Taking the following steps over the growing season will keep your tomatoes less susceptible to rotting from disease or pests—and they’ll get larger and ripen faster.
As they grow, tie the plants’ stems to the stakes every 6 or 8 inches with garden twine.
Prune leaves from bottom stems near the soil to keep the plant light and airy; also be sure to weed and water regularly (about 2 inches per week, preferably in the morning). Adding rocks to the base will help retain moisture during hot temperatures and times of drought.
Avoid overfertilizing established plants, which will encourage foliage, not fruit. Every seven to ten days, spray the plant lightly all over with fish emulsion rather than applying it to the soil.
Garden
help the bees
With their populations dropping, it’s time to give these important pollinators a helping hand. Honeybees may live in hives, but mason bees don’t—and they rarely sting. Invite these solitary citizens to your garden by constructing a bee house out of inexpensive bamboo reeds, available at garden centers. Cut a long (½- to ¾-inch-diameter) piece into several 6-inch lengths using a sharp, fine-tooth pruning saw. Then tie them together with waxed twine, and place the bundle between tree branches for shelter.
Martha Must
I love using my own herbs to make pesto. Besides the classic basil, Parmesan, and pine nut or walnut version, you can omit the cheese and prepare pesto with parsley, almonds, and orange zest; mint, pistachios, and lemon zest; or cilantro, cashews, and red chiles. I freeze the pesto, topped with more oil, for up to three months.
