When to Plant Tomatoes

   

I met the love of my life one warm August afternoon at a farm stand somewhere off Pennsylvania SR 340.  He was strikingly handsome, had an amazing smile and was still silly, head over heels in love with his wife after 56 years of marriage. 

    Even though he broke my heart, as a consolation prize I got a pretty tasty shoo-fly pie and some great gardening advice.  I had told him that even after living in Baltimore a few years, I was still having trouble judging when to plant tomatoes.  Everyone in my neighborhood always made it an elaborate Mother’s Day ritual, but to a California girl that seemed awful late. 

    He told me the best way to tell when to plant is to go outside, drop your pants and sit bare-assed in the dirt for a good while.  If it was cold and clammy then it was too early…when the ground felt warm and nice to your tender parts, then it was okay to go ahead and plant.

 

Tomato Growing Tips:

• Add a tbsp of Epsom salt to the hole when planting, this will boost the magnesium in the soil and make the fruit sweeter.

• Plant a stake with the seedling… that will keep you from doing damage to roots later on…stakes should be 5’-6’ tall…be optimistic, your tomatoes will appreciate your faith in them.

• If you can find anyone who still wears them…pantyhose make the best tie-ons…old t-shirts are second best… remember these are not plants but vines… all alone without any means of support…be charitable and tie often.

• Garlic and basil make good companions…dill and cabbage are terrible neighbors and will stunt the tomato’s growth.

• Picking off the bottom leaves and leaving bottom 6” of stem bare will help prevent fungus.

• Water from the bottom, they don’t like to get their leaves wet
• if they can help it.

• If you are getting flowers but no fruit, spray the flowers with sugar water to attract more bees.