It may have been the year I stood over chili sauce for hours, boiling it down to the proper consistency. Or maybe the year I tried to make tomato juice out of good old solid ‘Beefsteaks.’ But somewhere along my many tomato years, I decided it would be wise to tailor tomatoes to my family’s … Read more
When plant nutrients are in great excess or extreme deficiency, the symptoms on the foliage or in some other plant part generally reveal themselves to the naked eye. Such plants look “sick.” However, growth and productivity are considerably reduced before definite symptoms are noticed. Be cautious, we suggest, before placing any blame for the condition. … Read more
You may be an “old hand” at raising tomatoes or an “eager beaver” who has set out his first plants this year. In either case, however, you will likely discover the bane of all tomato-growers— “blossom-drop.” Usually, the delicate tomato cluster cannot stand a night temperature under 58° degrees Fahrenheit, and it needs warm, sunny … Read more
When the tomato was first introduced into cultivation from South America, it was grown only as an ornamental in European and North American gardens under the name love apple. Belonging to the nightshade family and having several poisonous relatives, the fruit was long regarded with grave suspicion. But, some unbelievers must have eaten one without … Read more
Would you like to pick the first tomatoes from your plants 1 to 3 weeks earlier than your neighbor? Red, ripe tomatoes are meatier, firmer, larger, better colored, and better tasting? And many of them absolutely seedless? All you need do is spray the tomato flowers with a hormone blossom-set solution using an ordinary sprayer. … Read more
I wonder if most of us would consider tomatoes such good eating if they ripened white instead of red? There’s something about color in vegetables and fruits that attract appetite: the luscious scarlet of tomatoes, the crimson of raspberries and strawberries, the purple glow of the concord grapes and the eggplant, the blush of pink … Read more
The tomato stands high among those vegetables that furnish abundant food from limited space with small effort and little failure hazard. A single plant may often yield as much as 20 pounds of fruit, glowing with color, tempting to the taste, and rich in vitamins. Its uses make it a triple gift to the table, … Read more
Most people familiar with growing tomato plants are aware of tomato cages. They come in various styles and are typically made of wire. However, homemade tomato cages – “Are Not Just For Growing Tomatoes.” In addition to different tomato varieties, a power-coated steel or wooden tomato cage can also house other plants. Check out this … Read more