Getting my Cherokee Purple Tomato Season On

Cherokee Purple Tomato Plant in my Garden

A lot of people thought I was crazy when I transplanted my Cherokee Purple Tomato plants outdoors in April here in zone 7a.  I checked the weather for the next 10 days on my iPhone weather channel app, which is a free download in your app store.  The app is also available for your Droid as well.  

With that said, the app showed that the weather for the next 10 days was going to be great, with some rain sprinkled in, and the overnight temps were not going less than 40 degrees, which is fine.  The roots should set up nicely!

The Cherokee Purple Tomato is an heirloom variety tomato.  That means you can save the seeds and plant them in subsequent seasons and grow the same exact plant.  I like to pick the first good tomato (of any heirloom tomato plant actually), and save it specifically for the seeds.  

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes: Photo courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_purple

The simplest way of doing it, is to extract the seeds from the tomato onto a paper towel, and just let them dry out.  Once dry, put them in a coin envelope (or a similar small envelope), mark the envelope "Tomato: Cherokee Purple", seal the envelope, and store the envelope in a cool, dry location until the following season.

The Cherokee Purple tomato is not actually purple.  It has more of a reddish-purple coloring to it, and is part of the "black" tomato group.  It is an indeterminate variety, meaning, it can grow at varying heights.  It is known to grow up to as much as nine feet!  

Cherokee Purple Tomatoes: Photo courtesy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherokee_purple

The shape of the Cherokee Purple tomato fruit itself, is similar to beefsteak.  Very large and round where a single tomato can weigh up to a pound.  Although your average weight of each fruit will be a bit less.

The Cherokee Purple tomato's juiciness and size makes it perfect for any sandwich which is my favorite method of consumption.

With proper care, even watering, full sun and bi-weekly feedings with an excellent organic fertilizer such as compost tea or fish emulsion and you can expect your Cherokee Purple tomato plants to mature in as little as 80 days, yielding to you an abundance of these wonderful tasting and dense fruits.

How do you Stake your tomatoes?

How do I stake up my tomato plants is a question I receive all the time. My answer is, whatever works for you. When I was a kid, my dad would use my broken hockey sticks, cut off the blade, or what remained thereof, and use them as stakes for his tomato plants. He would then secure the tomato plants to the hockey stick by loosely tying them with some type of string, twine, old t-shirts and even mom's ripped pantyhose. He was a resourceful guy.

There are various other ways to stake up tomatoes and I wanted to cover just a few. First I wanted to start with the method I use to prop up my tomatoes, and that is the use of tomato cages. Regardless of whether you use the round tomato cages, triangular tomato cages or square tomato cages, the concept of their use is the same. Simply push your tomato cage into the soil so that your tomato plant sits in the center. As the tomato plant grows, you will have to do some maneuvering of branches so they don't get "stuck" as they try and grow upwards.

As mentioned earlier with the method my father used, you can use stakes or poles to prop them up. As with the tomato cage method, you will have to do some maneuvering. With the stake method, you have to attach them to the tomato stake with string or twine. They even sell velcro plant ties which are great. You can move them rather easily when you have to make adjustments.

Although I have not used these myself, I have seen in use spiral tomato plant supports. The way these work is very simple.The idea is to eliminate the part where you tie them to the stake by weaving your tomato plants as they grow, through the spiral. They come in heights of 4 to 6 feet, which is ideal for most varieties of tomatoes.

Another excellent method is creating your own trellis where there are poles on each end with some twine at various heights connected between them. This tomato propping method is most commonly called the Florida weave. As the tomato plants grow, you weave them in between the strings on the trellis.

Finally, just let them be. Some gardeners I know do not even stake up their tomatoes at all. They lay down some black plastic tarp over the soil, then let the tomatoes simply grow along the ground. Of course this method makes your plants susceptible to a lot things, but if going 100% natural is what you are looking for, then this is it.

Make Your Own Inverted Tomato Planter

By now you have probably seen those inverted tomato planters. You are probably also wondering if they really work. The answer in short is yes. So as long as you give the tomato plant plenty of sun, water, and room for their roots to grow, it will work.

However, did you also know that you can build your own upside down planter with some basic material and of course a tomato plant? Well, you can. Here is a great step by step instructional to do just that.

If you are short on garden space, but have a lot of hanging space, then this is yet another tool for you to use to expand what you can grow, by utilizing vertical area you may not have thought you had.

Here are the Step by Step instructions

How to Water Your Tomatoes at the Roots

We have been posting a number of features on tomatoes lately. And why not! Tomatoes are the king of the garden. More people grow tomatoes in home vegetable gardens then any other fruit or vegetable.

