Paul Robeson Ripens in Winter
 

Happy New Year! This is the first one to ripen before the squirrels beat me to it. I hand-carried it to San Diego, a present to my dad, and he was so happy to see a very beautiful tomato.

Thank you for looking. I hope you are having a wonderful year so far!

[IMG]http://i550.photobucket.com/albums/ii436/moonglowgardens/PaulRobeson.jpg[/IMG]

moonglow,

When did you plant the Paul Robeson in Corte Madera? I'm really happy that you could get ripe tomatoes at your place in January.:yes:

I started my Fall crop somewhat late (August) and am trying to "nurse" some Wes, Goose Creek, Paul Robeson, and others before we get hit with a season-ending freeze later this month.

[IMG]http://i253.photobucket.com/albums/hh67/rnewste/IMG_6505.jpg[/IMG]

Ray

Thanks, Ray. I planted Paul Robeson August 23 in a Square Foot Success Kit (Self-Watering from Gardener's). I'm a newbie, but I think it would have been happier in a bigger planter.

I'll wait for photos of your fall crop.

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Did your father report a flavor on it? I am thinking about growing this variety this spring
Kat

kat,

I'll let moonglow respond with his own impressions of Paul Robeson, but it is in my top 10 "grow every year" list. If you haven't tasted one, you are missing something. Highly recommend you grow it in 2009.:D:D

Ray

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Thanks Ray! The list gets longer :lol:
Kat

Thanks, Ray and Kat.

This is the FIRST heirloom tomato I grew, and it's nothing like the other tomatoes I have seen and eaten in 38 years. My dad of course did split the tomato with me and immediately he said, "Save the seeds." Although I have a packet from TGS and I have a seedling coming from Laurel, my dad said he'd rather grow the seeds from the tomato I grew :cute:.

Since this is my first heirloom and my first season growing tomatoes, the taste just knocked my socks off. The taste is richer than the color, and definitely yummier than it looks.

Ray, I'd like to know how you'd describe the taste of Paul Robeson. Thanks.

Annapet

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Congradulations on your first heirloom. I grew my first ones this past season. My first taste of a black tomato was Black Krim. It made the best pasta sauce! :love: It is a really cool feeling that you can grow something that tastes so good and then save the seeds to grow again. Welcome to the insanity
Kat

Wow! Ripe tomatoes in January! I ate some Cherokee Purple and Black Plum and Sun Sugar today, but I picked them green a month ago.

I'm 30 miles south of San Francisco, and at my garden site, even the covered tomatoes froze the first week of December. It's an open site, so it gets a lot colder than residential areas. But my neighbor still has a Druzba with some slowly ripening greenies, and an Ed's Millennium that's hanging on (I didn't get to try any of the EM or save any seeds, so I'm hoping this plant will hang on until spring).

thanks, kat. insanity it is! good to know about [B]black krim[/B]. i have to check my list if i have ordered that from dear laurel.

h_b, are you in san mateo (am I even close)? :?!?: what are you planting this spring? curious mind wants to know (or just plain nosey). lol.

I hate to look at winter tomatoes growing, it kills me but I cant help myself.:(
I put it off for 3 days now and I had to do it.
Nice tomato.:yes:

Worth

Thanks, Worth. You have made my evening :cute:.

Moonglow, I'm in Palo Alto. Haven't decided on final list yet -- partly depends on what other garden space I can find. This is the first year I'll be growing all my tomatoes from seed, though the seventh year in this garden. I grew a few from seed last year for the first time. We're spoiled by the great selection at nurseries and plant sales here! I probably have space for a dozen or so plants in my own garden, but have been growing 15-20 plants most years, plus whatever I can persuade a neighbor to grow.

In 2008, I got only 7 small tomatoes from my Paul Robeson, and the rest of the garden didn't produce nearly as much as usual. Cherokee Purple, Aunt Ruby's German Green, Orange Strawberry, and a couple mislabeled ones (a black plum and a small orange tomato) were the best producers, and none of the cherry tomatoes produced much -- didn't even get a pound from Black Cherry! Last year, Black Krim produced more than I could eat at a time, so I was giving them away, since they're so fragile, until I cooked some and found out what a magnificently wonderful sauce they make.

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I am going to put Paul Robeson and Black krim on my Fall planting list. There are just too many new varieties I want to try. I do know that I am slipping some on friend this spring. I have some people at work that keep hearing me talk about tomatoes and now they are joining the insanity. I am hoping we have a great tomato tasting at work this spring. I have one friend that wants big ones. I have another that wants big producers. I have another that wants mainly wierd shapped or colored. My other friend that gave me Carolyns book is kinda like me. Everytime I read a new variety I want it.:lol: Looking at pictures of nice juicy tomatoes. I now realize why they call it tomato porn:roll:
Kat

palo alto? cool, h_b! this is my second year growing tomatoes, and first year growing from seeds. i have "sure thing" tomatoes coming from laurel's (12 varieties) in case my seed starting flops :o.

kat, "black krim" is one of 12! woo-hoo. i'm so excited.

i shall order my earth boxes soon. i'll call them "valentine's day present from honey." i'll let him know ;).