AROUND THIS TIME each summer, I look forward to the onslaught of fresh tomatoes while at the same time hoping against hope that what I call tomato troubles don’t reveal themselves and get the upper hand. I’ve been hearing from lots of readers and listeners in recent weeks that the new normal of weather chaos nationwide and worldwide isn’t helping them get to the tomato finish line successfully and that they’re worried.
With all that in mind, I made my annual frantic call with some urgent tomato questions to today’s guest, Craig LeHoullier in North Carolina, the NC Tomato Man as he’s known on social media, author of the classic book, “Epic Tomatoes” (affiliate link).
Craig knows more about these cherished fruits than almost anyone I’ve ever met. He even shares that in live sessions each week on his Instagram account where you can ask your questions and get solid answers.
I asked Craig how he’s doing and what we should all be doing to bolster a bountiful harvest and also about which fruits to save next year’s seed from anyhow and other tomato questions.
Read along as you listen to the July 31, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).
Plus: Comment in the box near the bottom of the page for a chance to win a copy of “Epic Tomatoes.”
ripe tomatoes (and saving seed), with craig lehoullier
Margaret Roach: Hey, Craig. How are you?
Craig LeHoullier: Hi, how are you? It’s just wonderful to be here chatting with you. And it’s so timely, because today I went out and actually harvested the first actual non-blossom end rot induced ripened perfect tomatoes for my garden.
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Homeowners have had to combat root-knot nematodes for as long as home vegetable gardens have existed. Nematodes are microscopic worms in the soil in high numbers that can cause damage to susceptible plants. Traditionally, the vegetables most affected were beans, watermelons, cucumbers, and especially three grower favorites: tomatoes, sweetpotatoes, and okra. Although there are many types of nematodes in the soil, root-knot nematodes are some of the most common and cause the large galls or knots you see on the roots of susceptible plants
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