Check out this tutorial of getting more water to your tomato roots for better growth that we found on "A Sonoma Garden".

This is as about as simple as it is going to get when it comes to watering the roots of your tomatoes. With some simple supplies and a few minutes of your time, you can create this set up in no time.

Here are the Step by Step instructions

Lycopene, Home Grown Tomatoes and Your Health

 

Home Grown Tomatoes

In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal researchers showed that men who consumed high levels of the antioxidant, Lycopene, reduced the chance of a stroke by 55%.  The study conducted in Finland, included 1,031 particpants, all male, ranging in ages of 42 to 61.

Lycopene is an antioxidant found primarily in tomatoes but can also be found in watermelon, grapefruit, papaya and mango.

According to the USDA, tomatoes are the number one plant grown in the home vegetable garden in the United States by more than 5 to 1 of it's next closest competitor, the pepper or cucumber, depending on which survey you read.  That translates into a lot of people "growing" their own lycopene right at home.

"Lycopene is a carotenoid compound that accounts for the red color in tomatoes. It is the most abundant form of carotenoids (of a total of 600) in the US diet," says Dr. Lori Shemek the health expert for ABC's Good Morning Texas.  "The bioavailability of lycopene is increased following cooking. And so cooked tomato products have higher levels of lycopene than raw. - This is because the cooking process breaks down the cell walls of the tomato which makes the lycopene more available"

According to Dr. Shemek, who also authored the book Fire up your Fat Burn, she says lycopene is so powerful because it has been shown to protect against degenerative diseases by neutralizing free radicals in a person's body.  "Lycopene may help prevent DNA damage in the cells and help the cells to function better," continues Dr. Shemek.  "High levels of lycopene, in the blood and fatty tissues, correlate with reduced risk of cancers, heart disease and macular degeneration. The human body cannot produce lycopene so it must be obtained from food sources."

While no studies currently exist showing if lycopene levels are higher or lower in home grown tomatoes compared to store bought ones, no one can disagree with how easy they are to grow at home, and taste much better.

When I asked Dr. Shemek how much lycopene one can expect to get from a tomato, she said that one fresh tomato accounts for about 4mg, where as a cooked tomato can be as high as 25mg.  Leading to a fact that such items as tomato soup and sauces will yield higher levels of this powerful antioxidant.

Because lycopene is a cartenoid and phytonutrient found in red fruits there are other options than tomatoes.  Along with the four mentioned earlier, you will find lycopene in various quantities in guavas, red cabbage, and chili peppers.  Just think red, think fresh and you are sure to get a good supply of this healthy fighter.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us. Be sure to join Mike`s vegetable seeds mailing list.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Turn those Home Grown Tomatoes into Homemade Salsa

Your journey from tomato seed to edible tomato began a few months ago. Now you have so many tomatoes you aren’t sure what to do with all of them. You have given so many to the neighbors that when they see you coming they close their front doors and hide, because they don’t want anymore. Ok, maybe it’s not that bad, but you get the point.

One of the best ways to preserve your tomato harvest is to learn some canning methods. Particularly the water bath canning method. I will get to more on that in a moment. This method allows you to take your tomatoes and safely preserve them for consumption later on. If done correctly, they could last for up to one year.

But if you really want to maximize your time, efforts and tomato harvest, then combine the canning process with pre-made dishes. In other words, before you can your tomatoes, turn them into something first, i.e. tomato sauce, tomato soup, or as is the case with this article, salsa. What you choose is up to you, but it will definitely make things easier later on down the line.

Today I am focusing in on salsa. You can add it to just about anything, or nothing at all and use it as a dip for chips and tortillas. When you make a salsa from your own home grown tomatoes, it really tastes that much better. So let’s begin. 

I would like to say that I am a seasoned chef and conjured up my own salsa recipe, however I did not.  I use a pre-made mix that requires adding nothing more than my own tomatoes and distilled vinegar.

As shown in the picture, I used Mrs. Wages salsa mix.  A nice and easy recipe that anyone with 10 minutes and a working stove can make (and tomatoes of course).

I chose the mild/medium salsa as I am not one that likes things too spicy, however, even that had a bit of a kick to it.  At least to me anyway.

Follow the instructions on the back to prepare the mix.  The only thing you will need to add is vinegar and your tomatoes.  So below I gave a brief example of how to get your tomatoes started.

I used a variety of tomatoes to make up my salsa.  This season I grew beefsteak, romas and cherry.  If you look in the photo you will see a combination of all three, with a bit more romas then the others.

