Spring in Washington D.C. means it’s Cherry blossom time in fact March 27th through April 11th is the National Cherry Blossom Festival. In 1912 the Mayor of Tokyo donated 3,000 Cherry trees to Washington D.C.  All sorts of events are planned around the blossom time including blossom tours and cruises, art shows, the Cherry Blossom Gala as well as special bike rides and of course the annual Flower Exhibition.
The last few years the crowds have been down because the rain has kept people away but this year the skies are expected to be sunny.
I think the cherry blossom is one of the most beautiful flowers there is but the dainty flowers only last a few days. So in honor of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, I thought I’d provide a show of some of my favorite varieties of genus Prunus.

I wish that I can’t provide you the variety names of each of the photos above as I just pulled them from the net but If you see any you know by name please post a comment so the other readers can learn them.

Thanks,
Rees

One of the most popular posts on greensideupblog is on how to rid your garden of pesky poison oak and poison ivy. Spring is the second best time of the year to attack this nuisance. Fall being the recommended time because the plants are focusing on storing up for the winter and will suck the round-up and other chemicals down deep into the roots. In early spring the plants are busy developing new leaves and shoots and killing actively growing poison oak and poison ivy is a bit more work but it can be done. Here is a link the earlier article. How to Kill Poison Oak and Poison Oak without going to the hospital

Make sure to read the comments from the readers about their experiences.

Good Luck and make sure you wear gloves

Rees

It’s vegetable planting season so watch for these upcoming articles

Planting Your Spring Vegetables

This one will discuss the pros and cons of beginning with seeds verses buying starts at the local garden center.

The Basics of Growing Heirloom Tomatoes

I’m seeing them everywhere now, from the farmers market to the supersized grocery store (yes I mean Walmart).  If you want to try your hand at growing heirlooms, watch for my premier on planting and growing heirlooms. I’ll tell you some tricks and some things to avoid too.

Biodynamic / French Intensive Gardening

If you haven’t heard of this before you will be soon. With the bad economy, many people have learned to rely on growing their own veggies and greens at home. By utilizing this method you can actually grow enough to earn money. One guy claims he made $10,000 in a small back yard. I’m actually a big proponent of the method and will explain why.

These are just a few articles to watch for. If you have questions or would like feedback on any other subject send me a note or post a question in the new forum.

Thanks,

Rees

Homegrown Aphrodisiacs

As requested by BJSUPERMIX, who posted a comment on my blog, I decided to look into and report back on some naturally occurring aphrodisiacs. Since this is a blog about gardening (usually) I focused my research on plant-based compounds and stayed away from the rhinoceros horns and the Zimbabwe Dung Beetle stuff.

Initially I put the “sex in the garden” post on the blog as a joke to see how many readers would have their interest piqued, and let me tell you, I have been surprised at the number of people who have clicked on the link. At first I had an article in that category about froggy lovin’ with some racy photos for all the frogs reading my blog, but when BJSUPERMIX wrote in, and I decided to look into natural aphrodisciacs (as a scientific endeavor of course). Here is what I found out.

Over the course of history many different herbs and plant parts have had, let me say, “exciting” results attributed to them. Actually, there are many reports detailing the stimulating properties of several common plants including some you may not expect.

How about the ornamental bedding plant Coleus? Yep, good old Coleus. The active photochemical in Coleus is forskohlii and numerous studies have proven several beneficial effects. I bet you’ll look at it differently next time you want to root some cuttings on your windowsill. Maybe some coleus tea?

And how about chocolate? Yep chocolate too. The cacao seed pod which is the base for chocolate, contains high amounts of theobromine and phenethylamine, which increase brain serotonin levels. I guess it causes the heart to beat faster, and those “thoughts” to enter your mind.

