Growing great tomatoes comes with simply knowing what to do and when to do it. Here are a few tips to take into the tomato growing season: • Seedlings. Potting up tomato seedlings–from 2-inch soil blocks to 4-inch pots and on to 6-inch pots–before transplanting to the garden will allow for larger and stronger roots:
Tomato seed from open-pollinated varieties can be saved for planting next year. Open-pollinated plants pollinate each other in the open garden. Because tomatoes are self-pollinating plants (meaning male and female flower parts exist on the same flower), open-pollinated tomatoes are generally predictable and consistent. Collect seed from any of these tomatoes for planting again next
Tomato seed from open pollinated varieties can be saved for planting next year. Open pollinated plants are allowed to pollinate each other in the open garden. Because tomatoes are self-pollinating plants (meaning male and female flower parts exist in the same flower), open-pollinated tomatoes are generally predictable and consistent (more below on hybrids and heirlooms).
Tomato vocabulary: there are more than 1,000 tomato varieties. There are more than 1,000 varieties of tomatoes. In the kitchen there are three major tomato categories based on use: (1) cherry or miniature tomatoes used for salads and snacking; (2) slicing and eating tomatoes used on sandwiches and hamburgers as well as eaten out of
Tomatoes can be planted in your garden if night temperatures are averaging warmer than 55ºF. One key to tomato success is simply to remember that tomato blossoms don’t set fruit when the night temperature is below 55ºF or above 70ºF (13-21ºC). It’s best to choose tomato varieties suited to your climate: varieties for cool weather
There is an onion that comes from Tropea in Calabria, Italy that you will enjoy. It is a mild or “sweet” flavored red onion—many say the sweetest-tasting onion in the world–that will be a welcome addition to the preparation of many meals, and, if all else fails, you can just about make a meal of
You might not think of a turnip the way you do a carrot, but you could. Turnips can be eaten raw or cooked. Like a carrot, the turnip can be boiled or steamed. You can serve them in soups and stews or puréed, stuffed or braised. There are two seasons of the year when turnips
Can there actually be two “World’s Best Cucumber”? To decide, taste ‘Diva’ and ‘Amira’ two very tasty slicing cucumbers. ‘Diva’ comes to the competition with all of the fanfare. In 2002, ‘Diva’ became an All-America Selection—which is a sort of growers’ Academy Award for best performing plants. ‘Amira’ has never taken home the All-America Selection
You might compare the flavor of a pluot to a blend of fruit juices. That’s why you will often hear the pluot described as intensely sweet and fruity. That’s not too surprising given that the pluot’s parents are the plum and the apricot. Because the pluot is ¾ plum, it is no surprise that it
Rainer cherries Not all cherries are created cherry red. Ranier is a yellow and red skinned cherry that it is one of the sweetest cherries you will ever taste. There are two cherry varieties with patially yellow or golden skins: Rainer and Royal Ann. Royal Ann–sometimes called Napoleon–is golden yellow blushed with red. Rainer is
