🍅 Quick take: Summer of Love is an indeterminate, mid-season beefsteak bred by Brad Gates (Wild Boar Farms) as an upgraded offshoot of his famous Berkeley Tie-Dye. It yields large, oblate slicers swirled in mahogany-brown and green stripes with sweet, juicy, dense flesh. Gardeners report vigorous vines, noticeably earlier ripening than original Berkeley Tie-Dye, and reliable above-average yields. Full summary ↓
Growers’ Notes and Photos (USDA Zone 4 Experience)
A newer variety from Brad Gates, an improved version of Berkeley Tie-Dye. Indeterminate, mid-season (ripens a bit earlier than Berkeley Tie-Dye). The fruit is large and oblate, dark brownish with metallic green stripes. Super tasty, juicy-meaty, and distinctly sweet.
Edited October 27, 2018 by Drosera
Edited October 27, 2018 by Drosera
Total stunner and downright delicious! Productivity was better than average, vines grew stout and vigorous. Definite lock for my 2020 grow list.
Edited November 3, 2019 by irysska
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Edited November 3, 2019 by irysska
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Full Summary: Plant, Yield, Taste and Storage
- 🌿 Plant: Indeterminate, mid-season beefsteak bred by Brad Gates (Wild Boar Farms). Tall, strong vines with substantial foliage. Fruits are large, flat-round (oblate) beefsteaks painted in dark red-brown with distinct green striping.
- 📈 Yield: Rated above average. Ilya notes it kicks off earlier than the classic Berkeley Tie-Dye, and irysska observed vigorous vine health paired with generous fruit sets.
- 👅 Taste: Sweet, richly balanced, and meaty. Retains the complex multi-note flavor profile expected of Wild Boar varieties while keeping plenty of juice without turning watery.
- 📦 Storage: Standard for a thin-skinned, high-sugar heirloom beefsteak; intended primarily for fresh slicing, salads, and immediate table use.
- 🌎 Who Reviewed It: Zone 4 greenhouse gardeners who tested its vigor and early-ripening traits in a short, humid continental summer.
🍅 Grown Summer of Love? How did it compare to Berkeley Tie-Dye in your garden? Leave your zone and thoughts in the comments below!
👨🌾 Editor’s Note: Summer of Love vs. Berkeley Tie-Dye
Brad Gates selected Summer of Love out of the Berkeley Tie-Dye line specifically to solve two common grower complaints: late maturity and temperamental fruit set. In northern gardens, classic Berkeley Tie-Dye can drag its feet until late August or early September, but as noted above, Summer of Love shaves off valuable days to maturity while delivering that same multicolored, acidic-sweet heirloom profile.
Brad Gates selected Summer of Love out of the Berkeley Tie-Dye line specifically to solve two common grower complaints: late maturity and temperamental fruit set. In northern gardens, classic Berkeley Tie-Dye can drag its feet until late August or early September, but as noted above, Summer of Love shaves off valuable days to maturity while delivering that same multicolored, acidic-sweet heirloom profile.
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