Wonder 'Maters

My garden plot just produced its second harvest—chard. Everything else was set back by fickle Colorado weather. Today's survey revealed multiple wee green globes that will be tomatoes by Labor Day.

This is a NC friend’s barrel-grown tomato as of June 2nd! It grants container gardening new respect.  

His “recipe” (from the Winston Salem Journal) was 1/4 composted manure, 1/4 composted mushroom compost, and 1/2 potting soil. If I ever get a sunny enough spot, I’m going to try this. 

Look at the size of it!  And it’s only one plant. It was covered with fruit and blossoms. He updated me that he hoped to have some ready this week. He’ll have wonder ‘maters into October. 

He chose their retirement townhome wisely, good exposures to sun, and outside spaces that let him have raised beds and pots. No tellin’ what else he’s eating already. 

David, you’re an inspiration to us who have down sized. Small space does not mean small produce.  

Sprigs: Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Except for the German Johnsons, it's been a great year for tomatoes. My freezer has beaucoup bags of them to add to recipes this winter, and one-cup containers full of salsa.

Now the second wave is coming ripe and just in time a friend shared this recipe from a Raleigh newspaper. I've made 3 batches and they are soooo
tasty! 

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

1. Cut the tomatoes in quarters. (I did about 8 cups at a time.)

2. Sprinkle with 1 tsp kosher or sea salt, pepper, and herbs to taste.  I used fresh oregano, rosemary and basil--just whatever looks good.

3. Add approximately 1/4 olive oil, I used slightly less.



4. Stir, and using a slotted spoon to allow the juice to run through. (Save it to replace water in rice, steamed vegetables, or soup.)  Place them skin side down on a parchment line cookie sheet. I used aluminum foil sprayed lightly with canola oil.




5. Cook 3-4 hours at 250. I think it depends on the type of tomato. Roma would be on the lower end, my early variety were juicy and I let them cook 4 hours.  



I poured off the extra juice half-way through the cooking time adding it to what I'd already set aside. 

6. Cool, place into freezer bags, being careful to get as much air out as possible, and freeze. 

I added the broth and fruit to soup. They were so much tastier than ordinary frozen (or canned) tomatoes.


I sampled by sopping up the liquid left on the baking pan with  a chunk of hearty whole wheat bread. Then I spread the roasted pulp on it. Delectable!

Sprigs: a $9.00 tomato

I feel a little like the witch in the gingerbread house. She fed her guests so they would be plump when she baked and ate them. 



I pamper my tomato plants to the same end. 
I planted seeds in nice little jiffy pots and put them under the plastic dome of a re-purposed vegetable tray to create a tiny greenhouse. Because I don't have a grow light, I put it on top of a gutted angel food cake pan. The heat from the furnace kept them warm and sped up germination. 





Bingo. It worked. Now I shuffle the pie plate from room to room to catch the sunshine. They're leggy; but I'll move them to bigger pots soon. 

link to Territorial seeds at left

Fast forward to transplanting outdoors. I bought special plastic to mulch and heat their growing spot. Ruby tubing will create temporary hot houses when I put them out in early May. 






Then, like Jack's beans (I'm mixing my fairy tales) they'll grow and grow.  
I hope I get a lot of 'maters, because I've invested nearly $35.00 in seeds and fancy red plastic. If I have another harvest like last year's, each tomato will be worth $9.00!