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And other tips from John Vining

 

This just in – the news that is stunning the gardening world!

Faithful Tryon Daily Bulletin readers will recall in my last article I mentioned the First Tomato, the Inaugural Tomato, the Grandmother Tomato in my balcony garden. You know, the one that had hung there, green and unchanged for a month.

Well folks, good news. Against all odds, within the last week, it has actually grown a little and ripened. No gardening expert I’ve consulted has an explanation.

I have a theory, though. I think it got embarrassed and said to itself, “Well, puny human, I’ll show you!” Regardless, for whatever reason, it became a real tomato.

I was wary of donating it, given its odd behavior. I didn’t want some unsuspecting person cutting it open and having something like a heard of tiny dinosaurs pouring out. So, I decided to keep it. I cut it open and no ancient wildlife poured out. It was just, well, a tomato. And it was delicious. I now feel confident that the others coming along will be safe for human consumption. This means there’s hope for me yet.

As for the 17 squash plants, apparently they were exhausted after producing four squash. They have since retired to become a beautiful field of squash blossoms that are actually a joy to look at.

Our friend and gardening guru, John Vining, says we need to start planting fall vegetables about mid-August. And that’s here. The ones he suggests are:

Beets, Kale, Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Cabbage, Leaf Lettuce, Cauliflower, Mustard, Chinese Cabbage, Radishes, Collards and Spinach.

Thermal Belt Outreach is in dire need and has sent out a call for help. So let’s keep up the good fight, support the cause and grow as much as we can. Let’s not let those wonderful county farmers outdo us.

 

Submitted by Julia Calhoun