Spreading Shade: Camphor trees develop spreading canopies of glossy, evergreen leaves. They're not the best choice as street trees, however, due to problematic roots.




Photograph by Shari Kaplan







Warm-season crops are out, and cool-season ones are in

By Tony Tomeo

Every year at about this time, many garden enthusiasts experience the dilemma of viable tomato plants. Where space is limited, it can be difficult to remove tomato plants to allow for cool season vegetables if the tomatoes are still producing. Unfortunately, it is necessary to start most cool season vegetables between August and September, and it is getting late.

Green tomatoes still on the plants when removed need not be discarded. Many can eventually ripen on a sunny windowsill. In fact, most tomatoes in markets were harvested when beginning to ripen but still green. They ripen during transportation to the market, even without sunlight. Of course, fruit ripened on the sill is not as well-flavored as that ripened on the vine, but they are better than no tomatoes at all.

After productive summers, when there are many late, green tomatoes, I would rather utilize them in recipes that require green tomatoes. Fried green tomatoes are a classic when cooked by someone else--I can't seem to get it right. They are also good in salsa, but do not can well. My favorite recipe is one for pickled tomatoes. Because this recipe is intended to be canned, it can utilize an abundance of fruit and be enjoyed throughout the year. (Enough Martha Stewart stuff!)

The main difference between warm-season and cool-season vegetables is that most of the warm-season vegetables are actually fruit, but most of the cool-season vegetables are in fact vegetables. That is not as confusing as it sounds. Warm-season vegetables that are fruits--containing seeds--such as beans, corn, cucumbers, melons, peppers and tomatoes, require warm, stable weather to ripen. Activity slows or ceases during cool weather.

Cool-season vegetables are generally other vegetative parts that do not contain seeds, such as roots, stems or leaves. They grow slower in cool weather, but are not encouraged to bloom. Bolting (blooming) of many such vegetables compromises the production of the desired vegetative part. For example, bolting lettuce stops producing edible foliar parts when it begins to send up a tall central stem and flowers.

Peas are one of the few cool-season vegetables that are actually fruit. Cauliflower and broccoli are also different from most because they are floral parts rather than vegetative. Beets, carrots, radishes and turnips are all roots. Cabbage, chard, lettuce, spinach and onions (greens as well as bulbs) are all foliar parts. Potatoes are distended subterranean stems known as stolons.

Brussels sprouts and celery, generally not grown in the Santa Clara Valley, are interesting foliar vegetables. Celery stalks are distended petioles with the diminutive foliage removed. Brussels sprouts are the axillary buds of a larger cabbage-like plant. The larger, coarser foliage on the main stem is abscised as the axillary buds develop.

Vegetables that should be planted as soon as possible include broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, peas, radishes and turnips. It is late for beets, chard and potatoes, but they can be planted in very early spring with the second phase of the other vegetables. Spinach can be planted anytime before spring. Onions can be planted from sets anytime before winter.

Cauliflower, broccoli and even cabbage may be planted as nursery-grown seedlings. Potatoes and onions can be planted from sets also known as seed potatoes and seed onions. All others should be planted as seed.

Tree of the Week: Camphor

The canopy of the camphor, Cinnamomum camphora, can be too dense to allow adequate sun exposure for other species below, but that is what many people like about the tree. Maple Drive in Beverly Hills is lined with camphors, creating an almost tunnel-like appearance. Although lawns are sparse and sidewalks raised, residents thoroughly enjoy their trees.

Camphors are best in large, open landscapes, where their greedy and sometimes buttressed root system will not be a problem. They are often awkwardly structured, but are usually very stable. They eventually grow to 40 feet tall and wide, but do so at a moderate rate.

The 2- to 4-inch-long glossy foliage is bright golden green in winter and contrasts with the trunk, which becomes dark when wet from rain. Foliar litter occurs in March as older foliage is replaced by new (often pink) foliage. Minor foliar litter resembling sawdust appears in May after bloom; small black berries come later. As its name suggests, this tree was the source of camphor oil.

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Horticulturist Tony Tomeo can be contacted at 408.358.2574 or at LGHORTICULTURE@aol.com.

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