Xylem & Phloem

Longing for a bumper crop of fresh, juicy tomatoes this summer? Here are a few tips that I have found helpful:

1. Birds eating tomatoes? It's not the tomatoes they're after. Most birds peck at tomatoes because they are thirsty, NOT hungry. Provide a source of water for birds, whether it be a small fountain or a birdbath, and the birds will occupy themselves with the water, not your tomatoes.

2. Tomato seeds like it hot. According to propagation manuals, tomato seeds germinate best at 85 degrees (F). Try starting seeds indoors with a plant heating mat (mats are available at garden centers and at Amazon.com). If you prefer starting seeds in the garden, invest in a soil thermometer and wait to plant seeds until the soil has heated up to at least 60 degrees (F).

3. Companion plant for insect control and better plant health. Famed advocate of biodiversity John Jeavons writes, "Like people in relationships, certain plants like and dislike eachother." Create biodiversity in your own garden and control pests organically by planting your tomatoes alongside chives, onions, parsley, asparagus, marigolds, nasturtiums and carrots. Keep tomatoes away from kohlrabi, potatoes, fennel and cabbage.

4. Sooth your aching feet AND grow big ole tomatoes with Epsom salts! A cheap home remedy for growing great tomatoes is applying Epsom salts, or magnesium sulfate. According to Charlie Nardozzi, magnesium is critical for seed germination and the production of chlorophyll, fruit, and nuts. It also helps to strengthen cell walls and improve a plant's uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur. Sulfur, a key element in plant growth, is critical to production of vitamins, amino acids (therefore protein), and enzymes. Treat your tomatoes to a soothing Epsom salts experience by working 1 cup into the soil at planting, or spraying on a foliar feed - 1 tbs Epsom salts disolved in one gallon of water - at bloom time and again 10 days later.

5. Give leggy seedlings a chance. If the seedlings you raised indoors or purchased from a nursery look "leggy" (long spaces between branches), don't toss them aside. Tomato plants root readily all along their stems. This lets you plant them like you were burying someone in the sand at the beach, all the way up to the plant's first leaves.

Looking for more tomato growing tips? Check out these resources:

http://www.tomatogardeningtips.com/

http://www.sunset.com/sunset/garden/package/0,20869,1057660,00.html

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Organic-Gardening/2005-04-01/Grow-Great-tasting-Tomatoes.aspx

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Dallas Morning News

Plant swapping rewards go beyond budget 

Garden stools that will knock you off your feet 

Garden Rant

Stop the mulch madness!  

San Francisco Chronicle

Shearing shrubs makes them shapely, at a cost 

Plenty of ideas blooming after garden show

Dirt by Amy Stewart

Sam's Club sells fair trade flowers 

New York Times

In the garden: A sisterly rivalry leads directly to pies 

Garden Q&A: A hibiscus, far from home 

May Dreams Gardens

Notorious Nightshades: A guest post by Susan Whittig Albert 

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Green gardening: Lilac leaves indicate pea planting time

To do list - time is running out to plant tomato seeds 

Austin-American Statesman

Gardening workshops offer expert advice 

March outside and plant tomatoes for a bountiful summer harvest

San Antonio Express News

Neil Sperry: Best garden hose is ultra-flexible 

Garden is seeking the tops in treehouses 

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 Previously, I mentioned how much I love the Egglings I received as a Christmas gift this year. This week I stumbled upon a fantastic website that sells Egglings and a host of other fun gardening-related gifts. Appropriately named Perpetual Kid, this web site is addictive! Have fun exploring! My personal favorite is the Grow-Your-Own Body Snatcher kit. Ha!

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Amazingly, this is my first year to grow roses in my garden. Like many people, I believed that roses were fussy and demanding. In organic gardens, fussy and demanding plants are often eschewed in favor of plants that are naturally pest and disease resistant.

In spite of all my pre-conceived notions, I planted two rose bushes recently: Elie Beauvillain, a tea climber from Texas-based Antique Rose Emporium, and Tess of the d'Urbervilles, a red, double English rose from David Austin Roses.

Elie Beauvillain (Source: Antique Rose Emporium)

Tess of the D'Urbervilles (Source: David Austin Roses) 

Unfortunately, my Elie Beauvillian is already suffering a bit of blackspot after this week's torrential downpours, but both plants are moving along well. I look forward to sharing photos when the plants start to bloom.

ONLINE ROSE SOURCES

Antique Rose Emporium

David Austin Roses 

Chamblee Rose Nursery 

Jackson and Perkins

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