Tag Archives


YouTube: How to Find Tomato Hornworms

Posted on June 14, 2016 by Christy

You know it’s summer when you see holes in your tomatoes. Tomato hornworms can ruin a perfectly good tomato plant (and experience). We’re here to show you how to find them amid the chaos of tomato foliage. There’s a trick. … Continue reading →

Posted in Blog, What's Growin' On | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Fried Green Tomatoes – in Winter?

Posted on February 22, 2012 by Christy

Yes, Dorothy, there still are tomatoes in February – if you live in Los Angeles. It’s one of the many oddities of living in a warm winter climate. Up until last week, we were
picking tomatoes from a volunteer tomato that had entwined itself through a giant Cecil Brunner rose, but with recent pruning, it all came to a delicious end.

The vine had …
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Posted in What's Growin' On | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Saving Tomato Seeds – Not So Terrifying

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Christy

It’s January, and one might assume that tomato seed-saving should have happened in …oh…September, but when one puts a couple of tomatoes in
a Snaplock container in the refrigerator, way in the back, and is afraid to attempt to save the seeds for the first time, January is a good time to get over the fear. Thus we begin our
adventure in saving tomato seeds.

It presents itself as a task …
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Posted in What's Growin' On | Tagged , | 6 Comments

Tomato Tasting Party – Everybody Wins!

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Christy

We have a tradition with a longtime friend in which we gather together, bringing our best tomatoes each season, to share in the bounty of the summer harvest. We slice them with care and taste each
variety to determine our favorites. There is olive oil and salt, a little basil, and very good bread on hand. Each time we’ve done a tasting we have come away with a new favorite. This year was no
exception.

We gathered in the garden with our contributions and began with show and tell. My husband and …
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Posted in What's Growin' On | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Growing Tomatoes in Florida

Posted on March 26, 2008 by Christy

A Florida gardenerd wrote in recently:

“I live in Orlando, Florida and I know that every place has its season to grow vegetables. I am interested in growing tomatoes and green peppers to start. Don’t know anything about it, and want
to know how to grow them organically. Thank you for your help.”

You’re smack in the middle of the ever changing Zone 9 over there in Orlando.  According to several sources, that area has been shifting between zone 10, 9a, and 9b for the last 50
years.   Sandy soil, tropical heat and sudden frosts, right?

I did some research and …
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Posted in Sage Advice | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Upside-Down Tomatoes

Posted on March 19, 2008 by Christy

Recently some students in the Gardenerd Organic Gardening Series asked about growing tomatoes upside-down.  I can happily say that I’ve done that without any special equipment –
and it works! 

One year, on the patio of our apartment, my husband and I decided to take a regular hanging planter and plant a tomato in it.  Instead of staking it up, we let the vines hang
down.  It flowered, it set fruit, the fruit ripened and we ate well.  There are a couple of caveats, however, to be aware of when using a regular hanging planter:

1) The branches do bend or crease at the …
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Posted in Sage Advice | Tagged , , | 1 Comment