‘T’ Most Important Ingredient In ‘Blt’

There ain’t nothin’ in the world that I like better than bacon ‘n’ lettuce ‘n’ home- grown tomatoes. Up in the morning, out in the garden, get you a ripe one, don’t pick a hard ‘un. Plant ‘em in the spring, eat ‘em in the summer, all winter without ‘em is a culinary bummer.

“I forget all about the sweatin’ and the diggin’, every time I go out and pick me a big ‘un.

“Home-grown tomatoes, home-grown tomatoes, what would life be without home-grown tomatoes? Only two things that money can’t buy — that’s true love and home-grown tomatoes.” These are lyrics from the song, “Home-Grown Tomatoes” by Guy Clark, and how true they are.

Not only are garden tomatoes delicious and healthful, but they’re so easy to grow. You might say tomatoes have had a colorful history. As a member of the nightshade family, they were long believed to be poisonous.

Story has it that a wealthy gentleman named Robert Gibbon Johnson from Salem, N.J., took it upon himself to prove that the fruit from this poisonous plant was quite edible. (Brave soul). Standing before a crowd of townsfolk in 1820, Johnson proceeded to consume an entire basketful of tomatoes. Suffering no ill effects, tomatoes were deemed edible.

There are two types of tomatoes that we can grow in our gardens: determinate and indeterminate.

Determinate tomatoes usually ripen at one time making them excellent candidates for processing. And because the bushes are usually small, most don’t require staking. Roma and Celebrity are examples of determinate varieties.

Indeterminate types have a tendency to grow quite tall and viney. They’re best staked. Varieties like Early Girl, Better Boy and Sweet 100 will produce fruit up until frost.

The letters FNVT on the tag or seed package indicate the tomatoes ability to resist certain diseases and insects.

“F” indicates fusarium wilt, “N” is for nematodes, “V” is for verticillium wilt and “T” is for tobacco mosaic virus. By the way, if you smoke, you should not do so around the tomatoes or handle the plants with your bare hands.

There are two methods for planting tomatoes: the deep hole method and the trench method. In either case, tomatoes like rich, well-drained soil. Incorporate plenty of organic matter into the planting area. A teaspoon of Epsom salts and a banana peel in the hole will help provide extra magnesium and potassium for the plants.

Both methods of planting have their advantages and disadvantages.

Tomatoes planted in a deep hole may be a bit slower to grow because their roots are deeper in the ground where the soil is cool. However, as the hot summer days roll around, the majority of the deep roots stay cooler and more moist.

Tomatoes planted on their sides in trenches have a tendency to take off growing faster because their roots are near the surface of the soil where it is warm. However, these same surface roots may bake during the hot summer. If you choose to use this method of planting, mulch the plants to maintain even moisture and soil temperature.

And finally, you can, “Put ‘em in a salad, put ‘em in a stew, you can make your own tomato juice.

“You can eat ‘em with eggs, eat ‘em with gravy, you can eat ‘em with beans, pinto or navy. Put ‘em on the side, put ‘em in the middle, homegrown tomatoes on a hot cake griddle.”

In the garden

Many times we hear about using charcoal to help remove chemical spills in the garden or to sweeten the soil or to use in the bottom of planters.

The charcoal used for gardening purposes is not the briquettes we use for barbecuing. Garden charcoal is produced from burned wood. Briquettes are chemically treated. Horticultural charcoal needs to be purchased at garden centers.

Use charcoal to absorb impurities and neutralize chemical spills. If a pesticide has been accidentally dumped on the ground, it can be absorbed quickly with horticultural charcoal.

Charcoal, mixed with a bit of gravel in the bottom of flower container, helps to keep the potting soil sweet. It works especially well with orchids, ferns and bulbs.

It can be used to keep the water fresh for cut flowers. By dropping a lump of coal into the water you can prevent mold and bacteria from developing. It even makes a good addition when you’re rooting plants in water.

Remember, were talking about horticultural charcoal, not barbecue briquettes.

Mark your calendar

The Backyard Bird and Plant Fair sponsored by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will be from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the Firwood Nursery in Deer Park. The event is free. Enjoy guided tours of wildlife areas, learn which plants attract wildlife, get answers to your garden questions from local gardening experts and take home plenty of garden products from local vendors.

A workshop on making a living wreath will be held Wednesday, 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m., at Bloomers Junction, 6005 N. Idaho Road, Post Falls. Cost is $20; bring your own lunch. Call (208) 773-3143 to register.

Anything but green, a workshop on using plants that are not green, will be held June 10, 11 a.m. to noon at Bloomers Junction. A donation of a can of food for the Food Bank is requested. Call (208) 773-3143 to register.