In the Garden with Pat Rubin

Bee garden writer Pat Rubin writes about everything that grows, from flowers and trees to vegetables and lawns. Pat volunteered for several years as a Placer County Master Gardener and has written about gardening for many national and regional publications. In addition to gardening, she spends time raising and showing miniature horses and miniature donkeys.

In the Garden will include news, events, advice and other gardening tidbits. Pat will also answer reader questions.

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« Ripe tomatoes already! | In the Garden front page | Colfax reader gardens along with us »

June 13, 2007

Better Boy tomatoes ripe, too

Reader Ted Allebes is harvesting Better Boy tomatoes.

His secret? He takes a risk and starts early. “As soon as I see tomato plants at the nursery I buy them and stick them in the ground. Some years it works, and I have early tomatoes. Some years it’s cold and the plants just sit there and do nothing. Some years I have to buy more and do it again.”

This year the weather cooperated, Allebes said. He also added Epsom salts to the soil, and lots of horse manure. Last, he used a spray product called Tomato and Blossom Set. It contains a hormone that is supposed to help tomato blossoms set fruit even when the weather unfavorable.

Ted and his wife Emma also grow five kinds of berries, melons, squash and chard. He and a friend have a contest each year to see who gets the first ripe tomatoes. Allebes’ friend’s tomatoes are just an inch across and still green.

When we spoke, Allebes told me he had about a half dozen tomatoes in front of him and he was about to go inside and eat them with lunch. I’m sure those tomatoes are gone by now.

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