By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Tomato problems can be vast, confusing, and a pain for many gardeners.

All gardeners experience the heart stopping moment when one discovers a problem with their prized tomato plants.

And we all have experienced the telltale signs of chewed leaves, stems and huge green caterpillars that seem to appear out of nowhere.

But solutions are insight if you follow a few time-tested preventative measures.

Cleanliness is the Key

Keeping the garden clean year round is a key to reducing problems. When the season is over, remove all the material and destroy the tomato plants or any plant in the nightshade family. Many plant diseases remain on Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Every year, I see numerous suppliers pop up all over selling plants, especially during Mother’s Day.

I wonder how many of these darlings will unknowingly be sold to prospective owners who do not know how to harden them off.

While everyone expects that the plants they buy from the home improvement or garden center have been acclimated to the outdoor environment, as my dad says, never assume.

The process of hardening off the plant material is simple. It requires some time and shade. To begin the process, place your newly purchased tomato plants under a shade tree for a day or two.

After this time period, begin to Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

My husband and I have always had a love hate relationship with gardening.

He is a professional chef and I have a degree in agriculture.

One may think that farming and cooking would go hand in hand but that is not always the case.

When we first got married, I started my tomato plants from seed and tenderly cared for my little seedling. They were my children. I counted down the days until I could plant them in the garden but…. When one lives with a city slicker just having a garden can be a challenge.

I followed my local areas Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Tomato seeds that were planted in January are in a dire need to be moved to a new location.

A good way to tell if they are ready to be transplanted is if there are two to three sets of true leaves on the tomato seedlings.

If the plants have the correct number of leaves, it is time to move on up.

While one may feel the best approach is to move up to a very large container, this is not the best choice. A larger container provides too much room for proper root development. The best approach is to upsize to a 4 or 6-inch container.

Before doing the move, a soil mixture will have to be made. This is made from 4 parts compost, 2 parts peat moss, and 1 part each of vermiculite and perlite. Mix this soil mixture in a large bucket and place a cover over it until ready to use.

Next thoroughly wash the containers that are going to be used. Place them in a solution of one gallon of water to one cap full of bleach. Rinse the containers completely in clean water and place outside to dry in the bright sunlight. Allowing the containers to dry Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Gardening can be an expensive endeavor especially for the beginning gardener.

Tools, plants, fertilizer, containers, stakes, and cages are just a few of the items on any gardener’s list of needs not wants.

One approach is to share tools and containers with other gardeners but another approach is to start your tomato garden indoors.

This means not producing hothouse tomatoes but instead growing your tomatoes from seed.

Starting tomatoes from seed is not a difficult task and requires very little extra equipment. Containers, such as cardboard milk cartoons, egg cartoons, and even pots made from newspaper will work to start seeds in if the gardener does not have flats. The next required piece of the puzzle is Read the rest of this entry »

By Mindy McIntosh-Shetter

Planting tomatoes in a planter on the patio does not appeal to all gardeners.

Some individuals require more style from their patio plantings.

This is where understanding companion plantings comes into play and aids the tomato gardener in their planter creations.

A patio container needs to have a drainage holes in the bottom to prevent the plant material from rotting. This is very important when it comes to tomatoes.

Next, knowing what type of tomato will work for this type of planting is crucial. Determinate or patio tomatoes are the best types to use for container gardening.

Both these types do not require trellising Read the rest of this entry »