Tomatoes

Lentil Stuffed Tomatoes
lentil stuffed tomatoes with sweet potato fries
tomato eggplant stacks with crispy noodles
Olive Oil Poached Cherry Tomatoes Topped With Shaved Parmesan
Mozzarella And Tomato Sandwich
Skewers With Tomato Basil And Mozarella
Roma Tomatoes Stuffed With Pesto Tossed Bowtie Pasta and ricotta
Watermelon Tomato Ricotta And Shallots On Grilled Bread
Blueberries Favas Cherry Tomatoes And Shallots On Grilled Bread
stuffed toamtoes with home made crutons, bread sauted in olvie oil until crispy but not soggy, garlic

Growing

  • Commercial tomato growers in California are now planting four tomato seedlings in the same hole
  • since trial has shown that the stress caused by the four plants competing for the same amount of moisture, fertilizer and space causes them to bear more heavily.
  • We only start planting tomatoes on May 21.
  • a warm-season crop.
  • Sow seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average date of the last frost in spring.
  • Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in either cell packs or about 1 inch apart in flats.
  • Seeds will germinate in 5 to 7 days at a soil temperature of 70°F to 75°.
  • After seedlings emerge, keep the temperature no higher than 70°F.
  • Feed seedlings once a week with diluted fish emulsion.
  • When seedlings develop two to four true leaves, transplant them to individual 4-inch peat pots;
  • set seedlings slightly deeper than they were before.
  • Transplant seedlings to the garden when the danger of frost has passed and daytime temperatures are consistently warmer than 60°F.
  • Set transplants at least 2 inches deeper in the soil than they were in the pots.
  • Tomatoes require 49 to 95 days to reach maturity after transplanting to the garden depending on the variety.
  • The first thing to know when growing a tomato is whether you are growing a determinate or an indeterminate plant.
  • There are other categories, but these are the two to remember.
  • Determinate plants grow to a set height and stop, but indeterminates have a vining habit and can grow sky high – probably not the best choice for a Juliet balcony, but doable with the right-sized pot.
  • Contrary to popular belief, you do not need an in-ground garden to grow big guys such as ‘Brandywine,' ‘Cherokee Purple' and ‘Yellow Pear' – just a very big pot.
  • A 16-inch or larger garbage bin can support their big roots.
  • That said, the bushing habit of a determinate variety may be more your speed on the first time out.
  • ‘Black Seaman,' ‘Silver Fir Tree,' ‘Whippersnapper' and ‘Czech's Bush' are personal favourites.
  • Grow them in pots that are around 12 inches tall or, if space is tight, opt for diminutive plants with names like ‘Tiny Tim' and ‘Tumbling Tom,' which have been bred for life in hanging baskets and window boxes.
  • Whatever you do, never put more than one tomato plant in a pot.
  • Growing closely is fine in the ground, but tomatoes are notoriously hungry plants that need a lot of water and nutrition.
  • Pots simply can't sustain that kind of pressure – you're better off with one happy plant than two pathetic ones.
  • However, you may add easy-going leafy plants such as lettuce, basil or parsley to the mix.
  • Even flowers like marigolds or calendula will do – just stay away from peppers, cucumbers or any plant that makes fruit.
  • Whether they are in a pot or in the ground, give your tomatoes a lot of water, really soaking the soil every time.
  • Most problems can be prevented if you avoid wetting the leaves. I water my plants biweekly with a mixture of diluted milk (it's an anti-fungal) and sea kelp fertilizer added in for extra assurance.
  • As for nutrition, adding lots of compost to the soil is key. Your plants will appreciate extra nitrogen (fish emulsion and compost) to grow lush leaves while they're still young.
  • A luxurious plant with no fruit is a sure sign of too much nitrogen, so cut back around July to give yours a chance to switch gears and grow lots of mouth-watering fruit.

Roma Tomatoes

  • less plup and less water
  • perfect for sauce
  • more meaty

canning

Ingredients Proportions
tomato sauce
tomatoes - roma 6
lemon juice 6
salt 6

Instructions

  1. Wash, core and quarter the quantity of tomatoes you would like to preserve.
  2. Purée in hand-cranked strainer.
  3. Heat purée to boiling.
  4. Boil for five minutes.
  5. While the purée is heating, preheat the water in the boiling water bath.
  6. Sanitize jars, lids and screw bands in water according to the manufacturer's directions.
  7. Pour the hot purée into the heated jars, leaving ½-inch head space.
  8. Add citric acid (¼ teaspoon a pint; ½ teaspoon a quart) or lemon juice (one tablespoon a pint; two tablespoons a quart).
  9. Add salt
  10. Load canner and process: pints for 35 minutes, quarts for 40 minutes.
  11. August and September are great for serving tomato-based dishes,
  12. but the rest of the year they’re not in season and so don’t appear on the menu.
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