Last year we grew 34 varieties, the year before we did 29, this year we are growing 22 varieties of tomatoes. I think we get slightly better at this every year, but we have yet to harvest any, so we will see. Every year we learn something new, try a different recipe on the soil and prep, and take note of the tomatoes that did well for us and those that didn't. One thing is always the same though... we are always so excited for our tomatoes!
After researching online, Ben decided to do this special little concoction for the tomatoes and the little ones were involved in all the preparation. This little recipe involved egg shells, aspirin (2 tablets), worm castings, fish bone meal, bone meal, and Gardner & Bloome Tomato Organic Fertilizer. Now, we planted these little babies over a month ago and they seem to be doing really well. We think this little recipe might have made the difference. Most of the tomato plants are growing so fast, we've already had to put the tall stakes in to start stringing them up. One of the things we love most about our summers are the tomatoes.
Of course, the teacher and homeschooling mama in me turned this into another sequencing lesson (love those!) and had True create her own sequencing chart as she was helping her Papi garden. Her charts are always so cute and informative. If you want to make your own special tomato rub, then just follow True's directions. You're guaranteed fantastic tomatoes... promise.
How sweet is this post! I've always wondered that the teacher in me will come out when i have kids some day. It looks like it will!
ReplyDeleteLove this post! I planted tomatoes last year, but the squirrels ate them... :-( I think that's awesome that the kids are part of the gardening process! A great lesson to learn where the food actually comes from!
ReplyDeleteI am terrible at growing tomatoes! I think I am either over- or under-watering them :\ sometimes they flower and then all the flowers die and fall off before any tomatoes grow!
ReplyDeletethis post is so cute to read!
ReplyDeleteand I have to eat a tomate now :D it's almost 24:00 in Germany!
I love love love this! The learning, loving and nurturing factors in the process of growing anything is such a beautiful thing to experience with the fam :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait until I have a yard (or at least some soil to call my own) to be able to grow and plant!! :)
Very inspired by your gardening efforts! I love that you get your kids so involved!
ReplyDeleteYou are both amazing parents! What a great thing to do together- the cakies family farm! LOVE it! Our kids each have their own garden box plus the big family garden and anything goes in their little ones. It's so fun and gratifying to grow food!
ReplyDeleteCheers!
~Deirdre
What is your favorite way of staking your tomatoes? Do you cage them? We haven't found our favorite yet and we seem to wait too long. Do you grow detriminate or indeterminate?
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