Tomato Musings

Tomatoes are truly the headliners of the show in my Victory Garden.

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They say that the tomato is America ’s favored veg to grow . Heck , even the late John Denver write a song about them . As I peruse my garden photos from the last couple of years , I thought I ’d apportion some thoughts on why this veg ( I mean fruit ? ) is , and always will be , pass in my Victory Garden .

First and foremost , there is a whole macrocosm of varieties out there to prefer from . I could conceivably grow nothing but tomatoes in my 1,100 + square - foot garden for several years andstillnot be able to try all of the varieties out there . This , regrettably for my part of the res publica , is n’t feasible anyway . Our “ wondrous ” state dame , the mockingbird , seems to think that the red Lycopersicon esculentum are berries . Theywill(and have ) wreakmajorhavoc on any tomato that are n’t protected or covered .

Speaking of this protection , rent me describe what I have done to baffle these critter in my garden . conceive of a “ cube ” built using 1″x1″x5′ plyboard , with wimp wire covering the sides of the cube . One of the square block ’s side comes off to allow me access to the plant . “ That ’s a lot of work , time and money pass on just one veg , Greg ” I can find out you telling me . Are the tomatoes worth all that ? Before you have get to the end of your sentence , I will have interrupted you with “ utterly ! ”

As if the variety possibilities do n’t convince you , there ’s obviously theunbelievabletaste element . A while back , my mother gave me a sheet torn out of her desk - sized “ You Might Be A Redneck If … ” calendar ( you have sex , like those Far Side I ) . It read , You Might Be a Redneck If … Homegrown tomatoes make your list of the most crucial thing in life . Touche !

mouth of discernment , I had an ex - girlfriend who leave a couple of my tomatoes to her granny . She told me when her grandmother had her first few bites , she was so overwhelmed by the experience , she literallycried . True affirmation . And who can pick her ? Have you seen some of the tomato that the supermarkets and restaurants gestate ? It ’s rather quite disturbing . We ’ve all seen some that are this pseudo - pink - red washed out colour . I have a condition for those : faux Lycopersicon esculentum ! Until I can afford to work up or bribe a seemly - sized greenhouse , I will only be able to originate them during certain months of the year . And now with the tomato plant crop shortfall in Florida , these jewel of your garden are even more valuable to raise .

When it come time to glean them , I of course , take the honor of eating the first one . After all I ’ve done for them , I think I ’ve make it . I have some very mad friend and neighbors who reckon forward to them every year . And the home ? They getextratreatment . Because they all endure in other states , I actually cast off the cash to FedEx some to them every year . Doing this technically makes them valued at several dollar per British pound , but it ’s an unimportant toll to me .

To reason out , when people require me how my garden did , I basically put it like this – if the tomatoes did well , then it was a good season . If they did n’t , then it was a wash . They are really the headliner of the show . If you do n’t believe me or have never had a truly vine - ripened one , come see me in June

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