Here are some less common naturally occurring aphrodisiacs:

• Damiana:  Turnera diffusa, Turnera aphrodisiaca. A native of Mexico and the southern US and the leaves are commonly made into a tea
• Maca:  Lepidium meyenii, Peruvian ginseng. The Incans first used this one, again normally made into a tea.
• Yohimbe:  Pausinystalia yohimbe. This is an evergreen tree that grows naturally in several areas of western Africa. The aphrodisiacs are made of an extract of the bark. All sorts of positive benefits are attributed to Yohimbe. It is said to be useful in weight loss, treating depression, as well as revving up those love motors. There are also lots of warnings about Yohimbe so use with caution. Overdoses can be toxic.
• Ginseng-Panax: I think Ginseng is attributed with helping with just about everthing from diabetes to immune problems to erectile disfunction.
• Horny Goat Weed: (with a name like that it just has to work, right?) This is a green leafy plant from China and the Mediterranean. It will grow in the temperate climates of the US.

Regardless of how you feel about the idea of aphrodisiacs, there is no doubt that these natural herbs do have a physical effect on those who take them. Considering that many drugs used today to cure diseases and alleviate pains come from plants, it’s not surprising that some of them could be used as mood enhancers.

So my advice: enjoy the herbs, but save some of your energy for working in your vegetable garden.

Rees

My Tips for Pruning Roses

It’s that time of year again in the rose world when gardeners are cleaning their tools off, sharpening their shears, and waiting for a break in the weather so they can get out and begin a much anticipated annual ritual. I say much anticipated because as one who understands the process and the correct techniques of rose pruning, I look forward to it each year.  But I know that for new gardeners, the act of pruning roses can seem daunting and even downright is scary for some.  Don’t worry though – if  you learn a few simple methods that I am going to teach you, you will have no need to be fearful.

There’s not enough room on this blog to teach you all of the details and the subtle nuances that are necessary to become an expert, but I think I can pass on enough of the basics to get you started on the right path. You can always get detailed instructions in my new eBook on pruning roses (see link below) if you want the complete picture.

As you may be aware, roses come in a few basic types, and each one is handled differently.  I’ll focus on the Hybrid Tea type roses for now.  Climbers and Knockouts are covered in my eBook on the subject.  Hybrid Teas as a group produce the large, colorful roses you would find at a florist or in a rose competition.

When to Prune

One question I am frequently asked is, “When should I start my pruning?” Here’s what I suggest – if you are in a more moderate location like California or Texas, late January or February is the best time to prune. If you are in a colder climate, you should probably hold off until March.  Don’t just look at the calendar though – you should schedule your pruning to fit into the following window: once the chance of a freeze has passed but before the buds on the rose canes begin to swell.

Here is what you should focus on when carrying out your annual pruning of Hybrid Teas:

• Maintain a constant supply of young growth
• Create the situation for best individual bud development
• Develop longer flower stems for cutting
• Aim for an evenly shaped shrub
• Develop an open center for light and air circulation
• Shape to keep head in balance with trunk

You can start getting ready during the winter months by gathering and preparing your tools. I suggest that you invest in good quality rose pruning tools and take good care of them.  Like my father always said – only a rich man can afford cheap tools.  The following is a basic list of tools that will get you by:

• Loppers (no anvil types)
• Bypass hand clippers (my favorite are Felcos)
• Holster (optional)
• Folding pruning saw
• *Gloves (good quality rose gloves)

*Specialized rose pruning gloves will save your forearms and are well worth the investment.

A good garden center can get you pointed to the correct tools. Don’t let them talk you out of the bypass-style hand clippers.

When the time is right (within the window mentioned above), gather your tools and have some time set aside where you won’t be rushed.  It’s time to begin…No Wait!…There is one other thing I always do and suggest you consider doing it too.

You see, roses have these things called THORNS and those thorns have been lying in wait all Winter long for Spring to come and some unwitting human (you) to come within reach. I don’t believe that roses are truly mean, but they do like to remind you that they are “allowing” you to prune them.  They do this by jabbing their pointed daggers deep beneath your skin when your attention is elsewhere, so I suggest you say a brief prayer to the rose gods before you start pruning. You can certainly make up your own plea, but if you can’t come up with one you can use mine.

“My dearest most beautiful rose. Please be nice to me today. I only want to help you become more beautiful and healthy so that you can live a long live and so that people and animals will be amazed at your wondrous beauty.  I will be gentle with you if you will be so with me.”

Now we’re ready to begin.

