.
How is your garden doing?  Are you rolling with the weather or are your plants suffering?

Comments

Mark said…
What's your tomato secret?
August 5, 2011 at 7:55 AM
Gina said…
Mark,

My tomato secret is to choose varieties that mature early. Portland often doesn't have a long enough growing season for many varieties. I also make sure to fertilize with both compost and manure or other nutrient-rich fertilizer.
August 5, 2011 at 2:24 PM
Vicky said…
I've been growing tomatoes for the past two years, without much success!. Last year they ripened in late August, this year one ripened in July and since then I've had one or two a week with the majority still hanging on the plants refusing to ripen! I'm not growing them next year! I've added you to my blog roll too!
August 25, 2011 at 9:33 AM
ailsa said…
never mind the tomato's the sunflowers are beautiful :)
October 23, 2011 at 4:00 AM
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