Most people use only romas because they are easy to cut the core out and keep the seeds out of their salsa mix.  The choice is up to you.

To get your tomatoes ready for the salsa mix, you will first need to blanch them.  This makes removing the skins (which you don't want), much much easier.  Blanching is simply the process of putting your tomatoes into boiling water for 45 seconds, then removing them and immediately submerging them into ice water.


 


Once the blanching process has been completed, move the tomatoes to an area with enough space and start removing the skins by hand.  You should not have to use a knife or any other tool to remove the skins.  Save the knife for the dicing step.  If you do, place the tomato back into the boiling water for a little bit longer.

After you have "skinned" the tomatoes, use a sharp knife to dice them.  Cut the tomatoes into small cubes then place the diced tomatoes into your salsa mix. 

Follow the instructions on the back of the pack, which is bringing the tomato mixture to a boil, then reducing the heat and letting it simmer for 10 minutes.

If you plan on canning your salsa for long term storage, then please read the rest of this article.  If you plan on consuming your salsa within the next few weeks, then you can skip the canning portion and read the part of putting the salsa into canning jars.

If you plan to "can" your salsa

Before you begin the above tomato salsa mix, get your canning supplies ready.  Get your water bath going over high heat to get it to a boil and another large pot on a medium to low heat that you will submerge your jars, lids and bands into to sterilize.

I used pint sized jars and made enough to fill four and a half pints.  I felt using smaller jars made it easier to consume in reasonable sized quantities later on.

Get your other canning tools ready.  They normally consist of a jar grabber, tongs, a magnet, funnel and jar tightener.

Each serve a valuable purpose in the canning process.  If you have never canned before, I recommend that you read, Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

It is a great source of information on diving into the world of canning and food preservation.


After your mix has finished simmering, use the funnel and a ladle to pour the mixture into one of your canning jars leaving a quarter inch of head space.  That is the space from the top of the jar to the top of the salsa inside the jar.  

Once you have your jars filled and sealed with a lid and band, submerge your filled jars into your boiling water bath.  Once the water returns to a rolling boil, then the clock begins.  Boil your jars for 45 minutes.

After 45 minutes, use your jar grabbers to remove the jars and place them on a cooling rack or towel to let cool.  You will know that your jars properly sealed if you hear them begin to pop.  That can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours depending on the contents of the jar.

If you find that your jar did not seal properly you can either try again, or place that jar in the fridge and consume within a couple of weeks.

And that's it!  You now have tasty salsa.


About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us. Be sure to join Mike`s vegetable seeds mailing list.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Home Grown Tomatoes and their Contributions to your Health

Most people still refer to tomatoes as a vegetable even though botanically they are a fruit. Regardless of how you refer to them, one thing tomatoes can be called by everyone is good for your health.

Tomatoes are by far the number one vegetable, er um, fruit, grown in the home vegetable garden. Depending on which survey you have read, tomatoes outnumber its closest competitor by more than 3 to 1, which are cucumbers in one survey I read and peppers in another.

Who can argue adding them to your garden? They are easy to grow from seed, can be started indoors, and there are a wide variety of choices. With plenty of sun, fertile soil and regular waterings, you can have fresh home grown tomatoes all summer long (in most parts of the world).

There are a number of health contributions that adding home grown tomatoes to your diet can attribute to. For example, I recently had a chance to speak with board certified dermatologist and UCLA clinical professor, Dr. Tanya Kormeili.

“I like tomatoes because they are rich in lycopene- which helps reduce the number of free radicals. Free radicals cause aging, wrinkles and contribute to the DNA damage,” says Dr. Kormeili. “Additionally, they contain minerals, water, fiber and are a good source of vitamins A, B, C and E, which are important in skin health and also free radical protection.”

While Dr. Kormeili is a staunch supporter of adding home grown tomatoes to your diet for all the positives, she highly discourages the use of using tomatoes in a form of a topical face mask. She says doing this can cause sensitivity and rash, and that tomatoes should always be consumed and not applied.

So how should homegrown tomatoes be prepared in the kitchen? For this information I turned to Charis Freiman-Mendel, author of the book “Cook Your Way Through the S.A.T.”.

“Many vegetables lose their health potency if cooked, but not tomatoes,” Says Charis. “More carotenoids and flavonoids (also anti-inflammatory and fight allergies) are absorbed from cooked tomatoes than from raw tomatoes because cooking breaks them down and makes them more available to digestion.”

