It’s Time for Tomatoes!

There’s nothing better on a hot summer day than a ripe, juicy tomato, picked fresh from your own garden. And since things are finally heating up outside, it’s time to get those tomatoes going!

Here are two top ways to plant tomatoes:

The holey moley method: Simply dig a hole about the size of a soccer ball, and put a layer of compost or well-rotted manure mixed with a handful of bonemeal and 1 teaspoon of Epsom salts in the bottom. Then set in the plant so that only about the top 4 inches sticks up above the soil. (Clip off the lower leaves with scissors first.) 

The trench method: Make a 6-inch-deep trench the length of the planting bed. Spread a thin layer of compost along the bottom, then trim off the leaves from all but the top 4 inches of the stem. Lay each plant in the trench horizontally, with the 4-inch leafy part curved up out of the ground. Pack soil around it so it stays in place, and then cover up the rest of the stem with soil. 

After you’ve got your tomatoes planted...

It’s a good idea to set in some basil, bee balm, or borage close by. These aromatic herbs are the best neighbors your tomatoes will ever have because they send out chemicals from their roots and leaves that make tomato plants healthier and boost ‘em to new heights!

And if you want to get the most mouthwatering tomato crop on the block...

Treat your plants to a Tomato Booster Tonic. Just mix 2 tablespoons of Epsom salts, 1 teaspoon of baby shampoo, and 1 gallon of water in a watering can. Generously soak the soil around your tomato plants in early summer, just as they show a bunch of yellow flowers, to stimulate fruit set.

For more super secrets on growing big, juicy tomatoes and other incredible edibles, check out our bestselling book, Terrific Tomatoes, Sensational Spuds, and Mouth-Watering Melons. You can even try it out FREE for 21 days!

3 Surprising Secrets to Successful Food Gardening

Vegetables, fruits, and herbs thrive on the same kind of chemical-free TLC that ornamental plants do. So if you’re setting out to plant your first food garden, before you buy a single seed, ponder these simple guidelines for happy — and successful — growing:

Keep it small. When you’re new to growing vegetables, follow my golden rule for happy gardening: Decide on a size that you can handle cheerfully and comfortably, then reduce it by a third.

Keep it near your house. Or as close as your yard’s layout will allow. This way, you’ll be better able to spot tiny weeds before they grow into big ones. You’ll notice insect pests while there’s still time to pick them off by hand or send them fleeing with a spray from the garden hose. Plus, you’ll know just when your new vegetables are ready for picking, and you won’t miss a minute of their sweet, fresh flavor!

Keep it within reach of your hose. Otherwise, you’ll spend a lot of time toting a watering can back and forth because vegetables are a thirsty bunch. Most of them require at least an inch of water every week, and some need more than that.

Happy growing!

8 Helpful Hints for a Hasty, Tasty Harvest

You’ve been hard at work in your garden all summer long, and now you’re finally ready to enjoy the fruits — and veggies — of your labor. But if you’re not sure whether something is ready to pick or not, be on the lookout for these clues:

Color. Fleshy-fruited veggies like tomatoes, peppers, winter squash, and pumpkins turn color as they ripen. Read your seed packet or catalog description carefully so you know what color to look for (it’s not always what you might expect!)

Gloss. Healthy, growing veggies are shiny and glossy. If their skin is dull, you’ve waited too long. Watermelon is the exception to this rule: When it’s ripe, its skin is dull.

Size. Lots of vegetable crops, including peppers, potatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, and leafy greens, are ready to eat whenever they look like they are. If you don’t think you can trust your eyes, then just take a bite. Your taste buds don’t lie.

When you’ve determined it’s time to bring in your bounty, here are a few more guidelines to keep in mind:

• Try to pick your vegetables in the morning, when their sugar content is highest.
• If the plants are wet, give them time to dry off. (Wet plants are more likely to spread disease.
• Take your time and work carefully, because bruised or scratched vegetables spoil quickly, and damaged plants are sitting ducks for pests and diseases.
• Use your fingers to pick thin-stemmed vegetables like peas and beans, and ones that slip easily from the vine like tomatoes.
• Use a sharp knife or clippers to cut tough- or brittle-stemmed crops. Veggies like cabbage, peppers, broccoli, eggplant, and squash can be damaged badly if you try to pull or tear them from their stems.

Happy harvesting!

Grow Drought-Busting Veggies in Your Own Backyard!

This summer, growing your own garden-fresh greens and mouthwatering tomatoes may be more important than ever. The months-long drought in California has led to skyrocketing prices at the grocery store—and there’s no sign of relief in sight. So get outside and get growin’!

Most vegetables need at least an inch of water a week in order to thrive. So keep these H₂O-saving, thirst-quenching pointers in mind as you serve up your plants’ drinks:

Use a soaker hose. It’s the best way to deliver water all the way down to your plants’ roots.

Keep your soil well stocked with organic matter. This increases the soil’s ability to hold water and encourages large, healthy root systems—a plant’s top defense against drought.

Mulch heavily. You’ll conserve water, keep down weeds, and discourage pests all at the same time.

Plant drought-tolerant varieties. Garden centers and catalogs offer more and more every year. In particular, many heirloom vegetables tend to need much less water than modern hybrids do.

Don’t overdo it. Too much water will cause more damage than too little. It will drown your plants’ roots and wash away essential nutrients.

If water is in short supply where you live, remember my Grandma Putt’s rule of thumb: The more parts of a plant you eat, the more water-thrifty it is. Beets, onions, turnips, lettuce, and other greens top the list because the whole plant is edible. Corn ranks at the very bottom because a single cornstalk will use 54 gallons of water during the growing season to produce just one or two ears of corn.