Tomatoes
- Tomatoes prefer soil that is just below neutral in acidity (pH 6.0 to 7.0).
- Make sure the soil is warm because tomatoes dislike getting cold feet.
- Choose a cloudy day or late afternoon to plant your tomatoes because the seedlings are a little delicate and will wilt in too much sun from transplanting shock.
- When planting seedlings, remove the bottom leaves halfway up the main stem to help develop a larger root system.
- Tomato plants should be put in the ground at a 45° angle and the hole filled with soil. Water them right away.
- If you had a lawn in this area last year, put a toilet paper roll collar around each tomato plant to stop cutworms from damaging the stems.
- For larger tomato varieties like 'Burpee Big Boy', you will need a good support system because regular tomato cages will be too small for them.
- Your tomatoes will ripen from late summer through autumn. In September, listen to the weather reports for frost warnings.
- Once frost hits the plants, they will turn black and you can pull them up and compost them.
- You can harvest the ripe, red tomatoes and even the green tomatoes to make Green Ketchup or mincemeat.
Fascinating Facts!
- Tomatoes are actually a fruit, not a vegetable! They belong to the same family as peppers, eggplants, and potatoes.
- The world's largest tomato plant was grown in Ontario, Canada, and it reached a height of 65 feet (19.8 meters) tall!
- The tomato is native to South America and was first domesticated by the Aztecs in Mexico over 2,000 years ago.
- Tomatoes were once believed to be poisonous and were only used for decoration. It wasn't until the 18th century that people started eating them.
- The heaviest tomato ever grown weighed over 7 pounds (3.18 kilograms)!
- The tomato is the state fruit (yes, fruit!) of New Jersey, USA.
- The world's largest tomato fight takes place in Buņol, Spain, where over 150,000 tomatoes are thrown during the annual "La Tomatina" festival.
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