Let's Talk Tomatoes!

Illustration by Deviant Art

Everyone loves a good tomato.
With so many varieties to choose from
what do I need to know to choose wisely?

Tomato plants have one of two growth habits: Determinate and Indeterminate. Determinate varieties grow to a certain height (usually 2 to 3 feet), set fruit, and then concentrate on ripening that fruit. This type is perfect for container gardening.

Indeterminate varieties keep growing taller, setting and ripening fruit until they’re killed by frost. They require more support from wire cages and stakes as well as vine pruning to keep plant size manageable and the tomatoes off the ground. It’s best to tie up plants as they grow.

You will also want to know days required to produce ripened fruit. Some tomatoes take much longer to ripen. Be sure to check the label before you purchase. It will show days to maturity. It will also tell if the vine is determinate or indeterminate.

Another important factor in choosing the perfect tomato
is what you plan to do with them once they're ripe.

Do you want tasty tomatoes for delicious summer salads? 

How about delicious pasta sauce or stewed tomatoes to preserve for those cold winter months? 

And what could be more delicious than tomatoes to eat fresh from the vine.

And just maybe you'd like to grow a little of each!

Here are my Five Faves:

SUNGOLD 

Image: This Grandmother's Garden

In my opinion... the PERFECT cherry tomato. This golden yellow to orange tomato will have always have a place in my garden. It produces a ton and its taste is unmatched. I love roasting them in the oven until they pop to use in my favorite summer recipes. The perfect straight from the garden snack... definitely my grand kiddos fave. 55 days to maturity, one to two weeks earlier than other cherry tomatoes. Indeterminate... requires staking.

FOURTH OF JULY

Image: This Grandmother's Garden

This tomato is the first on the block for vine-ripened red, luscious tomatoes. The flavor is described as particularly good for an early tomato and improves even more as the season warms up. It's always good to include an early variety to jump-start your taste buds! I've been planting this variety for many years, and yes, it's always the first tomato of the season... ripe and ready on... you guessed it... the Fourth of July. 44 days to maturity. Indeterminate... requires staking.  

PINEAPPLE

This heirloom tomato is a large golden-orange beefsteak with fruit that grows up to 1-1/2 lbs. with a mildly sweet somewhat fruity taste, includes a hint of citrus with low acidity, Slice them open to see the colors of a beautiful Hawaiian sunset. A colorful addition to salads and sandwiches.  93 days to  maturity... but so worth the wait. Indeterminate... requires staking.

SAN MARZANO

Illustration Wikipedia

This is the best roma tomato you will ever taste. Meaty, very few seeds. Will continue to grow well into autumn. Choose San Marzano if you like to can whole tomatoes, whip up homemade tomato sauce, or freeze slow-roasted tomatoes. Pick the tomatoes green at first sign of frost and they will continue to ripen in the kitchen. They can also be frozen for winter use. Just wash and dry them, and place in zip lock bags. Take them out of the freezer a few minutes before cutting, They also taste great chopped into salads and sliced onto sandwiches. 84 days to maturity. Indeterminate... requires staking. 

MOSCOW

This is the local favorite of any old timer. Its medium large fruit is simply great for canning. It has an old fashioned tomato flavor with high acidity and high yields.  And besides that... it's the one tomato that my Dad would consistently recommend and plant. He grew tomatoes for Del Monte as a young man. The harvest was piled in wooden crates and loaded into his Model T black truck... piled so high it was always somewhat of a miracle he made it to the cannery. 70-75 days to maturity. Determinate vine. 

Keep in mind that all tomatoes are heat-loving plants.
They must have at least 8 hours of sunlight a day to produce fruit and thrive. 

Water tomatoes deeply and infrequently, applying 1-2 inches per week. Irrigate so that moisture goes deep into the soil. Too much water or not enough can cause blossom-end rot, a dark leathery spot on the bottom of the fruit. Avoid cracks in the skin by keeping soil moisture uniform especially as tomatoes begin to ripen.

All content created by Carolyn Bush | Copyright © 2010 - 2016 All Rights Reserved 

This Grandmother's Garden | Highland, Utah, USA

Let’s PLAN a GARDEN...

“Planting a garden, even a small one, allows for a greater degree of self-reliance. 

With the right information and a little practice,

 individuals and entire families can enjoy the many benefits of planting and tending a garden.”  

Provident Living LDS.org

            

Illustration by Julie Notarian

I learned to garden at the feet of my Father.  Many an hour was spent watching him gently sow seeds in our backyard garden, then waiting diligently for them to sprout. Work always comes before the harvest... a life long lesson he planted deep within my heart. 

Bill and I began our gardening adventures too many years ago to count with a large plot of land and rows and rows of veggies of all varieties and beds of strawberries and vines of grapes. We irrigated the trenches between the rows to provide the life-giving water that would grow the food that would feed our many children. It also fed the weed seeds. The weeds grew faster than the veggies and required more work than you can even imagine. It was the price we paid to have "fresh from the garden" food delivered to our dinner table.

