Tomatoes
A long awaited treat for summer is now available in many backyard gardens and local farmer's markets. Juicy ripe tomatoes that we dream of all winter are finally here! This easy to grow vegetable/fruit plant thrives in full sun and really grows well in decent soil. It will also produce in poorer soils but perhaps not as prolifically. You can start seeds in February inside and slowly move to bigger pots as the seedlings produce two or three sets of leaflets, being always sure to keep them on a sunny windowsill. As April arrives, move them outside during warm days for optimum sun exposure, being careful always to bring them in at night. Tomato plants simply abhor cool or cold nights (below 50F) and may take quite awhile to recover from a chill. They can be safely planted in our zone 5 after the 15th of May. For an easier, less hands on job, many garden centers have plants available usually in late April. These can be planted directly in your garden, again when weather conditions permit. If you apply a slow release fertilizer at the time of transplanting them into your garden, they will provide you with abundant fruits from sometime in July until late September or later, dependent on the night temperatures. Staking or caging your plants keeps the fruit off the ground where they might rot. Water only when the soil is completely dry once they are planted. If you wish to plant in a container, use only one plant in a container no smaller than 14" in diameter, as these plants need lots of room for roots and plant.
Pests include the tomato hornworm, a very large green caterpillar that will defoliate your plant rather quickly, and the smaller green and black tomato worm, that bores into the fruit whether it's green or red. Neither are very prolific, and can usually be spotted with regular exams of your plant. When you find one, the best control is to pull them off (Tomato Hornworm), or out of your tomato (Tomato Worm), drop them to the ground and apply your garden shoe to them. Squirrels have also become major pests recently. Short of completely fencing your tomato garden including the top, just plant enough for everyone to share. Sometimes the squirrels are just looking for moisture, in which case a birdbath or dish of water not too close to the garden usually helps.
There are as many types of tomatoes as there are tastes. Heirloom tomatoes that have been around since tomatoes were first domesticated, are very flavorful, but perhaps not as prolific as the hybrid varieties. Cherry type tomatoes and grape tomatoes are extremely heavy bearing plants that will keep you and your whole neighborhood supplied with enough tomatoes for all your salad needs or just to pop in your mouth for a healthy snack. Now also available is the tomaccio tomato that is easily dried for use in pestoes and other dried tomato recipes. The most common tomatoes planted, however, are the big Beefsteak or Supersonic varieties, or the Big Boy or Better Boy medium size tomatoes, very flavorful and heavy bearing..
Whether you have lots of garden space, just a small space in the flower bed, or only room for one potted tomato plant, it is definitely worth planting this easy to grow vegetable/fruit if only to have the fulfillment of juicy, flavorful taste all summer long.
By: Sandy Weinkam
Gardening Expert at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses
Pests include the tomato hornworm, a very large green caterpillar that will defoliate your plant rather quickly, and the smaller green and black tomato worm, that bores into the fruit whether it's green or red. Neither are very prolific, and can usually be spotted with regular exams of your plant. When you find one, the best control is to pull them off (Tomato Hornworm), or out of your tomato (Tomato Worm), drop them to the ground and apply your garden shoe to them. Squirrels have also become major pests recently. Short of completely fencing your tomato garden including the top, just plant enough for everyone to share. Sometimes the squirrels are just looking for moisture, in which case a birdbath or dish of water not too close to the garden usually helps.
There are as many types of tomatoes as there are tastes. Heirloom tomatoes that have been around since tomatoes were first domesticated, are very flavorful, but perhaps not as prolific as the hybrid varieties. Cherry type tomatoes and grape tomatoes are extremely heavy bearing plants that will keep you and your whole neighborhood supplied with enough tomatoes for all your salad needs or just to pop in your mouth for a healthy snack. Now also available is the tomaccio tomato that is easily dried for use in pestoes and other dried tomato recipes. The most common tomatoes planted, however, are the big Beefsteak or Supersonic varieties, or the Big Boy or Better Boy medium size tomatoes, very flavorful and heavy bearing..
Whether you have lots of garden space, just a small space in the flower bed, or only room for one potted tomato plant, it is definitely worth planting this easy to grow vegetable/fruit if only to have the fulfillment of juicy, flavorful taste all summer long.
By: Sandy Weinkam
Gardening Expert at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses
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