Fruits of My Labor
Since I moved back to Southeast Missouri, I decided to really embrace a farm-to-table gardening lifestyle. I started a practice garden last year—and success! Because I had luck with several herbs, peppers and some tomatoes, this year, I branched out to grow more variety.
There's a lot that I’ve learned about gardening throughout the process, including growing an organic garden takes a lot of work. I'm not relying on harsh pesticides to keep my plants healthy and pest free, and I’ve had to deal with plants having yellowing and dying leaves, slow fruit production and some destructive pests. I also haven’t figured out the best place for my garden, so I'm using raised beds on my back porch and deck.
When my tomato plants all of a sudden had a quick growth spurt, I waited and waited for those little yellow flowers to appear. I decided to do a little science experiment and check the pH, nitrogen and phosphorus levels to see what was going on. I quickly discovered that the soil was too acidic, which explains why my plants weren't happy. To fix this problem, I added more dehydrated lime, and I finally began to see greener leaves and those sweet flowers that promised a bountiful crop!
When I saw that those flowers weren't showing any signs of being pollinated, I read many articles and came up with a simple solution that involved a small paint brush. In the mornings, I would go out and tickle each flower like a bee would do. Within the week, I started seeing fruit appear. I was so happy, because my family was enjoying some of the most tantalizing flavors that we ever tasted.
Now that late summer is here, I thought my garden was clear from any other major issues. Then, I saw this fascinating leaf on a plant. I got closer and discovered this very succulent "leaf" MOVED! It was a hornworm. I had seen a few sphynx moths around the garden a few weeks before. All I can do about this pest is pick it off and kill it and look for more. If I had chickens they would be in heaven with this kind of treat. Even though I had used dehydrated lime to alkaline the soil and protect from pests, I'll have to make another dusting on the leaves to deter any future pests.
My pride and joy this year is have definitely been the Purple Cherokee tomatoes. I was pleasantly surprised by the amazing rich flavors! The first bite of each tomato makes me believe that we've been cheated all these years by store bought produce with little taste. I gave Curtis a slice of this delicious heirloom fruit and he couldn't believe it. He had never tasted anything so pure and flavorful. It's become the forefront of every delish dish on my summer dinner table. I especially love a particular tomato salad recipe I saw on a popular food network. I love this salad so much, I'll be sharing it with you later this week.
Now that my mouth is watering after describing my tomatoes, I think I'll be making that Triple Tomato Salad for dinner tonight. Hope y'all have a chance to try it and see why it's such a big hit with my family. Enjoy your late summer and eat well, my friends!
Ciao, Amy