It’s easy to be seduced by plump, vine-ripened tomatoes, which is why they are a popularly home-harvested fruit. Home growing is the easiest way to glean the most delicious tomatoes nature can produce, and the process is easy with some basic know-how. In Southeastern North Carolina, starting early is the most important thing to remember, says Charlotte Glen, horticulture instructor at Pender County North Carolina State Cooperative Extension. Glen has been educating the public for years about growing tomatoes in the Cape Fear region. The hot climate makes it possible to plant tomatoes outside in containers or in the ground as early as the end of March, Glen says. Plant them by the end of April so they can start making fruit before it gets too hot. After summertime temperatures consistently reach the 90s, tomato plants are easily stressed and may not produce new blossoms. Tomatoes already on the vine may wither. An early start is doubly important when growing from seed. Tomato seeds need to be ready for transplanting outdoors approximately six weeks after the last frost. Ryan Olsen, store manager of Progressive Gardens in Wilmington, says seeds should be sown in a special germinating or seed-starting mix, a blend of lightweight growing mediums. Potting soil may alternately be used, but it is often too rich in fertilizers for the delicate seeds. “It would be like giving a baby a steak,” he says. Recycled egg cartons make great containers for starting, with enough room for one tomato seed per cell. Once the seeds are planted, spritz with water, then cover them with plastic wrap or a humidity dome to help retain moisture. “Humidity and temperature are the factors that regulate the seed sprouting,” Olsen says. Place the seed trays in a warm spot, about 70 degrees. Once the first sprout nubs are noticed, within about four to ten days depending on the tomato variety, the plants should be uncovered and moved into direct indoor sunlight. “Starting from seed can be difficult,” Glen explains. “You need lots of direct light, and most homes DIY Tomatoes By D.J. BERNARD AND WILLIAM McKENNA Photography by ALLISON POTTER beachbites 16 WBM march 2014
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