Step 1

Remove any dead or diseased wood first.  Cut it off, and toss it away. I suggest that if you have a large amount of diseased plant material that you dip the blades of your tools in a mix of water and bleach to prevent the transfer of disease once you have removed all the junk.  Use about a teaspoon of bleach to a gallon of water.

Step 2

Create a clear view of the plant structure (the skeleton). I do this by cutting off everything above two feet. It’s important that you have a clear view of the plant for the next step because you are going to be selecting the proper canes to keep.

Step 3

I approach pruning my roses as a sculptor approaches a block of marble.  This makes the process very simple.  I picture what I want the end result to be and just remove everything else.  See? Simple right?  My ideal shape for the end result is three or five canes that are shaped like a cone and evenly spaced (as close as possible) and are no more than 18″ long.  The canes should be last year’s growth and should be green and supple and not dark and woody. Once you have selected the canes you are going to keep, just cut out everything else. Once you’re done with this step, it’s time to move onto cutting the canes to the correct length.

Step 4

Bud selection. One of the goals noted above was to create the conditions for an open shrub, so that there is good air circulation. Roses are well known for the number of diseases and fungus they can develop, and one way to combat mildew and others pains in the you-know-what is to let air penetrate into the center of the plant. Keep that in mind when you are selecting how short to cut each cane. You should look for a bud on each cane that is facing outward not toward the side or the center of the cone. You may need to go down the cane a few inches to find one, but even if you have to cut the canes at staggered heights it’s okay. The canes should end up between 12″ and 16″ (18″ tops) long.

There are  rules about how to make that cut in relation to the bud, but just try to cut around 1/2 inch above the bud. Not too close and never further away than 1″ at a maximum.

Step 5

Have the kids, your spouse or friend help with the cleanup.  One suggestion I have to help alleviate the pain of grabbing a thorn is to use your loppers to chop the debris into smaller pieces before loading into the trash; and never grab a pile of rose cuttings without your gloves. Those buggers always seem to find a chink in the armor.

Step 6

Now it is time to get a beer, a glass of wine, or an iced tea and admire your handiwork. Once I have stepped away from the plants for a while I usually can see a few things I missed that need to be touched-up.  Feel free to putter around your roses a bit more with drink in hand.

Step 7

Once I am all finished I like to distribute a good quality rose fertilizer around the base of the plant (or per the instructions) and soak them with the hose. They’ll appreciate you more if you give them a drink after all they have been through.

I hope that this helps reduce some of the hesitancy you may have been feeling as a new rose enthusiast. If you follow these instructions you will be well on your way to having beautiful flowers adorning your garden and your table.

If you need further guidance or just want to learn more about the tricks and secrets of pruning for beautiful roses you can find more help in my most recent gardening eBook in the Rainforth Gardening Series “How to Prune Roses” send me a comment and I will tell you how to order the e-book.

Happy Pruning,

Rees

Christmas and Birthday Gifts for Gardeners

It’s that time of year again so I thought I’d make a few suggestions for Christmas gifts that gardeners might enjoy receiving. These would also make great birthday gifts, mother’s day or father’s day gifts, open house gifts, thank you gifts…

I know that for some of you to the North, with the winter upon you, gardening is that last thing on your mind, but why not give the gardeners in your circle of friends and family something to look forward to when spring comes?

I’ll keep my suggestions focused on basic tools that most gardeners will use frequently and items that they would not necessarily buy for themselves.

Hose

A good quality hose is a must. Get one at least 50 ft long with a diameter of ¾” It should say “kink resistant” and preferably be 8 ply. Don’t waste your money on a hose reel, as they are generally a pain. Opt instead for one of those pots where you curl the hose up inside.

Trigger nozzle

Your gardener friend will love you every time they use a new trigger nozzle. Get one with a dial so that they can change spray options. There are some with a quick disconnect system that I just think are great.

Gloves

Gloves are a bit trickier to buy. First of all, they have to fit the recipient’s hands.  Luckily there are only three or four sizes typically available. I prefer one pair for heavy work, leather gloves with wide wrist bands that run several inches up the arm, and one pair for light duty. One thing I do suggest is that if possible, buy a pair that is brightly colored so that they are easy to see where you have laid them down. I can’t count how many gloves I’ve had to replace over the years because I set a pair down somewhere and had them camouflage themselves into the landscape or garage chaos.

