SOME TOMATO- GROWING TIPS F rom the P rofessional : M y D ad !
Several months ago, I wrote an article on the importance of gratitude, wherein I expounded upon my thankfulness for my family and the wonderful experiences we get to share every Labor Day weekend. Every year, my dad grows up to 400 pounds of tomatoes in his garden! He then uses them to make salsa from his special recipe, and throughout the weekend, the kids sell jar upon jar of it. This last year, the kids sold over 60 jars to neighbors in the community, all of whom know to expect us and eagerly wait as we set up our salsa stand at the end of the driveway.
While I love to share all my stories with my patients, I’ve found that people love to hear about my family’s salsa-making antics so much that they’ve asked me how my dad grows so many tomatoes each year. While I’d like to attribute all of his gardening success to a brilliant green thumb, he was kind enough to offer some practical advice to help those who might be curaious:
HOMEMADE CORNED BEEF
DAD’S GARDENING TIPS:
1. Buy plants that are 10–12-inches tall in 2-inch six-packs. (I have the best luck with Early Girls).
• 2 quarts water • 1 cup kosher salt INGREDIENTS
• 8 cloves garlic • 8 whole allspice berries • 12 whole juniper berries • 2 bay leaves, crumbled • 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger • 2 pounds ice • 1 5-pound beef brisket, trimmed • 1 small onion, quartered • 1 large carrot, coarsely chopped • 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
2. I plant in 12-inch wells so water reaches the roots and isn’t wasted. Use tomato cages; they really help!
• 1/2 cup brown sugar • 2 tablespoons saltpeter (potassium nitrate) • 1 cinnamon stick, broken into large pieces • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3. Full sun is best.
4. Cut off all leaves except those around the top of the plant.
5. Bury plants as deep as possible (it will grow a second root ball right beneath the surface).
DIRECTIONS
6. Make sure soil makeup is 50 percent native soil and 50 percent compost.
1. In a large stockpot, combine water, garlic, and all herbs and spices to make brine. Cook over high heat until salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in ice. 2. Once water temp reaches 45 F, place brisket in a 2-gallon zip-close bag, pour in brine to cover, lay flat in a large container, and store in fridge. 3. Brine for 10 days, checking daily to make sure brisket is fully submerged and brine is stirred. 4. After 10 days, remove brisket from brine and rinse under cool water. In a large pot, cover brisket, onion, carrot, and celery with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 2 1/2–3 hours. 5. Remove, slice across the grain, and serve.
7. Use Miracle-Gro fertilizer when you plant and again every two weeks.
8. Keep plant moist for the first three weeks. After that, new growth will help prevent drying out. After the new growth comes in, you can water regularly every three to four days.
Happy Gardening!
–Andrea
Inspired by Food Network
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