…r: We improved the planting mix. In test after test, our new soil blend of 50 percent Self-Watering Container Mix and 50 percent Eco-co Coir out-performed other soil mixes. We improved the fertilizer. It’s still 100 percent organic and slow-release for a long-lasting supply of nutrients; now it’s fortified with calcium to promote healthy growth and minimize blossom-end rot, a common tomato ailment. Testers also found that pla…
Like many who lost tomato plants to late blight last year, I’m wondering: How can I make sure it doesn’t happen again this year? Plant a diversity of tomato varieties to reduce the possibility of disease. Like many gardeners who lost their tomato crop to late blight last year, I’m wondering: How can I make sure it doesn’t happen again this year? Unfortunately, there’s no silver bullet. The most important thin…
We’re always looking for ways to improve our products, so we test, test and retest in our “backyard” here in Burlington, VT. It’s a great way for us to review existing products and develop new ones. Tomato Success Kits, thriving in the heat of Sun City, AZ. Virginia Adams of Sun City, AZ, one of the many gardeners across the country who are testing our products. We’re always looking for ways to improve our…
Chives in flower A new variety of tomato called 4th of July, a relatively compact, indeterminate variety that is ideal for growing in containers. Newly planted Terrazza Self-Watering Raised Bed (front) and Terrazza Trough Planter Vegetable transplants are arriving daily, and they look beautiful. I set out a bed of mixed peppers and bunching onions, a bed for eggplants and a bed for the French filet beans to share with some celery and herbs. I…
…arted to grow toward the sun, he added a tomato cage for extra support. So far, it seems like Phil’s experiment is a success. The vines haven’t dried out at all. “During the heat wave, the planter took about 2 gallons of water a day — so did the container next to it, which is planted with tomatoes.” I can’t wait to see what Phil decides to try next year. –David Grist, Gardener’s Supply…
Suckers are the shoots that form where side branches meet stems. Left on their own, tomatoes will grow into shrubby, multi-stemmed plants that topple under the weight of their fruit. Fruit and foliage are more prone to attack by pests and disease when they’re sprawled on the ground. Pruning and using plant supports can help create healthier, more productive tomato plants. Advantages to pruning: Keep plants compact and prevent sprawl. Mak…
…o one around to style our hair. The two of us got planted right in the bed with the tomatoes and it was all over but the crying in about 10 minutes. (Strange to see how you can look your age on the outside and still feel like 35 on the inside…). Read Tomato Support Techniques to learn more. -Kathy LaLiberte, Director of Gardening…
After reading all the comments, it’s clear that many gardeners are looking for a tall support. At 53 inches, the Tomato Tower is our tallest. Our poll has ended and the results are in! Over 3,000 votes were cast, and the Tomato Cage is the preferred tomato support with 59% of the vote. Tomato Ladders came in second (17%), and a lot of people use supports of their own invention. For more on this topic, check out the following: Ou…
…ted about was this deep black, eggplant-colored tomato.” The Indigo Rose variety of true purple tomatoes was created at Oregon State University (OSU) using conventional crossing and selection techniques, and released in 2012 in limited numbers. In their quest to develop non-genetically engineered tomatoes with high levels of antioxidants, OSU’s researchers bred the Indigo Rose to have an abundance of anthocyanins — the same pigments t…
Like me, you’re probably hoping to eat a lot of tomatoes this month. Like me, you’re probably planning to eat a lot of tomatoes in the next 60 days. Tomato sandwiches and tomato salads are my go-to favorites, but I’m always on the lookout for new ways to savor the tomato harvest. Here’s an easy tomato tart recipe with two great variations, courtesy of our friend PJ Hamel, at King Arthur Flour down in Norwich, V…