Stupice tomato was one of the best of the 9 varieties that I planted in 2017. They not only thrived over summer, producing abundantly, they refused to wind down, even in the dead cold of December. Along side was the green zebra tomato in a container, thriving as well. They were both positioned along a South facing wall, well protected from draft and cold. Although there were no new flowers, and the fruit that remained did not ripen consistently, I was quite surprised to pick a handful to cook every few days. The green ones made excellent chutneys and dals. I collected about a hundred, right before we went for our vacation during Christmas. A freeze was looming on the horizon, and my husband and I managed to cover the frost tender plants – guava, limes, jasmine, peppers, avocado, etc. When we came back from our trip, I was quite relieved to see all our plants intact, but for the avocado, that showed signs of frost damage on the leaves.
By mid Jan, the weather had started to warm up occassionally. My asparagus had started to peek, and so did my daffodils. Salad greens were abundant and thriving. Signs of self seeded celery all over the place, and parsley happy and growing. The signs of spring were right around the corner. I figured its time for me to get to work, bring down the old and make place for the new, albiet late, job to be done in Fall. However in the Bay Area, we can stretch it a bit longer. I brought down 8 varieties of tomatoes, as they were dead, lifeless, and belonged in the compost pile. When it was time to chop down the Stupice, I was quite surprised to see firm green stems, with new growth! Possibility of having a super early start to the tomato season got me excited. With nothing to lose, I decided to experiment by leaving it on. I pruned the plant, cleaned up dead leaves, twigs, and shaped up the plant. Its companions are fava beans and rosemary.
Its mid-Feb and night time temperatures are around 40 deg. I was surprised to see a cluster of buds, but I am going to snip it and allow the plant grow foliage, before the plant spends energy putting forth fruits. The weather continues to fluctuate quite a bit. With the root system fully established, its just a matter of time before we start to enjoy our favorite tomatoes yet again!
Stupice is an indeterminate variety, that produces abundant clusters of small – medium red tomatoes, that taste excellent in cooked dishes, as well as eaten raw. Kids gobble it, as they are one of the first ones in the garden to produce, before sweet million put forth their bounty. They are cold hardy and early. They managed to survive the heat waves of Summer 2017, touching 109 deg. Since intermediate varieties produce continuous shoots and fruits on new branches, make sure you give them enough room and adequate support as they grow.
It has been my go to tomato for making delightful chutneys, rasam (South Indian soup), or as a base for a variety of curries. They freeze extremely well as a whole. Pluck, wash, dry and simply pop them on a tray, as you would blueberries, and freeze for two hours. Save them in a freezer safe bag, and use as needed.
Having reliably produced for me over past few years, I highly recommend that you try the Stupice variety for your home garden. Do share your ideas on other varieties that have successfully over wintered. I’ll be delighted to learn about your home gardening experiences in the comments below.
