The KARMA Project

[Koala Doug]

Yesterday, my plant blew over for the third time this week (I didn't even think it was windy enough)... so I was in a bit of sour mood.


But, today, I found my first fruit starting to blush (I assume it saw the salad dressing). Because of that, I'm as happy as a clam!


I should also mention that I topped the upper-most growing tips as they have exceeded their supports (which are six feet above the ground and five feet above the top of the container). I'll still have a very good harvest though as there are myriad side-shoots and branches.

[chadandpia]

Color and size was as you said (ping pong ball). Forgot to take pics (sorry) but I cut it in half .. beautiful pink color through out so assuming I let it ripen long enough as the seed sacks were surrounded by green gel. It was very juicy and when I popped half in mouth, the first thing that came to my mind was the candy Sweet Tarts … it was so sweet with an undercurrent of tartness .. amazing good and I love it! Can't wait for more to ripen so I can share with folks--- maybe.. might just keep 'em for myself

[chadandpia]

Here are how my plants look and some others that I've picked and waiting on to ripen more. You can see how many flowers there still are, and there's probably the same amount of green karma's growing in there already as well. Plant looks bare as I've been fighting fungus this season and for some reason the fungus really loves the Karma Pink plants... :p

[ginger2778]

Originally Posted by friedgreen51

My first tomatoes on the Karma Pink are starting to blush. They are a nice size. Can't wait to taste these. These seed were started around January 29th.

Do you remember what your plant out date was?

Originally Posted by Gardadore

My tomato buddy sowed 5 seeds and all came up. Something happened to one of the seedlings so we ended up with 4 plants. I gave two to friends and my buddy and I each kept one. I am happy to report that everyone is very pleased with the progress of their plant.
The one lives about 20 miles south of me so her tomatoes tend to ripen before mine: she says:
“I'm happy to report that my Pink Karma plant is doing very well. It is lush with lots of buds and even more flowers. Very soon I hope to have tomatoes!”
My other friend says about the same. My buddy says her one is over 2 feet tall, flowering and nice and strong, one of the strongest in her garden and she has about 90 tomato plants!
Mine is doing very well at the moment after giving me a bit of a scare when I returned home after 10 days of visiting the grandkids. My plant was drooping pretty badly and the leaves were curled. It did not look very robust at all! Compared to my other tomatoes it looked a little pathetic. I think my waterer may have missed it since the fabric pot is nestled among some raspberries. We had also had a couple of colder than average nights. But with tender loving care all is good and there are lots of flowers. While her cherry neighbors Esterina and Russian Purple have already set fruit she is clearly about to.
I love checking on this plant because the leaves are so unusual even for a potato leaf. They remind me of a lop-eared rabbit! The plant almost grows before my eyes and has clearly grown at least 6 inches this week since returning home. Can’t wait to taste it. Will report when we all start setting! Thanks for sharing the seeds!

So glad that plant recovered. It's amazing what a little care will do. I love those huge PLs too. She likely would have already set fruit too if she had enough water earlier. Mostly KARMA Pink is an early variety.

Originally Posted by Koala Doug

Yesterday, my plant blew over for the third time this week (I didn't even think it was windy enough)... so I was in a bit of sour mood.


But, today, I found my first fruit starting to blush (I assume it saw the salad dressing). Because of that, I'm as happy as a clam!


I should also mention that I topped the upper-most growing tips as they have exceeded their supports (which are six feet above the ground and five feet above the top of the container). I'll still have a very good harvest though as there are myriad side-shoots and branches.

Doug what about surrounding the pot with concrete reinforcing mesh? That is sturdy and you can just put a circumference of the 6' tall stuff easily around the pot. The mesh will stand on its own.

Originally Posted by chadandpia

Color and size was as you said (ping pong ball). Forgot to take pics (sorry) but I cut it in half .. beautiful pink color through out so assuming I let it ripen long enough as the seed sacks were surrounded by green gel. It was very juicy and when I popped half in mouth, the first thing that came to my mind was the candy Sweet Tarts … it was so sweet with an undercurrent of tartness .. amazing good and I love it! Can't wait for more to ripen so I can share with folks--- maybe.. might just keep 'em for myself

Love this! It was in my top 5 for taste out if 109 varieties.

Originally Posted by chadandpia

Here are how my plants look and some others that I've picked and waiting on to ripen more. You can see how many flowers there still are, and there's probably the same amount of green karma's growing in there already as well. Plant looks bare as I've been fighting fungus this season and for some reason the fungus really loves the Karma Pink plants... :p

It's so interesting to see how KARMA Pink does for different folks. In my yard it didn't get much fungus at all.

[ginger2778]

I am a pain, I know, but to refresh everyone's memory, the correct spelling please is KARMA Pink, the KARMA in all capitals because it's a combination of KARen and MArsha.

You guys are all wowing me, so excited for all the folks growing these and reporting.

[KarenO]

Originally Posted by chadandpia

Color and size was as you said (ping pong ball). Forgot to take pics (sorry) but I cut it in half .. beautiful pink color through out so assuming I let it ripen long enough as the seed sacks were surrounded by green gel. It was very juicy and when I popped half in mouth, the first thing that came to my mind was the candy Sweet Tarts … it was so sweet with an undercurrent of tartness .. amazing good and I love it! Can't wait for more to ripen so I can share with folks--- maybe.. might just keep 'em for myself

Wonderful! So happy you think so
KarenO

[NicolasGarcia]

Hello everyone!
Today I tasted my first pink KARMA, the truth is that it is a delicious tomato!
I was surprised by its taste, great!
Congratulations for your work Marsha and Karen !! You must feel proud.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to plant seeds of KARMA pink and for all your advice and kindness.
First tomato from its definitive transplant to the garden 58 days.
It's a bit bigger than a golf ball.
Nico

[KarenO]

Hi Nico, I am very pleased you were surprised by the flavour. . That’s a pretty large KARMA pink, I have found that sometimes my first fruits were large and sometimes there are faciated blooms on KP which is relatively unusual in a cherry. Later fruits tend to settle into the large cherry size. Let us know if this large size continues, that would not be expected.
Karen

[ginger2778]

Beautiful photos Nico. I am so pleased to hear that you liked our tomato's taste. There may be other KARMAs at the end of the summer, if Karen thinks highly enough of them to release the seeds.

[NicolasGarcia]

Good morning from Spain.
Karen you're right, I noticed that the first tomatoes of KARMA pink are bigger than the rest., The other tomatoes are much smaller.
Marsha thanks for everything.
Good day.
Nico

[SharonRossy]

Hi Karen and Marsha,
Hopefully you will be able to see the plant in my photos. There are several flowers on the stems and I have a few fruit starting. Very exciting. Unusual PL leaves but it’s looking good! These photos are from my growout.

[ginger2778]

Sharon, those are stunning! They look fantastic, so healthy.

[KarenO]

Your plants look beautiful Sharon
KarenO

[Koala Doug]

Here are a couple more pictures of my KARMA Pink plant.


The first one shows some of the upper-most flower trusses (if you look close enough, you can see where I cut the growing tips off).


The second photo shows a some of the fruit set closer to the top of the plant. I'm getting quite a lot of fruit set throughout the plant (lower, middle, and upper sections of the plant).


Most of the mature fruit is typically ping pong ball sized or slightly smaller. Though the first fruit is the largest so far and it is about the size of a golf ball.

[SharonRossy]

Very nice! I’m excited to taste one!

Thank you Karen and Marsh for this tomato!