Here are some interesting points that Charis makes:

1. Cook tomatoes in olive oil to improve lycopene absorption. “Think bruschetta”, says Charis and if you need a recipe be sure to check Charis’ website at www.SATgourmet.com

2. Homegrown, especially organic, tomatoes have more nutrients, according to Charis, than conventional sit on the shelf varieties.

3. Tomatoes are low in calories. A perfect addition to any healthy eating plan.

4. Tomatoes are considered acidic which is undesirable, but it’s their acidic quality that helps fight urinary tract infections.

With all that tomatoes have to offer for your health, wouldn’t it make sense to grow at least grow a few plants at home? I believe so.


About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

3 Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes from Seeds

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There is nothing more popular to grow in the home vegetable gardening world then tomatoes. By more than 3 to 1 it outshines it’s next counterpart (peppers or cucumbers, depending on which poll you read). Who can argue? Tomatoes taste great, have many uses, and there are so many varieties to choose from, that there is sure to be one kind for everybody.

Like many of you, I enjoy growing tomatoes and especially starting them from seed. While I won’t say it is overly difficult to grow tomatoes from seed, there are some things you can do to increase your chances of success. I put together a short list you can follow.

Start Indoors
As with many other other vegetable seeds, tomatoes are no different. Start them indoors. I had one friend who started his tomato seeds in February here in NJ. While that was way too far in advance, even he admits it as he lost all of his window sills for quite sometime, starting them indoors and being able to move fairly grown plants outdoors will get you to a tomato crop much faster. If you have a short growing season, starting them even earlier indoors isn’t a bad thing though.

Acclimation
More commonly known in the vegetable gardening world as “hardening off”, you will want to acclimate your tomato plants to the outdoors gradually so as to not shock them. As temperatures warm up out doors during the day, take your plants outside for a few hours at a time before you transplant them to their final destination. When the night time rolls around, bring them indoors. It may see like a lot of work, but it’s really not. It will become part of your daily routine for a couple of weeks.

Sun, Sun and more Sun
While many varieties of tomatoes will grow in partial shade, one thing is for sure, they love the sun. The more sun they get, the better off they will be. If you are limited with space available where full sun is possible, don’t be afraid to put some tomato plants in large pots and move them around.

What are some of your tips for starting tomatoes from seed? Be sure to post them in the comment section below and share with others.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the monthly Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

3 Vegetable Seeds that have a Large Yield per Seed

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If you had room to plant only three vegetables, what would they be and why? I was recently asked this question by a friend. Before I get into what I would grow let me address why I would grow the ones I did choose. If I only had space for three vegetables I would make sure I first grow something that has a high yield and second, make sure I am growing something that I and my family would enjoy eating.

If you have limited space, just like any other product you buy, you want to get the greatest return from what you are growing. For example, if you only had space to plant three items, cauliflower will more than likely not be one of them, unless of course you absolutely love cauliflower. I personally would not choose this item because you are only going to get one plant in one space with one seed. Not a very good return with limited space.

Your best choices are items that will produce a lot on a single plant and preferably can grow up as opposed to out as you will see in my list.

Pole Beans

I love having fresh picked beans with dinner and if you grow pole beans then you already know the amount you will get from a single seed. Pole beans are a great first choice because they fit the bill of both of our ROI (return on investment) requirements. They grow up as opposed to out and their yields are tremendous. Good choices are Blue Lake pole, Kentucky Blue, Kentucky Wonder Brown and Stringless Blue Lake. A single seed can produce hundreds of beans and if you are growing an heirloom variety be sure to save a few to plant again next season.

Cherry Tomatoes

Ok, technically speaking, tomatoes are botanically a fruit, but who can argue the choice of tomatoes. One single seed, according to a recent USDA study can produce over $50 worth of tomatoes. A tremendous return on the investment of time, space, work and cost. To maximize your limited space, choose a variety that produces an even larger amount such as cherry, grape, and yellow or red pear. These tomato varieties keep producing and producing and producing and … you get the point..

Zucchini

If you have grown any type of zucchini before then you already know what the return of just one zucchini seed can give you. My neighbor even told me one time of the old saying “zucchini plants produce so much, so fast, that you can literally watch the zucchini grow before your eyes.” While I won’t say that I have experienced that, I have planted just a couple of seeds and was able to not only keep plenty for my family, but give basket fulls away to neighbors, friends and relatives. Different varieties of zucchini (or other types of squash) will vary on yields. My favorites are the striped zucchini and black beauty.

Your list of vegetables grown from seed in limited space, I am sure, will be different, but these are my favorites. Cucumbers would be 4th on my list, just slightly behind the zucchini. What vegetable seeds would be on your list?

