Some tips and tricks for the tastiest tomatoes. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours.
The extra attention you give your tomato plants right now could pay off with some of the tastiest tomatoes when it’s harvest time. For healthy plants and soil, use organic fertilizer and compost every week to keep plants supplied with nutrients. Remove damaged plants and any fruit that shows dark patches on their bottom.
When it’s really hot, deep watering is needed. Tomatoes are less likely to crack when the soil is moist. Also, be sure to cover soil. Mulch blocks weeds, will save water, and protects the fruit. Protect plants from heat and sun-scald by covering plants with lightweight cloth covers through the first few heatwaves.
Pick tomatoes when you’re ready for them, avoid letting them get soft and mushy. Tomatoes picked at the breaker stage, when they first show signs of changing color, are considered vine-ripened. These tomatoes will continue to ripen off the vine and on your kitchen counter. Plus, tomatoes picked at the breaking stage can still have the same flavor as one that has fully ripened on the vine.
Whatever you do, just don’t put tomatoes in the fridge to ripen.
Listen to Cathy Isom’s This Land of Ours program here.