Shovel

Everyone needs at least one good quality, round point, all purpose shovel. My suggestion is to get one with a long fiberglass handle (not the little shorties), with a nice wide lip on the blade to place your foot on, and made of good quality steel that can be re-sharpened.

Wheelbarrow

If you are not going to invest in a nice one, then don’t waste your money. The cheap ones will just turn into a headache for you. They will wobble and tip over, the handles will bend, and your friend who borrows it will think bad thoughts about you whenever they use it. One the other hand, if you spring for a nice one with solid handles, a big barrel, and high quality wheels your friend will love you and maybe even help you out in your garden when you ask.

Hand Clippers with Sheath

Okay some people may disagree, but I hate the hand pruners that are made in the anvil style. Give me a nice pair of bypass pruners any day. A couple of brands that I like are Felco and Coronas. They are made with replaceable blades and springs. I wouldn’t spend my money on any other brands. A sheath is always a very nice addition for convenience.

Pole Pruner

Most gardeners won’t spring for a nice pole pruner as they are a bit pricey, but I love having one at my disposal. Dealing with a ladder and hand pruners can get very cumbersome and sometimes dangerous. Make sure your pole pruner has an adjustable length handle, a saw, a pull rope attached to a cutting blade, and a replaceable blade.

Books

Books are always a good buy. There are some that are region specific and very helpful. The Sunset Western Garden book is designed for those of you west of the Rockies but the information, other than the climate zones charts, can be applied anywhere. This one is a must. Other than that, look for books that are specific to what your friend enjoys i.e. vegetable gardening, flowers, roses, fruit trees, houseplants etc.  (Check out my ebooks on this site!)

Tool caddy

I don’t have a tool caddy but it seems like something that sure would come in handy. Tool caddies come in many shapes and sizes. If anyone has any feedback on tool caddies for me, please post a comment or send me an email.

I said in the beginning I was going to make suggestions for standard items to buy, but for the gardener who has everything, here are a couple of unusual items they might enjoy but not purchase for themselves.

Unusual items

• Mushroom Growing Kits –seem like fun
• Giant Pumpkin seeds for next year, if they have the space!
• One of those hydroponic gardening towers. (I’m using one now and so far I like it – and hopefully will be offering them for sale on this site soon.)
• Garden Ornaments- lots of selection out there on the Web
• Hammocks- a must have for every garden

In closing I want to repeat one of those pieces of sage advice that my father used to give: “Only a rich man can afford to buy cheep tools.”  If you buy cheap tools you will have to replace them again and again, eventually spending more money on replacements than you would on the one good-quality tool, so be wise and purchase quality tools that will last for a lifetime.  In this case, Father definitely knows best!

Happy Holidays,

Rees

It’s well known that beautiful fragrances can be derived from plants and their flowers. Roses, lilacs jasmine are a few beautiful scents that come to mind.

As with most things, there is also an opposite, and this time of year the opposites of the beautiful fragrances become evident.  Summer and fall seem to be a time when the smelliest, stinkiest and most noxious odors are released by plants into the air to be inhaled and processed by our olfactory nerves.

Many plant nerds, myself included, find the smells, well, interesting. Mother nature has given these plants an unusual smell for a purpose and that sort of thing always intrigues me; but if you are put off by bad odors, here are a few plants to avoid.

Ginkgo Trees

Ginkgos are very popular urban street trees for several reasons, but boy do they stink!  Their smell is unmistakable and should be taken into consideration when planting. Think rotten eggs or according to some…vomit.  Eww.

Viburnum

There are several nice varieties of viburnum and most are great plants and small trees. The species “suspensum” is used commonly for a hedge plant. It takes to shaping well and is pretty resistant to insects and low water areas. This makes it a perfect candidate for foundation plantings and plants used to hide the concrete foundations of homes and office buildings. Unfortunately, there is a three-week period at the end of summer where a distinct stink comes from this one. I think the positive aspects outweigh the smelly period though.

