Here they are - my first tomatoes of 2009!I love being able to grow some of our food, ourselves. I know where it came from, I know it is absolutely fresh, and I know that I'm never going to have to worry about it being doused in harmful chemicals and pesticides. From my garden to my table. Period. And you can't beat the flavor of a tomato you've grown yourself, not to mention all the wonderful varieties available that you just won't find at the grocery store.
Speaking of pests, meet my little friend:
I've picked 5 of these tomato hornworms off my grape and cherry tomato plants, just this past weekend. They ate most of the cherry tomato plant, but were kind enough to leave me a few tomatoes. Pest control? Umm, well, I've picked them off the plants and stepped on 'em, but that strikes me as a tad inefficient. Besides, these guys are the masters of camouflage. I was lucky to find these.But I don't want to use chemical pesticides - they're notoriously bad for the environment and can take out the beneficial insects like bees and ladybugs, along with the aphids and hornworms. What's the word I'm looking for? Organic. I'm going to try the Safer brand Tomato & Vegetable Gardening Kit for my summer "Heatwave" tomatoes. It's an organic tomato growing kit, perfect for the home grower.
Their Stake It Easy system just snaps together and adjusts as your plants grow for great support, and in several different configurations to suit your needs. Looks great for other vining garden plants like cucumbers, too. But the best part is that the Safer® Brand Tomato & Vegetable Insect Killer is OMRI listed organic and targets just the pests targeting the veggies.
News stories have reported recently that more people than ever before are starting their own home vegetable gardens - even Michelle Obama has started an organic garden on the White House grounds. With food scares and food prices, is it any wonder?
Gardening has always been my pleasure, and the organic tomato growing kit from Safer just might let me keep more of the fruits of my labors!
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6 comments:
Oh I'm so jealous you have tomatoes! I can't even plant them yet, it's too cold. That hornworm is so CUTE; too bad he does so much damage. Good for you for pursuing the organic methods. I haven't used insecticides in 30 years. It's just so unnecessary.
Enjoy the tomatoes!
Oh wow..tomatoes already. Thanks for posting the photo of that little guy before you took him out..Great photo....
Very beautiful pictures for both means tomatoes as well as your cute friend hornworm. No doubt Its looking so cute but it does too much damage. Protect your planted tomatoes from your cute friend by using pesticides.
Thanks
Allvira
Seed treatments
Hi... tomatoes already? Its much too cold here in PA for any gardening just yet. Few more weeks (i hope!)
FYI, I have found that the best way to support tomatoes is with a simple/traditional stake. The Tomato Stake is the best one on the market, I've been using for 3 seasons now and love them!
We haven't even planted any yet and yours are almost ripe... yum..
You already have tomatoes! I haven't even planted them yet for the season. I have the spots for them in my garden, though.
Reminds me, I should stake my peas...
I wish my neighbors didn't use pesticides.
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