That was way back then.

Thankfully much progress has been made in gardening over the years.

Once your garden is built, there’s little work…and best of all, no weeds! 

Here is what we do now:

RAISED BED GARDENING

We’ve been using this method for 15 years… bye-bye weeds. 

It is genius.

Here's what you need to know...

Illustration from Almanac

LAYOUT   In terms of bed size, 4 feet is a common width and will enable access to the garden without stepping into the bed. Length isn’t as important. Plots are often 4 feet wide by 8 feet long or 4 feet wide by 12 feet long. This will be determined by the area of your garden. Depth should be 6 to 8 inches deep.

BOXES   Boxes can be built from wood, vinyl or even cinder blocks. If using wood, do not use railroad ties (toxic) and be cautious of untreated lumber (chemicals).. We choose redwood as it is more durable. Build as many boxes as you will need for the amount and type of plants you will grow. You may wish to add one foot grids across each box.

AISLES   If you plan to have more than one garden box, separate them to form walkways. Aisles can be made from grass, brick, stone, mulch or any other material that enhances your garden plan.

SOIL   Don’t dig up or use your native soils!  Simply place your box on the level ground and line the bottom of your box with a good weed fabric. Fill the boxes with 1/3 blended compost, 1/3 peat moss, and 1/3 coarse vermiculite. This mixture is also sold complete in one bag.This soil mixture is best for optimum growth and no weeds. Yes... no weeds. :) 

SPACE   Depending on the mature size of the plant, grow 1, 4, 9, or 16 equally spaced plants per square foot.

PLANT   Make a shallow hole with your finger. Plant two or three seeds in each spot. Cover, but do not pack the soil. After sprouting, save the best one and snip off the others. Don’t over-plant, plant only as much of any one crop as you will use.

WATER   We use a drip system that is connected to our automatic sprinklers. Simple to install. 

HARVEST   Enjoy the fruit of your labors.

Some content gathered from Mel's Square Foot Gardening.

Consider the following as you create your Garden Plan:

The garden site you choose should be relatively level and near your kitchen door. Think Kitchen Garden. 

Just a few steps from clipping fresh herbs and gathering fresh tomatoes for dinner.

Most veggies are sunlight lovers, they require 6 or 8 hours of sunshine on a daily basis.

Proper depth for planting seeds is approximately four times as deep as the seed is thick.

Gardening in Containers

Illustration Mother Earth News

If you don’t have room for a traditional garden plot, you can plant vegetables and herbs in containers that fit on driveways, balconies, roofs, and even window sills. This activity can be interesting and rewarding for adults and children alike. The following link provides useful information about gardening in containers:  Gardening in Containers

All content created by Carolyn Bush | Copyright © 2010 - 2016 All Rights Reserved

| This Grandmother's Garden | Highland, Utah, USA

All is Safely Gathered In Ere the Winter Storms Begin

Our last harvest of the season...

Strawberries in October...delightful!

Raspberries... yum! 

We've enjoyed a steady crop since the first of September

Chili Peppers... gonna miss the fresh salsa.

Sungold tomatoes... so delicious!

 Tomatoes galore... loved the new varieties we tried.

Stay tuned for the post with the Tomato Review.

Tomatillos... makes a great salad dressing!

Oh we're gonna miss picking from our own produce aisle.

We woke up to a light frost several days ago, not enough to cause damage.
But the forecast is for freezing temps next week with the possibility of snow.

Today we'll gather all the green tomatoes, wrap them in newspaper
and place them in a cool dark place to slowly ripen through the coming weeks.
Almost as good as fresh picked.

Also going to pot a few geraniums and coleus to bring in the house for the winter.

♥♥♥
To the sweet blog stalker who wants to know when to dig and store dahlias,
next week I 'll post on this.  They are still fine left in the garden.
BTW, I'd love for you to leave comments when you visit.  :)

Comments are the sweet nectar that keeps me posting!

Timeless Treasure from the Gardens of the Past

That's what the tag said on the tomato plant at the garden store.

Hmm... that sounds inviting. 

Let's give it a try.

 

So we planted it. 

And then waited...

and waited...

and waited.

For 89 days we waited.

(Update: What was I thinking?
We actually planted this tomato plant on May 15th.

That means
this tomato took 137 days to mature!

That's gotta be some kind of record.)

♥ ♥ ♥

Ohh... but it was so worth the wait!

'Pineapple' Tomato

A large, golden-orange beefsteak heirloom tomato 

with fruit that that grows up to 1-1/2 lbs. 

Its taste is luscious, 

very rich, 

and with a sweet pineapple-like flavor.

And we were not disappointed.

It was even better than it was described.

Absolutely DELICIOUS!

And there are more ripening on the vine!

If the frost doesn't come first.

Tomatoes got a late start in my gardens this year...

because Summer had such a late start.

Snow was still falling at the end of May.

Don't we deserve a later Winter?

Ce-le-brate Good Times... Come On!

