VEGETABLES
 If you’re a fan of fresh tomato sauce, you should be growing roma tomatoes in your garden. Growing and caring for roma tomato plants means that you’ll be growing the perfect tomato for making delicious sauces. Let’s look at a few tips for growing roma tomatoes.
What is a Roma Tomato? A roma tomato is a paste tomato. Paste tomatoes, like roma tomatoes, generally have a thicker fruit wall, fewer seeds, and a denser but more grainy flesh. Roma tomatoes tend to be oblong in shape and heavy for their size. They also tend to be more firm than a non-roma or paste tomato. Roma tomatoes are determinate, which means that the fruit ripens at one time, rather than continually through the season. While they can be eaten raw, they are at their best when they are cooked. How to Grow Roma Tomatoes Caring for roma tomato plants isn’t that much different from caring for regular tomatoes. All tomatoes need plenty of water, soil rich in organic material, and need to be staked up off the ground for the best fruit production. Roma tomatoes are no different. Prepare the soil of your tomato bed by adding compost or a slow-release fertilizer. Once you plant your roma tomato plants, water them at least once a week. Once your roma tomato plants are 6-12 inches (15 to 30.5 cm.) high, start staking the roma tomatoes up off the ground. Romas do tend to be a little easier to grow than other tomatoes due to the fact that many are fusarium and verticillium wilt resistant. While these diseases can kill other tomatoes, many times roma tomato plants can withstand the disease. When is a Roma Tomato Ripe? While tips for growing roma tomatoes are helpful, the end goal is to harvest roma tomatoes. Because roma tomatoes have a firmer flesh than other kinds of tomatoes, you may wonder how to tell when a roma tomato is ripe. For roma tomatoes, the color is your best indicator. Once the tomato is red all the way from the bottom to the top, it is ready for picking. Now that you know how to grow roma tomatoes, you can add these tasty, saucing tomatoes to your garden. They are just one of the many tomatoes that you can try adding to your garden.
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 Black Krim tomato plants produce large tomatoes with deep reddish purple skin. In hot, sunny conditions, the skin turns nearly black. The reddish green flesh is rich and sweet with a slightly smoky, homegrown flavor. A type of indeterminate tomato, growing Black Krim tomatoes requires about 70 days from transplant to harvest.
Black Krim Tomato Facts Also known as Black Crimea, Black Krim tomato plants are native to Russia. These tomato plants are considered heirlooms, meaning the seeds have been passed down from generation to generation. Some growers will say heirloom plants are those that have been passed down for at least 100 years while others say 50 years is sufficient time to be considered an heirloom. Scientifically, heirloom tomatoes are open pollinated, which means that, unlike hybrids, the plants are pollinated naturally. How to Grow Black Krim Tomatoes Purchase young Black Krim tomato plants at a nursery or start seeds indoors about six weeks before the last expected frost in your area. Plant in a sunny location when all danger of frost has passed and soil is warm. Dig 2 to 4 inches (5-10 cm.) of manure or compost into the soil before planting. You can also apply a small amount of general-purpose fertilizer according to label recommendations. To grow a strong, sturdy plant, bury up to two-thirds of the stem. Be sure to install a trellis, stakes, or tomato cage, as Black Krim tomato plants require support. Black Krim tomato care is really no different than with any other type of tomato. Provide growing tomatoes with 1 to 2 inches (2.5-5 cm.) of water each week. The goal is to maintain even soil moisture, helping to prevent blossom rot and cracked fruit. Water at the base of the plant if possible, using drip irrigation or a garden hose. A layer of mulch, such as shredded leaves or straw, will conserve moisture and help control growth of weeds. Side dress plants with a small amount of balanced fertilizer at four and eight weeks after transplanting. Don’t overfeed; too little is always better than too much.  Planting tomatoes in pots is nothing new. This is a great way to enjoy your favorite crops in areas with limited space. Tomatoes can be grown easily in hanging baskets, window boxes, planters, and many other types of containers. To successfully grow tomatoes in pots or containers, simply match the variety you want to a suitable container and provide the proper care. Growing Tomatoes in Containers It’s easy to grow tomato plants in pots. To get the most from container-grown tomatoes, you need to match the eventual size of your plant tomato plants to the overall size of your tomato planter box. For instance, smaller varieties are well suited to hanging baskets or window boxes, whereas you might want to choose a sturdier planter or 5-gallon (18.9 L) bucket for larger types.