Amorphophallus

A.K.A. smelly corpse plant or sometimes called corpse flower…….need I say more?  ……Yes, the plant nerd in me thinks this is a really cool plant. And if you have a chance to check it out, you should. Botanical gardens are probably the only place most of you will encounter it.

Rafflesia

Another one that smells like rotting flesh. If you have ever smelled it you will always remember it, and if you ever have a chance to see it, consider yourself lucky. This is an incredible flower, 4-5ft wide and a deep red with speckles.

Tulbaghia

This is a low-growing herbaceous plant with a beautiful pink flower the sits on multiple stocks about the strap like foliage. It’s the foliage that smells. The odor is not as distinct as some of the others mentioned, but when crushed, a pseudo garlic smell permeates the air. (This is one of my favorite plants) I love to plant it near the sliding doors of clients’ homes so that they catch a whiff of it now and then, drawing their attention to the garden.

There are many more smelly plants, but these are a few of the stinkiest plants and trees. I guess, like beauty, the attraction to smell is in the eye of the “besmeller”.  I, for one, like flowers and plants from the wrong side of the tracks!

If you can think of any other stinky, smelly plants leave me a comment below and I’ll add it to the list.

Happy Gardening,

Rees

Living in Florida it’s difficult to tell the seasons apart but certain holidays have a way of reminding me that things are about to change in most other areas of the country. Halloween is one of those occasions. My kids start weeks ahead discussing their costumes and getting excited about which friends with and where to trick-or-treat but it’s the sign of pumpkins showing up in the grocery store that really drives it home for me. The glossy orange orbs piled high at the entrance to the stores and scattered around the lawns for the local church fundraiser mean that fall is here.

According to the History Channel, the use of pumpkins as Jack-o-Lanterns originated in Ireland where a guy named Stingy Jack tricked the Devil. The Devil got back at him by turning Jacks sole into a burning clump of coal and carried his glowing sole around the countryside in a bucket.

These days it’s not only the standard pumpkins you see on display but also a wide range of sizes and shapes from the cute little miniatures to Giants exceeding 1,000 lbs.  It’s these gargantuan monsters that intrigue me the most.

2008 was the first year in may that a new world record was not set. The current world record for the biggest pumpkin stands at a whopping 1689 lbs. raised by Joe Jutras, of Scituate Massachusetts…hello, that’s more than a Volkswagen Beetle or better yet 1,500 plus pumpkin pies.

I’d love the try my hand at growing one of these oddities but I’m afraid the Florida climate just wouldn’t cooperate but if you live in the to the north I’d suggest giving it a try. There are a few suggested steps that make horticultural good sense to me.

1)   Start with good seed. A giant pumpkin can produce 500-800 viable seeds each.

2)   Prepare the soil well. To have the best luck you will need to plant several plants and each plant can cover 100 sq feet. I suggest at least a twenty by twenty plot. Start your soil preparation in the fall by clearing the spot and covering with a 6-10′ layer of thoroughly composted material. Once the possibility of frost is passed in the Spring use a roto-tiller to incorporate the compost into the native soil as deep as possible.

3)   Start your seeds- Approximately 4 weeks before the last frost you should germinate your plants indoors in 4″ peat pots. Simply place then in a warm location and keep moist. Plant only one seed per pot, pointed end up.

4)   Allow the plants to grow indoors for about three weeks or until they have their first true set of leaves open and the roots have started poking out of the bottom of the pot.

5)   Transplant outside. I suggest moving them outside in the small pots for a few days to help acclimate them before planting in the soil.  Place them evenly around the plot spaced at least four feet apart.  Be gentile because too much root damage will set you back.

6)   Fertilizer is the key element to growing the giants. Of course water, sunshine, good genetics are also important but fertilizer is the steroid that builds these mammoths. Here is your fertilizer strategy.

a.     Grow lots of big healthy roots first. For the first month after planting use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus like a 15-30-15. I suggest a water-soluble fertilizer and apply per manufacturers recommendation at week 1,2 and week 3. This is a specialty fertilizer so don’t wait until the last minute to locate a supply. It may need to be ordered. A good hydroponic store may be place to start.

b.     Next we focus on big healthy leaves and stems. That means high Nitrogen. Starting in week 4, 5 and 6 shift to a water-soluble high nitrogen fertilizer weekly, 24-6-8 or something along those lines.

c.      By week 8 you should start to see flowers develop and the first few fruit set. Now our strategy changes to focus on growing giant pumpkins so we shift our fertilizer to provide more Potassium. Again in a water-soluble form we apply 15-11-29 weekly as directed by manufacturer.

