Saturday, June 28, 2008

The Killer Tomatoes

My great state was put on the list of states that have been affected by the recent salmonella outbreak. We weren’t just put on the list once...but twice. They had Florida on the list, then took us off the list only to turn around a day later and put us right back on the list. I did not worry about this outbreak for my family though. Because the tomatoes that we use are vine ripes. They weren’t on the list of potentially damning fruits. This did make me think about my choices for fruits and veggies. And it also made me look into some options for being able to avoid worries like Salmonella in the future.

The most simple solution would be to grow your own. Now, I know that many of you probably just rolled your eyes and groaned really loud. Didn’t you? I am here to tell you that it’s not that hard. Several veggies and fruits can be grown in pots right on your patio or in a back corner of your yard. No matter where you live. All you need are some deep containers and really good organic soil. Both can be purchased from your local home improvement store. Most of those home improvement stores even have decent plant starts for you to pick up as well. Even if you have never gardened before in your life...you can do it successfully. Here are some hints:

• Patio tomatoes are great starter idea for a new gardener. Especially if you are using pots. The plants stay smaller and produce tons of fruit.
• If possible, use organic vegetable soil mixes. Many of these already have fertilizer in them that will keep you from burning up your plants. It costs a little more but worth it if you really have no clue what you are doing.
• The great thing with a container garden is that you can move things around. If your plants aren’t getting enough sun in one location, you can simply slide them over to another.
• Container gardens can be transported from one house to another and brought inside during bad weather or a change of season. They can also be started indoors during the colder months to give you a jump start on the growing season.
• It’s much less expensive to get a container garden started. You start out small and figure out what works for you. Maybe you are like me and can’t grow a pepper to save your life. I didn’t lose 10 feet of my yard to figure this out, only 2 pots.
• It’s a great way to try new things too. You may have an urge to try eggplant but just can’t fathom buying one. Try growing your own instead.
• Fresh veggies and fruits just taste better. When you actually grow them yourself, they taste even BETTER.
• If you do have yard space, try planting your veggies and other growing edibles within your landscape. Most plants will blend in very well and you will have things growing without having to “give up” any yard. (More on this idea in another post)

There you have it. Grab your garden gloves and hit the dirt. Not only will it burn calories and relax your mind, you will be able to avoid the worry of the killer tomatoes. Happy Gardening.