Photo Credit: Rustic Trellises by bluekkdesign used under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

A long time ago, I learned a very valuable lesson when it comes to raising tomatoes and that is to trellis them up.

I have been guilty of planting my tomatoes and with good intentions planned on going back the next day and trellising them up.

As you can imagine sometimes life gets in the way but it is very important to trellis up your indeterminate tomato plants.

While this chore may bore you, the choices of trellising material can make that dreaded task more interesting.

1. Tomato Cage – An old-fashioned tomato cage is always a great choice when it comes to trellises. It is easy to use, reusable, and stores away quickly. The tomato plants are trained to grow inside this type of trellis. The wires going around the cage is what actually supports the tomato plant but ties can be added for additional support.

2. Wooden Stakes – Wooden stakes are another Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Garden Tomatoes by Markus Sandy used under CC BY-NC 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Growing up in the country, I had the best of both worlds.

Fresh produce and freshly cooked meals were the norm not the exception.

I was known to eat right out of the garden but today that habit is discouraged, as soil-born pathogens seem to appear out of nowhere.

Knowing what, when, and how to pick tomatoes is an important skill that some beginning gardeners do not have. While picking a tomato that is not ripe will not kill you, picking one that is soiled, bruised or diseased can cause problems.

I recommend that only fruit that is clean and blemish free should be picked. While this goes against my grain of thought since nature does not produce anything perfect, it is very important for those who may have a damaged or weak immune system.

Once the tomato has been picked, it should Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Mr Stripey Tomato Plant by MrsPip used under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

The other day, I was asked by one of my community garden participants what made a good tomato garden.

I went into the science of soil and how tomatoes thrived in a loose, well-drained soil that contained compost or seasoned manure and that was high in calcium.

When I was finished with what seemed to be a science lesson, the gardener looked at me and said no.

I look puzzled by his response and in turn requested some clarification of the question. Once we were in the same garden space as far as the question, I understood what he wanted to know and that was what made a tomato garden thrive verses one that just survives.

The first thing I recommend to beginning gardeners is to avoid a monoculture garden arrangement. I know some individuals have such limited likes in the vegetable world that there are only a few vegetables that they like.

If you are one of those individuals, it is time to expand your culinary horizons. While tomatoes will grow together, problems can spread like wildfire if that is all you have. Planting something else sporadically will help reduce the chance of tomato Armageddon.

Second, know what makes Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

I was on Facebook the other day and was surprised by this statement.

Do plants smell other plants? This one does.

Then strangles what it smells.

As you can tell this is not only a statement but also the title of a book by Daniel Chamovitz. In this book, the concept of plants “smelling” is explored.

According to Daniel Chamovitz, plants do smell what is going on with other plants around them. This includes fruit ripening, plant death and even when a plant is being attacked by pests. At this point, one may be thinking I have been hitting the tomato wine but no really plants can smell and to prove it Dr. Consuelo De Moraes from Penn State created a simple experiment.

This experiment consisted of several mini tests. This included if the dodder Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

I will have to say I am a tomato lover.

I just love those little globes of red delight that sometimes springs love.

But when I think about tomatoes, I always think of the color red and romance.

For me, there is no other color for tomatoes then red but guess what; tomatoes come in a rainbow of colors.

Tomatoes can come in a range of colors that includes creamy white to lime green and pink, yellow, golden orange, and the favorite red. As a matter of fact, the red tomato is so popular that there are 434 different red varieties. The next most popular is orange to yellow colored tomatoes, which include 82 varieties along with Read the rest of this entry »

Photo Credit: Gerry Joeng, Winchester Gardens

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

It seems that every year I get busier and the demand on my garden space gets larger.

When it was just my husband and I, a small plot of land and a few container gardens was all that was required.

Both of these “gardens” produced enough fresh food to get us through the season along with some to can.

Then, when my twins came along the demand on the garden space was increased. Not only did I need fresh vegetables for the adults but I also needed fresh and organic produce for my kids’ baby food. While I utilized some different techniques to address these new demands, I always seemed to come up short and always forgot to fertilize.

Since my gardens were organic, I tried to create my own fertilizer. This included compost and manure tea. I also mixed worm castings into the soil but wished I could find something that was organic, slow-release, inexpensive, and easy.

Today, even though I am an empty nester, my schedule is more Read the rest of this entry »