**A note of caution with fertilizer. Your inclination will be to over fertilize and this can cause the pumpkin to grow so fast that it will burst. My suggestion is to follow the manufacturers directions and to start your plants as early as possible for the longest possible growing time. Be like the turtle, slow and steady.

7)   Pollination. In most instances I would suggest that you simply allow mother nature handle the pollination of your pumpkin flowers but since we are growing superstar athletes here the longer they are allowed to grow the bigger they will get so by hand pollinating we can give them a head start. It is an easy process really and all you need is a small painters brush. The female flowers are easy to distinguish from the males because they have a small-enlarged area at the base, the pre-pumpkin. Take your paintbrush and swab the pollen from a nearby male and then very gently brush the pollen onto the exposed female stigma. I suggest repeating this from various males to various females so that you are sure to a viable match. I suggest a goal of having your first flowers pollinated and beginning to swell by mid July if possible.

8)   Positioning your future giants. It is suggested that you turn the young pumpkins so that the attaching stem is perpendicular to the vine. In this position the pumpkin will proceed to grow without crushing the vine.

9)   Pick your winner. As several pumpkins begin to grow on each vine it is necessary to remove all but the most vigorous one.  Pick the largest two on each plant and monitor their growth for a week, measuring daily. The one that seems to be growing faster is the one to keep. Remember one pumpkin per plant. You will be tempted to leave a couple but the energy will be divided and neither will be huge.

10)  Pruning your plants. As your giant is maturing it is important to force all the plants energy into growing the pumpkin. About the first of September I suggest tipping all the lateral growing vines. That means cutting off the soft tips of each branch. It takes a lot of energy to develop new leaves at a time when we want to force all energy into the pumpkin so removing these buds will shut down the new foliage growth.

One last thought. Plan ahead for moving your mammoth. If you are lucky and all the stars align properly your hard work may result in an award winner. Transporting these trophy winners is where all your effort can be lost. Broken pumpkins are not allowed into competition. You may need a tractor of forklift to pick it up and move it to a trailer for transport. My point it to plant your pumpkins in a spot where it can be accessed by equipment or you may be the only one to enjoy your Giant pumpkins.

One more last thought. Buy your seeds early. The offspring of the biggest will probably be gone by March 1^st.

Have fun trying your hand and send me some photos to post!

Rees

Seeing the recent photos on the Internet of Lombard Street being transformed into a Candyland replica really brought back memories. Most of my early career in horticulture-related activities took place in Northern California. The City was just across the water and weekend trips to explore San Francisco were always fun. The city is so expansive and has so many different neighborhoods, there was always something new to find.

On one trip we decided to walk down Lombard Street rather than join the train of cars that descend the one-way street. What a different perspective you get when you walk rather than drive. I believe that the city parks crews do the planting and maintenance and they really do a wonderful job. The boxwood hedges (Buxus japonica) looked like they were plastic, they were clipped so perfectly. The English Ivy (Hedera helix) was allowed just enough room to look natural and was trimmed so that the edges showed no bare stems. The only way to achieve this effect is to hand-trim each branch with a pair of hand clippers. Power sheers or even hand held sheers leave an edge where all the undergrowth and clipped stems show until the new foliage covers the ends. Hand clipping is beautiful but very labor intensive.

The planners of the Lombard garden do a great job of staggering flower blooming cycles so that there is always something colorful to see. The Azaleas are spectacular and the prolific blooms of the Hydrangeas are fabulous. Annual color is rotated seasonally and the Impatiens in Spring are breathtaking.

If you are there in the fall, one of the coolest things you will see on Lombard Street is the pollarded Sycamore Trees (Platanus racemosa). I’m normally hate hard pruning, and when I see done I figure the gardener is a control freak, but not in this case. The statement and elegance of a correctly pollard bosk of Sycamores if really pretty cool. Don’t get me wrong, a full grown, properly pruned Sycamore is awesome, but here the trees line both sides of the street and frame the garden perfectly.

