Treasure Coast Gardening – Tomato Time

My first tomatoes of the season are oh so slowly ripening, teasing me into anticipating that first fresh, juicy bite of Florida sunshine. I planted seeds last fall and nursed them through all the rain and cold snaps of December and January. While it is too late in the season to grow tomatoes from seed; there is still time to plant tomatoes and many other vegetables.

If there are already tomatoes in your garden you can take cuttings this time of year and root them in water. Once rooted, plant them and you will have home grown tomatoes until the weather gets too hot. I usually have tomatoes until the end of May or so. Some gardeners grow small Everglades cherry tomatoes all summer. Most other tomatoes won’t grow here during the hottest time of the year because the flowers cannot be pollinated to set fruit. High temperatures (above 75 at night) reduce the viability of the pollen.

I grow cherry tomatoes exclusively because they are the easiest to grow. This year I have two hybrids, Super Sweet 100 and Lost Marbles, and one heirloom variety, Yellow Pear. After years of trying different varieties these are my favorites and I grow them from seed as it is difficult to find plants.

My favorite way to grow tomatoes is in grow bags. These are 10 gallon grow bags. Place in a sunny location (6 hours minimum) Fill with potting soil, insert a tomato cage, then add 3 plants max, trim, train and fertilize weekly and water daily. Soon you will be popping fruit in your mouth and experiencing the sweet burst of flavor from a sun warmed tomato that only comes from homegrown.

I tried growing vegetables in the ground, but it did not work. After a few years of back breaking work amending soil, I started a big vegetable garden. Root knot nematodes infested everything and rabbits ate the rest. I got a few vegetables and a lot of frustration. The grow bags are great, they are cheap and if they get nematodes, just throw them away. If the bags are free of any type of pests (including fungal diseases) they can be washed and reused. The bags can be folded and stored for next winter after they are completely dry. They will not work in summer as the bags are porous and dry out too quickly.

I have had success with herbs, radishes, green beans, bell peppers, watermelons, and cut flowers with this method. Here is a list from IFAS Extension of vegetables to plant now.

Get Growing and Happy Gardening!!