Tomato Dirt Newsletter
Volume 14, Number 15

Dear Tomato Dirt reader,

Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! A couple times a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.

End of Summer Sale: 50% or more off

You can get 50% or more off on garden supplies, kitchen and home, pots and planters, tools, gifts, trellises, raised beds, and all kinds of other garden gear and goodies.

It’s a great time to restock your supplies or replace your tools. Browse here.

NEW! Check for tomato growing tips each day on our Facebook page

Here’s the dirt: Tomato Dirt’s long-standing Facebook page was recently hacked. For your safety and privacy, we closed it. But never fear! We’ve started a new page with good security.

You’re invited to like the page and get plenty of tomato growing tips. And please share the new page with other gardeners you know!

Hop on over to Facebook and click “Like” right now, while you’re thinking about it.

FEATURE: Harvesting Tomatoes - A Gardener’s Guide

Image: Tomato Dirt

Harvesting tomatoes at the right time means you get fantastic flavor. Fully ripened fruit tastes much better than fruit picked early.

That’s because once a tomato is picked, it is cut off from its main oxygen source.

But its sugars are now processed without a steady supply of oxygen and are converted into compounds that promote decay – ketones, aldehydes, and alcohols. Sugar decay impacts taste ... and not in a good way.

On the other hand when tomatoes are left on the vine too long, they can bruise, rot, and decay.

First order of business: when should you begin picking tomatoes in your area …

Best Tips for Growing Tomatoes: Bestseller in 89 Countries

THE tomato-growing Bible and best-seller in 89 countries:

You’ll be able to diagnose pest and disease problems using step by step priceless information, illustrated with 260 full color photos.

Get the book and you’ll also get 6 free bonuses, including the Family Tomato Cookbook and a database of 1300 varieties of tomatoes. More details here.

Tomato Growing Tip: How Can You Tell When a Tomato Is Ripe?

Image: Tomato Dirt

Get more tips for growing tomatoes on our Tomato Growing Tips Pinterest board.

Danger: Don't Let Your Midsummer Tomatoes Get Thirsty

Hoses, nozzles, drip irrigation, water timers, rain gauges, soaker systems, watering cans, rain urns … check out all kinds of watering gadgets with our good friends at Gardener’s Supply.

This is the GS page where you can get all the different kinds of watering gear you need for your garden. It's so much fun to browse around. And if you find something at a bargain price - well, go for it!

Plus, they donate 8% of their profits to home and garden improvement programs.

But apart from all that good stuff, their watering gadgets and irrigation supplies are quality products that will last season after season. Check them out here.

More Tips for Harvesting Tomatoes