About the Author

Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

7 Ways Vegetable Gardeners Can Beat the Winter Blues

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This is the time of year when those of us in the Northern hemisphere become envious of those in the southern part of the world. They are in full vegetable gardening mode, growing great tasting fruits, vegetables and herbs, from seeds and potted plants. But rest assure, even though old man winter is biting us in the a, er um, I mean rear, there is still plenty of things we vegetable gardeners can do to get us to where we start planting our indoor seeds. Here are seven that I have chosen as some of my favorites.

Organize Your Vegetable Seeds
As the owner of the Seeds of the Month Club, this one is a no-brainer for me. I have to keep our company’s seeds well organized all year round. But for many of our Seeds Club customers, and those that have purchased seeds through catalogues and online, now is a great time to organize those seeds. I find what works best for me, is to organize the seeds by variety first, i.e. tomatoes with tomatoes, cucumbers with cucumbers, etc., then organize them by date. Members of our vegetable gardening page on Facebook, take it a step further and organize by companion planting, rotations and so much more.

Learn
The weather outside might be frightful but the delightful comforts of your home is a perfect setting to research and read up on vegetable gardening topics that can enhance your skills. Want to learn more about composting? Pick up a good book on the topic and learn as much as you can. A favorite of mine that I read, is Chris McLaughlin’s book The Complete Idiot`s Guide to Composting. Chris’ book keeps composting simple yet introduces you to variety of composting styles and techniques.

Maybe you are already a compost expert and want to learn more about specific vegetable gardening techniques, tips and tricks. There are books for that as well. A search on Amazon.com will yield you plenty to choose from.

Plan the Garden
My garden plans will change more than the weather before I finalize it and start actually planting, but now would be a great time to at least put down on paper a list of vegetables you would like to grow from seed this year. A garden plan is a great way to organize your space and thoughts. As a side note I always recommend adding at least one new item to the garden that has not been tried before. I believe it keeps vegetable gardening, fun, exciting and challenging. Hopefully it will for you as well.

Soil Sample
As as long as you can still dig up your soil, now would be a perfect time to take a soil sample. Sure, it may fluctuate based on certain weather conditions but you will have a basic idea of what is in your soil, what it needs and so on. A low cost soil test kit can be found online for anywhere from $3.00 (US) up through $21.00 (US). However, if you are lucky enough to have a co-op in your area, for a small fee, you can take them some of your soil and they will run the tests for you.

Gardening Mentor
Whether you are talking to a neighbor about getting them to start a vegetable garden or you need some helpful advice yourself, the winter is a perfect time to talk about vegetable gardening. If you are a vegetable gardening enthusiast like me be sure to strike up a conversation about it with a friend or loved one who may not have a garden at all and convince them it is worth the time and effort. If everyone you know already has a garden but you had some issues last season, talk to someone in your area to see if they experienced the same thing and if they did, what did they do to fix it.

Up to this point everything has been about what you can do indoors that requires absolutely no growing or getting your hands dirty (for the most part). Is there any gardening you can do? Yes, as you will see below.

Cold Frame Gardening
Not too long ago I wrote an entire article on vegetable gardening with a cold frame. I was fortunate enough to get some professional input from the author of How to Build Your Own Greenhouse, Roger Marhsall. Roger was nice enough to share photos of his own cold frames and give us some great advice as to which vegetables you can grow. A cold frame protects vegetables from the elements and is an excellent way to do some home gardening in the colder months. You can read that article, here.

Window Sill
This one is an oldy but a goody and one of my favorites. I have been successful in the past growing such things as basil (pretty much any herb), spinach, and lettuce on my window sill. I choose a spot that receives sunlight first thing in the morning. Even if you grow only 1 or 2 items this way, it at least scratches that vegetable gardening itch you might have.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

3 Cool Gardening Things to Learn About this Holiday Weekend

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This weekend my family and I will be busy in the festivities of Christmas and even though this time of the year here in NJ means it’s cold, neither the holiday nor the weather deters me from wanting to know and learn more about vegetable gardening. I put together three things that I find fascinating and hopefully you will too.

Cytokinin
This should take you back to 3rd grade plant science class. Cytokinins are a class of plant growth substances (phytohormones, chemicals that regulate plant growth) that promote cell division, or cytokinesis, in plant roots and shoots. When a plant’s stem is moved back and forth, cytokinin is created. This helps create stronger thicker stems in plants. If you grow your plants indoors, once a day give them a light back and forth brush to help promote this process. If your plants are outdoors, you won’t have to do anything as this will occur naturally when the wind blows.

