Growing tomato/ Carlos Pueblo

Growing tomato/ Carlos Pueblo

The weather is getting cooler nowadays and some rain shower along with

it. I ask my neighbor whether it is the time for me to grow tomato. I may

get this coming 90 days for a suitable climate, 74 degree or below, to have

some harvest. I clean 6 small pots for the tomato seed beds and also put

some other seeds, cucumber, bell pepper, green bean etc. I had had those

free seeds when I visited Lancaster, PA last spring. It has not been successful

for me to grow tomato for a long time ever since 1977 when I was at Auburn,

AL.

I am hoping after I return from my plan trip to Europe, I shall run into the plant

to bear fruit; however, I may not make it for the trip, yet I can pay more attention

to the transferring plant and routine care of the garden. The falling tree branches

this year opens up some sunshine for a small part of my back yard; therefore, I

do have some harvest for a kind of Taiwanese squash, pretty yellow flower with

a long strip of fruit. I shall pull off the dead vine of the squash when tomato plants

come out and ready to be transfer and I shall place them at the same lot which is

the only space for my garden.

I don’t quite get used to the expanse of tomato in the U.S. super market. We take

tomato as a regular fruit, of course, American eat tomato as a salad with dressing.

In Taiwan, especially in the southern part, you can order a plate of ripe tomato in

a fruits shop with a special prepared thick soy sauce and sweet dry plum powder

for a date with your sweet heart. It is very romantic and not expansive at all at that

time, I say in the 60’s or 70’s, while I had had a very good memory. Recently I run

into some improved cherry tomatoes in Taiwan with very impressed sweetness.

I also saw some good tomatoes in Spain and Italy. Italian utilize many tomatoes in

their cuisine.

In 1976 at Auburn, Alabama, I grew 400 tomatoes successful on the campus. Since

Then, I have tried many times to grow and failed due to the hot weather in Houston,

Texas. The neighbor whom I mentioned at the beginning grows tomatoes in a big pot

and always successfully. I think that 74 degree temperature is vital for the success.

At the end of January next year, I shall make another attempt to grow tomato for the

spring season.