Generous dash of worm juice does the trick
Most people have to get on their knees to trim their tomato plants. Alfriston resident Rodney Dunn has to get on a ladder.The former real estate agent turned gardening entrepreneur’s 2.5-metre tomato plants have taken on a life of their own and now tower over everything in his garden – including the corn.
But the prolific heirloom tomatoes are no mistake – Mr Dunn has a recipe for their success. Lots of water, regular trimming, horse manure and metal stakes.
And six litres of worm "juice" every fortnight.The dark amber juice is the product of about 12,000 worms furiously eating away at food scraps and garden waste.
The worms live in big bath-tubs Mr Dunn has converted into worm farms.
He lines the tubs with weed mat so the juice can filter through into a bottom cavity that flows into a tap where the bath plug used to go.
The two tubs produce six litres a week and Mr Dunn dilutes that 30:1 then pours it around the base of the tomato plants.
The pumpkins, corn, lettuces and beetroot plants also get a slop of worm water.
Mr Dunn says while he has other plants his main thing is tomatoes and he grows four heirloom and two traditional varieties.
"I like to grow them," he says.
"And I love to eat them."
One slice of a beefsteak heirloom tomato fills a sandwich, he says, and quite often he goes into the garden and eats them off the vine.
"Part of the enjoyment is giving them to neighbours, friends and family too," he says.
The avid gardener also makes bird houses and garden workstations and has started keeping bees.
"I’m into birds, bees and worms," he says with a laugh.
He keeps track of his gardening on a blog called justadd
worms.com and says he’s toying with the idea of becoming a garden consultant.
"I can’t believe people don’t know what to do."
Looking around his flourishing garden he says "I think I’ve spent $70 on seeds all up" although he admits growing tomatoes can be fairly labour intensive.
The worms probably think so too.
stuff.co.nz
When should I plant heirloom tomatoes?
I live in Zone 8 and I wanted to grow some heirloom tomatoes on my patio this year. when should I plant them (seeds, not little seedling plants) and what varieties would do best in my zone in a pot?
tweetgazette.com
Tags: heirloom tomatoes, Tomatoes, Tomatoes Plant, Tomatoes Plant Heirloom, Plant of Tomatoes Heirloom, Heirloom Tomatoes, Juice Tomatoes Plant, Juice Tomatoes
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