                    ♪

              ♫    ♫                 ♪♫               ♪

                                                   ♫

There's a party goin' on right here
A celebration to last throughout the years
So bring your good times, and your laughter too
We gonna celebrate this tomato with you.
♪                                   ♫
Come on now!  ♪   

                          ~Kool and the Gang

First tomato of the season

Fourth of July

and we're having a  

♫   Ce-le-bra-tion!   ♫ 

♫  ♪

May you all have a safe and delightful 
celebration of Independence Day
this weekend!

(and think of us celebrating our little tomato.)

 11:20 PM EDIT:
Went to a fantastic Carrie Underwood Concert tonight
with a huge Fireworks Display. 
 It seems everyone is as excited as we are
about our first tomato of the season!

Hooray for the 4th of July!

Hooray! 

as in much excitement and fanfare...

My FOURTH of JULY Tomato Plant

has babies!

As anticipated in my In Search of the Perfect Tomato post
they are the first to set tomatoes.

And aren't they cute?

My HAWAIIAN PINEAPPLE variety

is close behind 

 

with a darling little flower now blossoming.

Notice how different this blossom is with so many petals!

Can't wait to to see the fruit.

Oh, what an exciting adventure 

with so many new varieties in my garden!

Stay tuned!

Need Help Growing that Perfect Tomato?

Need Help Growing that Perfect Tomato?

Here are four essential ingredients to your success:
 

Soil Preparation
Great soil is the most important ingredient in producing delicious tomatoes.  Since I grow my tomatoes in square foot gardens I highly recommend following Mel's Recipe for Soil.  A rich organic soil is best.  Before planting, it's a good idea to incorporate up to 4 inches of well-composted organic matter each year.  This builds up essential nutrients in the soil and helps to provide good drainage.  Apply 1.5 cups of all-purpose fertilizer (16-16-8 or 10-10-10) per 25 square feet before planting.
 
Sun
Tomatoes are heat-loving plants, so make sure to plant them in full sun! Your tomatoes should receive at least 8 hours of sunlight per day.  That is the minimum requirement. Any less and you 'll be disappointed in your tomatoes.
 
Water
Water tomatoes deeply and infrequently, applying 1-2 inches per week. Use drip irrigation if possible.  Irrigate so that moisture goes deeply into the soil. Irregular watering (over or under) can cause blossom-end rot, a dark leathery spot on the bottom of the fruit.  Keep soil moisture uniform especially as tomatoes begin to ripen to avoid cracks in the skin.
 
Fertilize
Avoid heavy fertilization of tomato plants which encourage excessive foliage growth and delays fruit maturity. Side dress with nitrogen (34-0-0) using 1-2 tablespoons per plant at 4 and 8 weeks after transplanting.

Follow these tips and you'll be on your way 
to enjoying a great crop of tomatoes!

In Search of the Perfect Tomato

May 15, Tomato Planting Day

For as long as I can remember May 15th has always been the day to plant tomatoes, a bit of wisdom passed down from Father to daughter. This Spring has been so cold that we weren't sure it was going to happen, but today was the perfect day and  
our tomatoes are in the ground! 

Tomatoes have always been the star of our vegetable garden. For many years we planted dozens of plants that provided bushels of tomatoes to make enough quarts of stewed tomatoes to last our growing family an entire year.  Our needs have changed as children have married and began their own gardens. What hasn't changed is our love for tomatoes. They are still the star of our garden.  This year we decided to try something new. 

We are in search of the perfect tomato. Keep in mind that some tomato's are best for canning and others for the sheer pleasure of eating. This year we are concentrating on the "delicious for eating straight from the vine" variety.

Our research has brought us to discover five different varieties to experiment with.  With our plants in the ground our experiment is well under way.  Our potential favorites are each new to us and we're anxious to reach harvest stage of our experiment.  Patience is required.  Only time will tell if they will remain our favorites after the taste tests are conducted later in the summer.

Sun Gold - A very sweet, tangerine-colored cherry tomato. Word is this is a highly requested favorite! We planted this one for the grand kids to pick.

Cherokee Purple - This heirloom tomato is said to have medium-sized 10-12 ounce fruits with rose/purple skin and a brick red interior. Very rich tomato flavor.  Sounds delicious!

Hawaiian Pineapple - A large, golden-orange beefsteak heirloom tomato with fruit that that grows up to 1-1/2 lbs. The taste is described as luscious, very rich, and with a sweet pineapple-like flavor. Hm-m. Sounds too interesting not to be included.

Fourth of July - This tomato claims to be the first on the block to have vine-ripened red, luscious tomatoes. The flavor is described as particularly good for an early tomato, and improves even more as the season warms up. it's always good to include an early variety to jump-start your taste buds!

Brandywine - Many gardeners believe this heirloom is the best tasting tomato in the world! This pink beefsteak type has rich flavor and can weigh up to 1 lb. We have great expectations for this variety.  We actually planted three of these!

Maybe you'd like to conduct 

your own research and experiment. 

What varieties are on your favorites list?  

Let's compare again when the harvest begins!