I was at the Hayward farmers market Saturday..ooof,the Tomatoes are delicious. If you miss that sweet home grown flavor..$2.00 a pound.
Supermarkets? bleaaah...

San Bruno is a real chill spot..move to the southbay and you get a warm summer, or the far eastbay like Pleasanton to Livermore for hot.
Hayward-Union City- Fremont,nice summers, mild winters.

Last but not least, a plastic framed growing area..a summer only greenhouse as a last resort in San Bruno.

Stan,

If I weren't limited to two balconies, I would totally try the greenhouse idea. Alas, it is what it is.

The tomatoes ARE coming along -- just slowly. SLOWLY... Everything needs more heat and despite 6-8 hours of sun, it's just too cold.

I have never been to the Hayward farmers' market. Good?

Yup, the last time I was heavily Into gardening, I lived in Pleasanton. :-) It's almost TOO hot, haha.

Some suggestions: Use black pots. They absorb the warmth from the sun(just make sure the sun hits them and isn't blocked by the balcony),and boost the real growing season. Try a 5-10-5 fertilizer. I like Lilly Miller and EB Stone's boxed fertilizers. Premium prices..but best results. And I know when Tomatoes slow down in summer...that sometimes is the beginning of the end for them in the bay area.
But,Tomato growing in the bay area seems restricted to the smaller variety's. They taste sweet....after Early Girl sized fruit the heat hours needed for the big ones( Big Boy,Beefmaster,etc) is lacking.

It is 80 here on the peninsula - you just need to move about 15 minutes south.

Yikes! That forecast looks like a winter forecast for us here in Fresno! It's currently 82 degrees outside at almost midnight! ha. My tomatoes ripen almost too fast, from one day to the next. I do, however enjoy the coastal weather. I travel to the bay area quite a bit for work and I always look forward to my trips to the peninsula. Hang in there!