What most tourists who drive down Lombard Street (Candyland) may not realize is that the buildings along the sides are actually people’s homes. How cool would that be, to actually live on Lombard Street, AKA Candyland?

One note of advice: If you decide to walk Lombard Street I suggest you start at the bottom and walk up. The return trip will be more enjoyable.

How to keep your tomatoes from cracking and splitting

Here is an excerpt from my new book How to Grow Juicy Delicious Tomatoes

Salmonella contamination of tomatoes has been in the news a lot lately, but that’s an unusual problem we rarely see, and probably not one you need to worry about in your own home garden.  There are more common problems the home gardener will face with tomatoes. It’s that time of year when people’s homegrown tomatoes are ripening and invariably I get the question, “Why are my tomatoes cracking?” or, “Why are my tomatoes splitting?”

I’ve heard all sorts of reasons offered, but the problem is pretty easy to explain.

The simple truth is that on the inside of the tomato, the fruit grows faster than the skin can develop and stretch to contain that fruit. Think “stretch marks”. Okay, so that’s the issue, but what can you do to prevent these so called “stretch marks”?

The trick is to regulate the growth of the fruit as much as possible.

Fluctuations in the temperature, fertilizer levels, or amount of water can cause the tomatoes to grow in spurts rather than at a gradual pace. A plant goes through a “hardening off” period after it has a spurt of growth, which would not occur if all of the growing elements (fertilizer, water, heat, etc.) remained somewhat constant. This “hardening off” happens to the fruit and the skin.  Once the skin has hardened off, if the fruit has another growth spurt, the skin will not be able to stretch to contain the fruit inside it, hence the cracking or splitting.  Your goal should be to keep your tomatoes growing at a steady, consistent pace, avoiding the hardening off period until they are ready to pick.

Here are some tips to help regulate the fruit development and avoid the cracking:

Water regularly and deeply. If you get a period of heavy rain, then you should reduce supplemental water. If you go on vacation, don’t soak them before you leave and let them go dry until you return, and soak them again. Use a sprinkler (drip preferably) on a timer, or hire the neighbor kid and give him a five minute training course on how to water consistently.

Be careful with the fertilizer. Buy a good vegetable fertilizer and follow the instructions, or better yet, use composted humus from your compost bin on a regular basis and avoid commercial fertilizers. Compost will both regulate the soil moisture and provide a steady level of nutrients. In either case, don’t load up with fertilizer in the beginning of their growth and then fertilize them again as the fruit sets. Use lighter doses on a more frequent schedule and never more than the manufacture says to use.

Watch the sun exposure. Like I said earlier, fluctuations in temperature are harmful. Mother Nature has control of the macro climate, but you can control to some degree the micro climate temperature. As some tomatoes mature, they tend to drop some of their leaves, and in some cases, it is even beneficial to remove some leaves. If lost leaves is the case with your vegetable garden, just make sure that fruit that was previously shaded is not exposed to direct sunlight when the temperature heats up. A simple shade structure should suffice.

Commercial growers take other steps like fertilizer adjustments based on rain water, but for the home gardener the above suggestions should suffice.
To reiterate, the enemy to growing nice, beautiful tomatoes is uneven growth rates.

Remember: your tomato plants need regular, even watering, compost or evenly spaced fertilizer applications, and limited direct sun exposure. Following these three suggestions should solve the splitting tomato problem. Oh, and one last comment, the split tomatoes may not look as pretty, but they taste just fine. Cut ‘em up and drop ‘em in a salad, or use ‘em for sauces!

If you want to learn more about growing great tomatoes here is a link to a book I just finished writing on this very subject. Most tomato books I have researched teach you how to grow big plants. Mine teaches you how to grow big fat juicy flavorful TOMATOES!!!

I had so many people reading this post and sending me questions about their tomatoes that I decided to put together a book on how to grow great tomatoes. If you want know more of my secrets …..

CLICK HERE TO CHECKOUT MY NEW BOOK Juicydelicioustomatoes.com
Rees Cowden