Rough draft 3/29/22
Intro
As a personal favorite and by personal preference every vegetable garden needs a tomato plant. The more the better. My grandmother was an avid gardener and I would even classify her as a master gardener. She grew a vegetable garden every summer. Her cherry tomatoes were so fresh and delicious!
For us living in the Cascade foothills in Western Washington we tried for many summer seasons to grow tomatoes. We had a few good tomatoes to enjoy. Yet for the best when we moved to Boise Idaho we were able to grow, really really grow tomatoes! Just a few years ago we discovered the brandywine tomato
The Brandywine tomato is commonly considered the best tasting tomato because of its mild tomato flavor. People that don’t like the sharp taste from cherry or beefy tomatoes usually don’t mind the taste of a brandywine tomato
Planting and Growth
These large fleshy brandywine fruits are not usually available in supermarkets which makes it hard to enjoy them on a regular basis. Thus, the best option to taste and enjoy the unique flavor of these delicious fruits is by growing them yourself.
Growing brandywine tomatoes is very similar to growing a more common tomato plant. Make sure they are receiving full sun meaning at least 6- 8 hours of direct sunlight a day. The tomato plant fully enjoys the heat. Each tomato plant needs plenty of space. Be mindful to plant each start at 8-12 inches apart. Be prepared to also stake up your tomato plants. Tomato plants to grow their best they need to be up off of the ground. There are many options to do this. The most traditional cages are the metal cone shaped wire ones you can find at all hardware stores.
Watering your tomato plant is important as well. Usually 3 times a week is sufficient. If your plant leaves look like they’re wilting, give them an extra drink of water and they’ll perk right up. Keep an close eye on them during heat waves or high temperatures in the middle of summer. The tomato plants may need to be watered a little more.
You’ll notice after the first frost appears the tomato plants will start to die. Keep an eye on the temperatures when fall approaches and you;ll be able to harvest and clean up the tomato vines, and cages before they become too sticky.
Conclusion
The fragrance of a tomato plant is unmistakable. Growing just one tomato plant among your landscape or flowers is an idea given to me years ago. The reason behind this is that the red tomatoes can be a beautiful color among flowers, and they’re edible too. Growing your own food is immensely satisfying and definitely worth the effort, it’s a big plus when you get a crop that’s delicious and plentiful. When you harvest too much produce than you know what to do with, It’s a joy to share with neighbors and friends.
Resource links
https://www.burpee.com/tomato-brandywine-pink-prod000974.htm
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/how-to-grow-tomatoes
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/vegetables/tomato/growing-pink-brandywine-tomatoes.htm