This is an entry in this month’s contest “How To Grow Tomatoes; Tips, Tricks, and Tutorials”. A big reason for this contest is to have a living resource of information we can all reference in the future. Be sure to rate this article – your vote is important!
Tomatoes are about the easiest things I’ve grown. I’ve grown bush-type tomatoes in pots on patio. Cherry tomatoes in other pots. Vine-type tomato plants in raised bed garden. I used kitchen scraps, like potato peelings, for fertilizer. A trellis or wire cage is useful for the vine tomatoes — they like to climb. When fruit ripened, I snacked in garden almost as much as I picked. I was giving away tomatoes to friends and neighbors.
I had trouble with bugs wanting to help themselves to my tomatoes. I melted a bar of Ivory Soap in boiling water and, after cooling, put mixture into sprayer to coat plants. Bugs gone and produce not poisonous — soap spray is easily rinsed off after harvest.
This year I’m growing lots of sweet potatoes. Sliced up, they dehydrate well to make nice snacks. Sweet potatoes are also good as baked potatoes or boiled and mashed. In Australia, I also ate them cut into wedges and roasted.
Pumpkin vine is trying to take over garden. Roasted pumpkin seeds make great snack and pumpkin meat settles doggie tummy when she eats something she shouldn’t have. I carve out the meat from the skin and freeze most of it. The last time I scraped pumpkin meat off skin was rather entertaining. I made a mess. Pumpkin was flying everywhere. Doggie was having happy time cleaning up floor. Then I just sat on floor and let her clean me up. Take your fun where you can get it!!!
Trish
We are giving away five prizes this month! Winners get to pick one of the following; a copy of the “Grow Your Own Groceries” video set, or a copy of the “Alternatives To Dentists” video set, or 3 months of free membership in the Core Community. If you want to enter this month’s contest click here: http://growyourowngroceries.org/contribute-here/