Personalization
If you are like me then you enjoy growing your own pumpkins for display during the cooler autumn months and of course Halloween. But did you know that the larger varieties of pumpkins, 5 pounds and over, are very durable during their growth? So durable that you can actually personalize each pumpkin you grow. I would like to say I came up with this idea, but I learned about it in “The Vegetable Gardener’s Bible” by Edward C. Smith. Using a finger nail or another sharp object, carve your name (not too deep though), into your pumpkin. For me, with two young sons, we carve their names into each of their pumpkin. As the pumpkin grows so will their carved name and the child gets a thrill watching their personalized pumpkin.

Pepper Heat
Not too long ago I watched a show on Food TV which was for a Buffalo Hot Wing contest somewhere in Texas. When one of the judges was asked about the eventual winner of the contest, he said, the wings were so hot that his lips began to ache as he brought it up to his mouth. The winner’s sauce was made from a pepper seed extract similar to how pepper spray is made...OUCH! As you know, pepper varieties will vary in the amount of heat you feel when you bite into it and in 1912 a man by the name of Wilbur Scoville discovered how to measure the levels of heat a pepper contains. Although we now measure the heat of peppers by the amount of capsaicin it has, you can still measure the heat in a pepper with his Scoville Units.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Four Easy Vegetables to Start from Seed

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I love to start all of my fruits, vegetables and herbs from seeds, and although I do very well, I can sit here and honestly say that all of my efforts are not successful. In fact, this past season my cantaloupe did not fair as well as I had hoped, but my eggplant on the other hand were the best crop I have had in my life. That’s just the nature of vegetable gardening. Just when you think you have one crop mastered, you have a bad season with it. Maybe that is par for the course.

Regardless of the ups and downs of different crops I seem to do extremely well with the same crops every year when I start them from seeds.

Radishes
One of the fastest growing vegetables that I start from seeds, radishes will yield two crops in the late-winter to early spring and again late-summer to early winter. Many varieties produce in as little as 45 days, and make a great addition to a salad. I do not start radishes indoors as I don’t see the need since they produce so quickly.

Tomatoes
What would a list be without tomatoes on it, especially when I am from the garden state and all the bragging we do here about Jersey tomatoes. I will say that some years I do great and less often I do just ok, but I have never had a season where I did not get an ample crop of tomatoes. I always start my seeds indoors around the beginning of March, then will move them to the outdoor greenhouse in bigger pots until the weather warms up enough at night so that I eventually put them in their final spot in the garden. Top advice? Pick a spot in your yard that receives direct sunlight from morning until night time for best results. That’s what works well for me.

Zucchini
A neighbor once told me, zucchini grows so fast that you literally watch it grow before your eyes. I can not disagree. I have had plants where on one day a new zucchini growth is about an inch long and the next day (ok maybe two) it was ready to be picked. I will start zucchini indoors just like tomatoes. Unless you either have a large family, plan on feeding the neighborhood or donating a lot to local food pantries, just a couple of zucchini plants will suffice. They produce so much so quickly that many, especially new gardeners, put in about 6 plants and then harvesting zucchini becomes a full time job. I always grow 3, which for me, seems to be plenty.

Cucumbers
Last season I had the best cucumber crop in my life. I was literally giving away about a dozen to two dozen per week. I had 9 plants going which is more than what I normally do, but in previous years my surplus was around a few every week. Just like my tomatoes and zucchini I start cucumbers indoors. For me personally I always grow vining types such as the straight eight. For best results use a trellis. I built my own out of some left over wood pieces and some netting. It took about 20 minutes to throw it together. This gives the cucumbers a chance to climb and spread out. I start my cucumber seeds indoors, and like tomatoes, won’t move them outdoors until the temperatures at night have warmed up enough.

Every gardener has their favorites, these happen to be the ones I have had the easiest time with and the most success. I’ll cover herbs in a future article. They are very fun and easy to grow as well.

About the Author
Mike Podlesny is the author of Vegetable Gardening for the Average Person: A Guide to Vegetable Gardening for the rest of us, the moderator for the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook and creator of the Seeds Club.

Watch the video below to learn more about Mike`s Seeds of the Month Club:

Video: Quick shot of recent tomato harvest

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Vegetable Gardening 1st News for Monday April 4th, 2011

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In today's first news we have some great information for varying levels. If you are just starting out we have a how - to from my home state, New Jersey. If you are looking for something a little more advanced, crop rotation comes in from Miami today, and if you are a tomato enthusiast, (and who isnt?), we have an article completely dedicated to that wonderful vegetable, er um I mean fruit, I mean vegetable...you get the idea.

