How Tomatoes from a regular super market taste? Do they have taste at all? Well they look at least perfect. But most of them never got in touch with real earth.
In spring on a sunny Sunday we went for a walk to the park of “Blühendes Barock” to enjoy the first warm days. At this day there was also an gardening fair. We started to have a look on all the nice and sometime useless things they offer for your garden. Finally we stopped at the tomatoes and started dreaming about how wonderful it would be to grow your own tomatoes. Real juici tomatoes full of taste. Unfortunately we don’t have a garden. But we have a balcony. So we decided to give it a try. I remember that we should have somewhere in basement some flower pots and flower earth. So we bought three small seedlings.
Once arrived at home, In went downstairs to the basement , to find the earth and the pots. The earth I found. But nowhere this pots I had in my mind. They went to garbage when tidying up last time. What to do? It was Sunday and no DIY store was opened. So what to use instead? Ah. Maybe this old wooden vine box? Ok let’s try it. To protect the wood from humidity I put a big plastic bag inside and fixed it with duct tape. I love duct tape! You can use it nearly for every thing. Now the earth. Mmh. Next problem. It was not enough. What to do? Somewhere I read that tomatoes like sandy ground. Ok. So let’s go downstairs to the playground. ;-)
Finally we did it. My doughter was very proud to water the tomatoes the first time and I was happy to show her that tomatoes don’t grow in super market.
I didn’t expect that our project would be very successful, as the environment on the balcony (very hot during the day) is not optimal for tomatoes. But they grow and grow. So we needed to fix them. It turned out that the vine box was really handy as we could just mount some wooden bars in order to fix the tomatoes by stings.
Beside daily watering the tomatoes got from time to time a little bit Guano.
Finally we had each day a few tomatoes to which we really enjoyed.
As this project was so successful and great fun for my daughter we will repeat it next year an upscale it a little bit. This year we grow only so called cherry or cocktail tomatoes. Next year we will try it with the big and even more tasty ones like “Coeur du Beuf”.
That is very cool sdlenk!
I'm in the same boat as you. No space, so I just grow the plants in my balcony. So satisfying and therapeutic. I'm working on some venus flytraps now to fight against the bugs!
May your tomatoes be juicy and delicious :)
Glad it turned out well for you and your daughter. I had started a cherry tomato but some pests got to it. I may try your set-up next time. Thanks for sharing!
Did you had a lot of rain on your tomatoes? This can be the problem if they get brown leafs. Hope you will try it again next year.
Yeah that may have been it or maybe they got overwatered. They were going strong and then poof. No more 🍅. :(
A lovely post, thank you for sharing your experience gardening and growing your own tomatoes, I hope one day when I have some garden space I can also do some of this too!
You really don't need a garden my friend, a front window with some sun will do just fine, or a lamp that you can put a CFL bulb in and leave it on for at least 7 hours a day. You should give it a try. You too can have tomatoes growing to enjoy.
It's good to see you here. :)
Yes, as @gardengirlcanada says, a garden is not necessary. Only a small place on a sunny balcony or in front of a window. For the beginning I recommend to start with something simple like spices (basil, parsley, chives,...)
Great job As you have learned tomatoes like lots of sun and hotness. They grow well here in Hawaii although I dont like to eat them LOL ;-)
Good results for an urban garden. Good job.
Little gardening is fun. I grew lettuces and Korean chili peppers. I think little gardening will be my hobby oneday. :) Enjoyed. @sdlenk
Growing my own tomatoes is one of the things I look most forward to every year, thank you for a wonderful post.
It is a blessing to be able to reap and eat what we have cultivated.
Even in a small space you can grow great & tasty vegetables, nice job! Enjoy....
meep
Congratulations @sdlenk! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOPCongratulations @sdlenk! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :
Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here
If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word
STOP