Life of the VineA beginner’s guide to growing tomatoes.

AUTHOR – Tammy “Michelle” Connally

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History of the Tomato

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Member of the Solanaceae family

Tomato came from Peru Domesticated by the Mayans & Mesoamerican

farmers in Central America and southern Mexico

Exported by the Europeans, the first cookbook mentioning Tomatoes as from Naples in 1692.

AKA - Also Known As

“Tomatl” a Nahuatl word for “the swelling fruit”

Known in Italian as “Pomidoros”

Known in Greek as “Esculentum” (edible)

Once grown in the US as an only as an ornamental because it was known as the “Cancer Apple” in early American horticulture. Thought to have been poisonous as its relative,

the deadly nightshade.

Team Fruit or Team Veggie?

A tomato was a fruit until 1893 when the supreme court declared they were vegetables. This protected tomatoes from being taxed

under the Tariff Act of March 1883. Nix vs. Hedden, 149 U.S. 304 (1893)]

Tomatoes Today

Store and Heirloom [online image] available at http://www.biostareq.com/images/articles/store-tomato-vs-heirloom-sm.jpg

Store bought vs. Heirloom

An analysis by the US Department of Agriculture highlights that 100 grams of fresh tomato TODAY has

30% less vitamin C

30% less B-1

19% less B-3

62% less calcium

than the tomatoes did in 1960.

The industrial tomatoes of today, however, do provide 14 times more sodium. (1)

Pesticides for Conventional Grown

Tomatoes Before the seed is planted, an infusion of

chemicals applied to the soil in which the roots will grow. Nitrogen and Potassium Chemical

Fertilizer Methyl Bromide

While the tomatoes are growing there is additional exposure to chemicals. 19 Herbicides 31 Fungicides 60 Pesticides

What to Plant

Cherokee Purples

German Stripe

Mortgage Lifter

Brandywine

Hawaiian Pineapple

Mr. StripeyHeirloom Tomatoes Picturehttp://inlinethumb31.webshots.com30366/2256619610095447466S600x600Q85.jpg

Items needed to plant

Seedling Trays Sterile Soil Warming Pad Mister Spray bottle Liquid Fertilizer Seeds of Heirloom tomatoes

Seedling trays [online image] availablehttp://www.energiesofcreation.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/seedlings-070322.thumbnail.jpg

How to plant

Plant seeds 6-8 weeks before the last frost

Soil is al least 60°F with warming pad

Follow seed packet directions for planting the seed

Keep soil Moist with mister

Needs 6-8 hours of sun from sunny southern facing window or light source.

Once seedling emerges, spray liquid fertilizer with mister on leaves once a week.

Preparing to move outside

Frost will harm and kill young plants

Fruit will not set if nighttime temps are below 55°F

Gradually expose them to the outside Seedlings [online image]

http://www.energiesofcreation.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/tomatoes-070421.thumbnail.jpg

How to transplant outside

Sunniest spot in the Garden

Go with lightly rotted manure

Add in some bone meal and wood ashes

Tomatoes prefer a pH range of 6 to 7

Make the hole larger than needed

Cover bottom with sifted compost

Soak Roots in Water or Compost Tea

Mix in heaping teaspoon of Epsom salts

Burying the tomato plant up to its 2nd set of leaves

Transplanting the seedling outside

Tomato transplant [online image} availablehttp://www.growgardentomatoes.com/image-files/planting-tomatoes-2.jpg

Potted or Garden Bed

Potted Tomato Plant [online image]. Available http://homention.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Tomatoes-in-Pot-Gardens.jpg

Tomatoes in the Garden [online image] availablehttp://www.gardendesignx.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Tomatoes-Garden.jpg

Fertilizer & Mulching

MULCH, MULCH, MULCH whether you plant in a bed or a pot.

Apply a fertilizer once a week with compost tea or worm casting tea.

Side dress with compost when fruiting and cover with additional mulch.

Pruning

Prune the plants by removing the suckers, which are the new growth between the leaf and the stem.

How to prune for the first time

First prune [online image] availablehttp://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-1156/Images/fig.5.gif

Pruning the sucker

Tomato Sucker [online image] availablehttp://www.charleysveggies.com/wp-content/uploads/tomatosucker2.jpg

Pole Staking

Tomato Staking [online image] availablehttp://www.ecoyardfarming.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/

Bamboo Trellis

Bamboo trellis [online image] availablehttp://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4630898905_fb6bc41d83.jpg

Grapevine Trellis

Grapevine trellis [online image] availablehttp://www.veggiegardeningtips.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/trellised-tomatoes.jpg

Supporting with String

String Trellis [online image] availablehttp://www.kdcomm.net/~tomato/graphics/trellis2.jpg

Harvesting

Read the seed packet for specific harvesting time which can range from 55-105 days.

Best if tomatoes are grown and harvested in 80 degrees temperatures.

Temperatures above 90 degrees will adversely affect tomatoes.

Saving seeds for next crop

Save seeds from the best fruits with sweet and juicy taste that did well in your climate.

Spread them out on a paper towel and let them dry out.

After a month, then move seeds into a container or reseal able bag for storage.

Saving seeds [online image] available http://cdn1.preen.com/illustr/articles/saving-tomato-seeds-lg.jpg

Pests & Diseases

I like to give 10% of my crops to Mother Earth and her inhabitants including insects and worms. Tomato Hornworm – green worms with black

stripes Try to prevent by dusting plant with Food Grade

Diatomaceous Earth, do not dust the fruit only the plant.

Tomato Fruit worm – moth larvae eat into the tomato and then it is too late, dust with DE

Remove weak seedlings because these will only be weak and spread disease.

Tomato Hornworm

Hornworm [online image] availablehttp://grapeseedfarmproject.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/tomato-horn-worm.jpg

Tomato Fruit worm

Fruit worm [online image] availablehttp://grapeseedfarmproject.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/tomato-horn-worm.jpg

Gazpacho

1 1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

Tomato juice, 1 lime, juiced

1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper, red onion

1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon toasted, ground cumin

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chiffonade

Directions

Fill a 6-quart pot halfway full of water, set over high heat and bring to a boil.

Make an X with a paring knife on the bottom of the tomatoes. Drop the tomatoes into the boiling water for 15 seconds, remove and transfer to an ice bath and allow to cool until able to handle, approximately 1 minute. Remove and pat dry. Peel, core and seed the tomatoes. When seeding the tomatoes, place the seeds and pulp into a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl in order to catch the juice. Press as much of the juice through as possible and then add enough bottled tomato juice to bring the total to 1 cup.

Place the tomatoes and juice into a large mixing bowl. Add the cucumber, bell pepper, red onion, jalapeno, garlic clove, olive oil, lime juice, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the mixture to a blender and puree for 15 to 20 seconds on high speed. Return the pureed mixture to the bowl and stir to combine. Cover and chill for 2 hours and up to overnight. Serve with chiffonade of basil.

Credits

Estabrook, Barry. 2011. Tomatoland. Andrews McMeel Publishing LLC (1) Quote from A Passion for tomatoes article, reference

Gazpacho Recipe http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/gazpach

o-recipe/index.html