Make certain the pot is deep enough to accommodate the plant’s root system. A standard 12-inch (30 cm.) deep pot with the same diameter is suitable for most plants. Anything from bushel baskets and half barrels to 5-gallon (18.9 L) buckets can be used to grow tomato plants. Just make sure that the container has adequate drainage. Growing Tomatoes in Pots Fill your pot with loose, well-draining potting soil. It’s also a good idea to add in some organic materials like well-rotted shavings or manure. For example, you might try an equal mix of potting soil perlite, peat moss, and compost. Tomato seeds can be started indoors in early spring or you can purchase young plants once they become available in your area.  “Heirloom” is a popular buzzword in the gardening community these days. In particular, heirloom tomatoes have received a lot of attention. This can leave some gardeners asking, “What is an heirloom tomato?” and “What are the best heirloom tomato varieties?” Never fear, a whole world of delicious and unusual tomatoes awaits you once you know the answers to these questions. What is an Heirloom Tomato? The strict definition of an heirloom tomato (or heritage tomato in the UK) is a tomato variety that has been open pollinated propagated for more than 50 years, but most people today consider any open pollinated (non-hybrid) tomato as an heirloom tomato. Heirloom tomatoes can be almost any color imaginable (including white and black), and many varieties have wild shapes, color combinations, and markings. You can get heirloom tomato varieties that are hollow inside, shaped like sausages, as small as your pinky nail, and even multi-lobed so they can be torn apart. Heirloom tomato varieties come from many different places and new varieties are found every year. Some varieties are handed down from one family generation to the next or grown only in a small geographic region of the world, others were popular varieties many years ago that simply became forgotten, while others are developed by tomato enthusiasts. This means that you can find heirloom tomato varieties that are suited for almost any climate imaginable in the world. What Are the Best Types of Heirloom Tomatoes? There is no hard and fast answer to what the best heirloom tomatoes are. This is because an heirloom tomato variety that tastes and grows wonderfully in one area may not do well at all in another area. Heirloom tomatoes typically are bred to do well in very specific areas and climates. When choosing an heirloom tomato to grow in your garden, it’s best to ask around to see what others in your area enjoy growing. Local Master Gardener programs and your local extension service are great places to find people who will be happy to provide some suggestions. Locally written garden blogs are also a good place to find suggestions.   Beefsteak tomatoes, aptly named large, thickly fleshed fruits, are one of the favorite tomato varieties for the home garden. Growing beefsteak tomatoes requires a heavy cage or stakes to support the often 1-pound (0.5 kg.) fruits. Beefsteak tomato varieties are late maturing and should be started indoors to extend the growing period. The beefsteak tomato plant produces classic slicing tomatoes that your family will love. Beefsteak Tomato Varieties Beefsteak tomatoes have meaty flesh and numerous seeds. 'Old German' is one of many varieties available with different sized fruit, harvest times, and growing ranges.
Planting Beefsteak Tomatoes Most of the beefsteak tomato varieties require a growing season of at least 85 days to harvest. This is not possible in most of the United States, which means starts or your own transplants are the best way to begin. If you are a stickler for consistency, you’ll want to start your own seed. March is an ideal time for planting beefsteak tomatoes indoors. Sow seed in flats, and nurture them until they are at least 8 inches (20.5 cm.) tall and exterior soil temperatures are at least 60 F. (16 C.). The beefsteak tomato plant needs to be hardened off before planting outdoors, usually around May. Choose a sunny, well-drained garden bed in which to plant your tomato starts. A raised bed warms early in the season and is a good method for how to grow beefsteak tomatoes in cooler climates. Work in compost or other organic amendments to the soil before you plant and incorporate a starter fertilizer to get the little plants off to a good start. Allow spacing of at least 5 feet (1.5 m.) for good air circulation and install sturdy cages or other support structures. Beefsteak tomato varieties will need tying in, as they are trained up a support. Beefsteak tomatoes are primarily indeterminate, which means you may remove the auxiliary shoots to promote better branching. Beefsteak Tomato Plant Care Keep weeds removed from the bed and mulch between the rows to minimize weeds and conserve moisture. A black plastic mulch also warms the soil and radiates heat. Fertilize every three weeks with 1 pound (0.5 kg.) per 100 square feet (9 sq. m.). The optimum ratio for tomatoes is 8-32-16 or 6-24-24. The beefsteak tomato plant will need 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm.) of water per week. All beefsteak tomato varieties are prone to disease and pests. Keep a close watch and nip problems in the bud as soon as you see them.  Growing sage (Salvia officinalis) in your garden can be rewarding, especially when it is time to cook a delicious dinner. Wondering how to grow sage? Planting sage is easy.
Choosing Edible Types of Sage Plant There are many types of sage plant and not all of them are edible. When choosing a sage plant for your herb garden, choose one such as:
How to Grow Sage The best place for planting sage is in full sun. Your sage plant should be put in a well draining soil, as sage does not like its roots to remain wet. Sage comes from a hot, dry climate and will grow best in conditions like this. |
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