LET'S TALK TOMATOES

The tiny spindly tomato starts under lights in the guest room have achieved true leaves. That is the indicator to move them to larger pots.

I’ll bury their little fragile stems right up to the new leaves. Roots will develop along the stem. Keep in mind that tomatoes are surface feeders, meaning they will ultimately prefer to be planted in a somewhat shallow container. Mine, in the greenhouse, are only eight inches deep by three feet.

I’m hoping that this will be the first and last transplant before they go to their forever home in the greenhouse. If the weather settles by April 1 and we can turn on the heat, they will be moved out there. If not, there are even larger pots at the ready to once again bury their stems up to the leaves and give them more room to develop roots.

Once they go into the greenhouse I’ll lay them on their sides, leaving just a top knot of leaves, covering the stem with the compost that the bins are filled with. This method develops remarkably strong stems on the mature plants.

But, if you have used your common sense, you will buy your starts at one of our excellent nurseries and you will be eating tomatoes before me. Keep that in mind.

Every year I try a new variety of tomato. I have the stalwarts: Brandywine, Black Japanese Trefele, and Sakura. This year the new one will be Lizzano, and lucky you ~ starts are already available at the Wagon Wheel. I suggest you grab one or two and keep them happy in a window. They are a determinate (won’t grow so very tall and beg for attention when you have other things to do) and my source claims they are by far the tastiest tomato ever.

Sakura was a new variety for me about three years ago, also recommended by a fellow gardener. It has since replaced SunGold which I thought was irreplaceable.

Which goes to show ~ our place in the sun can be limited.

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Rosemary Fitzpatrick, the Kachemak Gardener

Having arrived in Alaska May, 1972 I have had much to contend with on the gardening front. The impetus to start gardening can be traced directly to empty grocery store shelves in 1973 due to a Teamsters strike. That was a wake up call. The first garden was on a gravel pad in Eagle River, the second in Wasilla. That one was rounded out with two goats, a flock of chickens and our two children. The third in Homer, where we settled in 1978, is the spot where much was learned. Starting in 1990 I have written the Kachemak Gardener in an attempt to encourage new gardeners and those of you who have tried and failed. Stick with me, let’s get you gardening.

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