Tomatoes are one of my favourite crops, but this year after a miserable cold spring and non-existent summer, I almost gave up on growing them. Fortunately, we enjoyed a long, warm fall and even plagued by mildew, those twenty plants kept producing. Fruits are still ripening on my windowsill; my son calls it the police line-up of tomatoes! At planting, I mulched heavily with semi-composted leaves, leaving a one inch gap around the stem. I know the benefit of mulching (weed suppression, temperature regulation, added nutrition etc) but I was amazed when I pulled the plants in the fall to see a much more extensive root system, almost triple from the year before! Perhaps this was why they kept going even with the mildew and adverse growing conditions.
I recommend these varieties: Sungold (always a winner), Legend, Sasha's Pride, Golden Pineapple, Green Pineapple, and Black Krim.
Author: Suzanne Rheaume, MG, Vancouver Chapter