How to plan and plant your first vegetable garden The simple lessons and tips in this series will make you a successful first-time gardener and a better experienced gardener. I will try to show ... the lessons I've learned from the experience of having a home vegetable garden. These lessons come from my trials and errors of home vegetable gardening for over 30 years, and by sharing them I hope to ... http://www.gloucestertimes.com/lifestyle/x598325403/How-to-plot-plan-planting-for-your-first-garden Vegetable garden crop rotation Rotating different types of vegetables through each section of a garden plot ensures a good nutrient balance. Various types of vegetables use different nutrients and grow to different depths, which impacts the soil structure. Crop rotation also prevents the concentration of plant-specific diseases and insects, though this may be unavoidable for some small backyard veggie plots. Even if you... http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/28/2137696/vegetable-garden-crop-rotation.html Growing The Best Tomatoes In Your Neighborhood Think of all the things that you can make with tomatoes-sandwiches, salads, pizza and pasta. Many people just like to eat them raw with a little salt on top. According to the National Gardening Association, growing tomatoes is the most popular form of vegetable gardening. About 86 percent of vegetable gardeners are growing... http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/Food_and_Nutrition_690/Growing_The_Best_Tomatoes_In_Your_Neighborhood.shtml

For more gardening information be sure to visit http://www.averagepersongardening.com/ or to talk vegetable gardening 24/7 then join us on the largest vegetable gardening page on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/veggiegardening

Avoid these 6 Mistakes when Starting Tomato Seeds

Germination and development are critical phases for tomato seedlings. If you know what seed starting mistakes to avoid, you have an excellent chance to grow strong, healthy tomato plants to set out in your garden.

Mistake #1: Wrong planting medium
Fungi and bacteria in non-sterile soil can lead to damping off. When seeds dampen off, they don’t germinate. When sprouted seedlings contract damping off, they thin at the soil line, flop over, and die. Do everything possible to prevent damping off organisms from infecting your tomato seed starting flats. Avoid using garden soil to start seedlings because it is packed with bacteria and fungi. Potting soil is not the best option for starting seeds, either, because it is heavy and too high in fertilizer. Sterile potting mix, either purchased or home made from peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite, is a better choice for planting tomato seeds.

Mistake #2: Overwatering
Soggy potting mix can lead to seed rot, which can mean no germination. No sprouting = no tomato seedlings = no plants. Keep your potting mix evenly moist.

Mistake #3: Cold or drafty room
Maintain your room temperature between 70-80° F. Sustained cool temperatures can mean slow germination and slow growth. But be careful that the area is not too hot either, which can lead to leggy plants.

Mistake #4: Poor light
Sometimes tomato seeds will germinate and grow well for a couple of weeks. But when they are a couple of inches tall, they may bend toward the light and look stringy. Avoid scraggly plants by providing adequate light. Make sure plants are in a sunny window with 12-16 hours of light a day or place them 1-3 inches beneath grow lights.

Mistake #5: No transplanting
The purpose of transplanting seedlings is to stimulate root development. Plants started in smaller containers (cell packs, peat pots, or seed trays) and then moved to 4-6 inch pots develop stronger root systems than plants which are not transplanted at all. When transplanting, it’s wise to submerge the exposed stem deeper into the soil, thereby supporting the plant, preventing legginess, and stimulating root growth along the buried stem. Seedlings that are not transplanted fail to develop as strong root systems. Transplant seedlings when plants have two full sets of leaves.

Mistake #6: Inappropriate tomato varieties
Even when you start and grow healthy plants to set out in the garden, if you choose varieties that are inappropriate for your zone or for your gardening conditions, you may not harvest a quality crop. For instance, if you live in a cool, wet climate and start tomato varieties that do best in hot, dry areas, your crop may not produce high numbers or quality fruit. Or you may plan to grow container tomatoes, which require dwarf or tumbling varieties to do best. But the large garden varieties you started indoors won’t flourish in containers. Take time before you plant seeds to choose tomato varieties that are best for your situation. Then by carefully monitoring your tomato seedling crop, you can ensure a healthy, productive outcome this tomato season.

About the Author
Kathy Widenhouse is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises and owner of Tomato Dirt (www.tomatodirt.com), a leading source for information on growing tomatoes and using them.

NOW THROUGH CHRISTMAS, $0.49 ON SELECT SEEDS!!!

From now through Christmas we have placed select seeds on sale for $0.49 per pack!


There is no limit on the number of packs you can buy and all orders over $10 receive free shipping. This special is for a limited time and when December 26th arrives....this special will be over. So get your seeds today!

