Did you know peppers and tomatoes and eggplant are in the same Solanaceae (nightshade) family? increments; for example, a pole bean loves twining around a string, peas love some chicken wire and tomatoes An indeterminate tomato plant, for example, will keep growing. Tomato and pepper plants started slow but were very productive in the long run despite some tomato blight I hope in this recap of gardening fundamentals you will find a couple of helpful strategies to try next

Answer: Examples - Basil=pesto; Oregano=pizza; Lemon Balm=tea, salads) Pick a ripe tomato ( What type of tomato did you pick? Find a tomato plant and look for an unhealthy leaf ( What would make my tomato plant unhealthy and what

might be thinking about canning, freezing, sharing or drying some of your harvest but this month’s recipes This recipe was inspired by the Disney villain, Hades, the god of the Underworld, known for his ability shredded 4 red globe radishes, thinly sliced 1 cup fresh pea pods, cut into bit sized pieces 1 cup cherry tomatoes You can use any fruit juice for this recipe, but dark colored juices are the prettiest and most flavorful Saftkram Ingredients: This is the traditional recipe.

Toddlers can pick a strawberry or a cherry tomato with a little guidance, preschoolers can identify beans How about pairing carrots, cherry tomatoes, and mini peppers with a little ranch dressing for a quick For older kids ready to try out some recipes with their harvest.

Linda Stein, Dakota County Master Gardener Green tomato trellis As you are planning your garden, an important Tomatoes, pole beans, and melons are great examples. Cages are used with tomatoes, squash, melons, and other vegetables. However, tomatoes and other plants need to be tied. While this method is very successful with tomato plants, be sure to prune out the suckers as the plants

to a less exposed site. 2) Cut fertilizer rates to half strength until new leaf growth shows. 3) For tomatoes Tomatoes are native to alpine regions in Central and South America. The hottest days of Minnesota’s growing season can be hard on tomatoes. Try a shade cloth or bamboo screen to keep the tomatoes cooler during the hottest parts of the day. 4

Add fresh tomato for a burst of flavor. Soup. Substitute Swiss Chard for spinach in your favorite quiche recipe. Add garlic to taste (most recipes suggest 2-3 cloves, minced) Salt and pepper Red pepper flakes Juice of a ½ a lemon The University of Purdue Extension has a delicious recipe that uses another favorite Recipe adapted from the What’s Cooking?

Here are some winners from our region (Heartland) over the last six years: 2026 Tomato - BadaBing! Whaley Seed Company Tomato BadaBing 2025 Basil - Piedmont - Ocimum basilicum – Breeder: Garden Genetics : Takii Europe 2025 Pepper – Pick-N-Pop Yellow – Capsicum annuum – Breeder: Semini Home Garden 2023 Tomato – Zenzei F1 - Solanum lycopersicum - Breeder: Bayer/Serminis 2022 Tomato – Pink Delicious - Solanum

Many plants such as tomatoes are planted only after the soil is sufficiently warm. For tomatoes and other warm season transplanted plants, it is best to apply the mulch immediately to Red plastic used with tomatoes is said to improve crop harvest by 20% because it reflects growth-enhancing

Master Gardeners) CRACKING AN EGG UNDER YOUR TOMATO PLANT SUPPLIES NEEDED NUTRIENTS Maybe but not the best practice - Some people bury whole eggs or crushed eggshells in the soil when planting tomatoes beneficial microbes, will provide a much more consistent and reliable source of nutrients for your tomato manage-soil-nutrients/coffee-grounds-eggshells-epsom-salts Becky Peterson, “Cracking an egg under a tomato

Self-pollinating plants are great seed saver candidates (think tomatoes, peppers, beans, peas) for beginners Seeds from wet, fleshy plants (tomatoes, melons, etc.) are a little more involved than from a seedhead

Items Needed : Paper Towels (absorbent/thicker ones work the best) Seeds (for beginners try peppers, tomatoes It is recommended that the paper towels should be rolled if you are germinating tomato seeds.