Terrific Tomato Mania!

Hi folks,

Ahh, summertime is here, and my tomato plants are growin’ like gangbusters! So I spent a little time this past weekend tending ‘em to make sure they keep on keeping on.

First, I added a 2-inch layer of grass clippings as mulch around the plants. This’ll keep the weeds down and the soil moist, so I can get a longer growing season.

Next, I gave ‘em a midsummer snack by mixing ½ cup of fish emulsion; 2 tbsp. each of whiskey, Epsom salts, and instant tea granules; and 1 tbsp. of baby shampoo in a 20 gallon hose-end sprayer. Apply this tonic to your plants to the point of run-off to turn ‘em into lean, mean growing machines!

I picked a few of the biggest fruits, and boy-oh-boy, were they ever tasty! Just remember: tomatoes are at their lip-smackin’ best when they’re stored at room temperature, but they’ll only keep for a couple of days that way. So I stuff ‘em into the warmest part of my fridge, the butter compartment. This’ll keep ‘em in their prime, at least for a little while!

And here’s a tip for the end of the season: if your tomatoes won’t ripen and Jack Frost is coming, pack ‘em in a paper bag with an apple or a banana. They’ll be ripe and ready for eatin’ in no time at all!