grow a tomato

I’ve been very successful at growing them in Georgia and California, but getting them to fruit here in the High Desert of Nevada has been a challenge. The combination of high day time temps (100F +) and low night time temps (65F) and a day/night temp swing of 25-30*F makes it tough to get them to set fruit. They grow like crazy and flower like crazy, but seem to set fruit either before or after June/July, but not during. The ones that set after the brunt of summer heat are in danger of not ripening before the first frost. It’s a challenge, but we did get to eat a bunch of Yellow Pear cherry tomatoes in 2007. 2007 was only my second year gardening in the desert, so hopefully I have learned some things and will do better for 2008.

I was starting to think this vine was sterile, but to my suprise, little cherry tomatoes started appearing last week! Yes, I know we’re supposed to be in the middle of winter, but I guess it shouldn’t surprise me that even my plants are strange like that.

I can’t wait to have a real garden where I can plant veggies :)

The best thing about growing a tomato is that you’re bound to grow more than one. I planted a tomato vine in a pot last year. Our summer was cool & I waited patiently. At the end of the season, I had picked three all ripe & summery tasting. To my surprise, the plant suddenly started blooming. When I went to pick the last one off the vine before a frost, I had to to back to the house to get a basket to carry my harvest of 22 green tomatoes!

Good luck