This is the best year I’ve ever had for my tomatoes, and I’ve been growing them for at least ten years. The photo you see above is a sampling of the tomatoes I just picked from my third and last harvest. The plant themselves look warn, yet there are still quite a few tomatoes ripening, and it appears as though I’ll get at least 100 more before I pull the plants for the summer.

I credit my success this season to the fabric growing bags I used, that breathe and drain better than any clay or plastic pot can. I used organic fertilizer, alternating every week with epsom salts, which are rich in magnesium.

It never ceases to amaze me how nature takes its course. It appeared as though some of the plants stopped producing tomatoes, yet tiny buds of deep green leaves began to emerge, followed by yellow flowers and fruits. I’ve never had a season such as this where the last harvested tomatoes tasted as delicious as the first. Each harvest yields fewer and smaller tomatoes, yet this year the tomatoes of the last harvest also tasted as delicious as the first. In a few weeks I’ll pull out the plants and dump the soil into flower beds as I wait for September 1 – the date I plant my seeds for next season. I just received my seeds in the mail, so I’ll be ready to get started by then.

The challenges of nurturing and growing delicious healthy tomatoes can be compared to many other challenges we face in life – such as raising our children, building a business or taking care of our health. It all boils down to research, patience, experimenting and a whole lotta work and love.

I’ll sure miss eating my homegrown tomatoes this summer, but I’m actually looking forward to a gardening break. You can bet I’ll be itching to get started come September though. Every year brings new gardening experiences with new varieties and new discoveries.

My organic tomato garden has been prolific this year – the best I’ve ever had. And I have vowed NOT to waste one tomato. When they come off the vines by the basket load every day for a month, I have to work hard to eat them, can them and share them with friends. Giving canned sauce is always a pleasure. I’m often asked how I make my sauce, so here is the recipe.

Fresh, homegrown organic tomatoes have way more flavor than tomatoes you can buy at most stores. Believe it or not, even canned crushed tomatoes  taste better than regular store-bought tomatoes, so I have given you the option of using canned tomatoes should you not have good fresh tomatoes available.

Making tomato sauce requires just a few basic ingredients.

Ingredients

• Extra virgin olive oil
• 5 lbs. fresh tomatoes, the more varieties, sizes and colors the better. Or substitute 2 28 oz. cans of crushed tomatoes.
• 2 6 oz. cans tomato paste
• 3 small yellow onions
• 25 cloves peeled garlic
• 3 Tbsp. shredded carrots
• 2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 2 heaping tsp dried oregano
• 2 heaping tsp garlic powder
• 2 heaping Tbsp of basil pesto (I make my own with basil, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and pine nuts, but you can buy it prepared)
• Salt
• Pepper
• Pinch cayenne

Peel and core your tomatoes. I use a tomato peeler, but you can cut an X in your tomato skins with a sharp knife and blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute to peel skins off. Cherry tomatoes do not need to be peeled.

Tough skins and cores down the drain.

Heat a tablespoon or so of olive oil in a large heavy duty sauce pan. Peel and remove tough ends, then chop onions in a food processor by pulsing. Do not over process or the onions will be watery.

Start to saute onions on medium heat. Add pinch of salt. Keep stirring. You do not want to brown the onions. Saute until translucent, 8-10 minutes.

While the onions are cooking, pulse the garlic in the food processor until finely diced.

Add more olive oil to the pan, lower the heat  and mix the garlic with the onions. Keep stirring for 2 minutes and be careful not to let the garlic burn.

Add the balsamic vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

 Add the tomatoes to the pot, stir well and simmer.

The tomatoes will cook down and naturally break apart quickly as they are mostly water.

After the sauce has cooked for about 15 or 20 minutes, and the tomatoes have cooked down, add the 2 cans of tomato paste, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne, salt and pepper to taste.

Cook sauce by simmering for 2 hours on low heat. Stir every 10 or 15 minutes so it doesn’t burn on the bottom.

After sauce is done cooking, turn off the heat, stir in the pesto and then your sauce is REALLY done.

I can my sauce using a home canner, but if you do not know how to can, you can wait for your sauce to cool and freeze it in portions perfect for your family.

Sauce can be used over pasta. You can add meat, make meatballs, use it in soups, stews and more.

Happy Cooking!

So far, so good. My tomatoes have been growing in fabric pots for 2 months. I’ve picked Mexico Midgets, Black Cherry and one Black Tula. By Christmas I hope to be overwhelmed by the first real harvest.

22 fabric pots with tomatoes, 4 plastic pots with cherry tomatoes

Large cluster of healthy Black Truffle Tomatoes

Black Tula, best tomato I’ve ever tasted

First tomatoes of the season picked – mostly Mexico Midgets, tiny and tasty!

Brussel sprouts

Key Lime Lettuce

Green Beans

Someone’s lurking in the garden

I eat at least 4 tomatoes every day and give at least 4 away. I cut them up in my salads, salt them and eat them over the sink, put them in soups, sauces, dip them in hummus and cook and can them. The deep red color is indicative of the deep, complex flavor. I will be sad in a few weeks when the Florida tomato growing season is over. But the good news is that I will plant the seeds for next season on September 1 – not that far away!

I cannot keep up with my tomatoes! It looks like I will be canning again tomorrow. Some ways I have used my tomatoes this season include:

My kitchen counter is full of tomatoes!

• Tomato bruschetta
• Tomato sauce
• Turkey Meatballs
• Tomato Pesto salad
• Tomato and Mozzarella
• Greek Salad
• Fried Green Tomatoes
• Tomato Salsa
• Tomato Soup
• Veggie Soup
• Minestrone Soup
• Tomato and Lentil Soup
• Zucchini and Tomato Casserole
• Slow Oven-Roasted Tomatoes with Balsamic Vinegar

No wonder why I have an acid reflux problem!

As the rest of the USA is winding down its vegetable gardens, we Southerners are just getting started. Last year I had the best organic tomatoes I’ve ever had. So I’m doing it again this year – only bigger and better.  These seedlings you see in the photo are 3 days from planting! Welcome to Miami’s heat, sun and humidity. This climate really helps speed the germination process. The trick then is keeping the plants from frying in the tropical sun. The seedlings will be transplanted soon to larger cells and then a few weeks own the road, they will planted in humongous pots and placed along my backyard driveway.  It’s the perfect place for them, with the ideal amount of sun and easy access to the garden hose. I’ll have my first harvest around Christmas time.

If you missed my gorgeous tomatoes last year, click here to take a look.