Shop in our online Store today!

Four Keys to Watering Tomato Plants

While you can’t control the sun or wind, you can control the amount of water your tomato plants receive. Consistent watering is an important key to healthy tomato plants.

It’s simple to achieve when you know where, when, how, and how much to water tomatoes.

Where should you water?
Water at the soil line. You’ll help build your tomato’s root system. Avoid overhead watering, which spreads diseases.

When should you water?
Water tomato plants during the day. Some gardeners prefer morning watering to fortify plants for the heat they’ll endure as the day wears on. Others water when the sun is high as a way of cooling leaves. But which ever you choose, on one point gardeners agree: avoid watering tomato plants in the evening. Leaves that are wet overnight are susceptible to the spread of fungi and other diseases.

How should you water?
Water slowly. Let water sink into the ground to help plants develop strong roots. Hand-watering and drip irrigation are more effective than overhead watering. When the soil surrounding your tomato plant is moistened 6-8” deep, you’ll know you’ve done your job well.

How much should you water?
Consistent watering produces stronger plants and larger fruit. Water newly-planted tomatoes at least a quart for 7-10 days. In the height of summer, water plants 2-3 times a week. (Rainfall counts.) Later when temperatures cool, scale back to once a week.

About the Author
Kathy Widenhouse is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises, LLC and owner of Tomato Dirt (http://www.tomatodirt.com), a leading source for information on growing tomatoes and using them.

Vegetable Gardening in every Yard

Our goal here at Mike the Gardener Enterprises is to get vegetable gardening in every yard everywhere we can think of!

In order to do that, we need to make it easy and affordable to get started and then ensure support for those that need to help to succeed.

You can support our "Vegetable Gardening in Every Yard" campaign at http://www.indiegogo.com/mike_the_gardener

Every bit helps!

Tractor Tires for Raised Bed Vegetable Gardens

It isn’t as if most people have old tractor tires just lying around collecting dust. Nevertheless, a good old tire that’s no good for driving on anymore doesn’t have to go to the trash pile. And when it comes to raised beds, there’s hardly a thing better than a burly tractor tire. By making a few minor alterations, removing the upper rim and painting the outside, that old hunk of rubber can have a second life—maybe even one that is nobler than the first.

To the gardener, it would be an insult to explain the benefits of raised beds. Just the same, they would be remiss to overlook the cost of materials to build raised beds. Purchasing good wood for frames is expensive, but it can’t be cut out, that will only lead to board rot and an open invitation to soil pests. Intro the tractor tire. He had a hard life on the wheels of his green driving machine and is excited to a retirement of laying about doing a whole lot of nothing.

Instead of making a costly purchase like railroad ties or treated wood, anyone who is interested can meander down to a local auto shop, poke their nose in and inquire about used tires that are destined for the dump. Most mechanics are happy to unload useless tires since it saves them a trip to the dump and any of the associated paperwork that accompanies rubber waste. What that means for the gardener is that he or she can acquire a perfectly good raised bed for free.

Then, once the tire has been introduced to its new home, it is just moments away from becoming a part of the thriving garden. The trickiest part of the tire to raised bed metamorphosis is cutting away that husky upper lip. Often the rubber will be about three-quarters of an inch thick along the outer rim. That’s a job no scissors could address, but a handsaw would gladly step in. After the rim is cut, the tire is nearly ready.

Because the color black is such a great heat conductor, the tire will need to be painted a lighter shade: white or yellow will reduce the amount of heat absorption keeping plant roots from burning and water from increased evaporation. After a coat of spray paint the tire will be ready to fill and plant.

While one tire won’t be able to accommodate a large crop, it will open up a few advantages that traditional raised beds are not good for. One tire could be unobtrusively placed at each directional plane of any house, meaning that varying degrees of light would shine on each one throughout the day. Since plants have so many different needs for direct sunlight, this is a great way to open up more possibilities for the plants that can be grown. By freeing the tractor tire from the doom of a landfill, any garden can thrive and become more versatile.

About the Author
Jody Sperling is a contributing writer for Mike the Gardener Enterprises, LLC the exclusive home for the Seeds of the Month Club.

How to Handle Tomato Blight

In its basic definition, blight is a fungal infection on plants, most notably tomato plants. Although there are many theories to what causes blight, the most popular are poor soil conditions that lack proper nutrients, or too much rain fall followed by humidity to create a breeding ground for fungus.

If not caught and dealth with early blight can literally wipe out your crops.

Here is how you can deal with blight early, and stop it in its tracks.



http://www.ehow.com/how_5301387_handle-tomato-blight.html