DRIPPING SPRINGS BABBLE: DRIPPING GARDENS WITH BLOOM: OF TOMATO DETERMINATION AND THE TRUTH ABOUT GREEN PEPPERS

DRIPPING GARDENS WITH BLOOM: OF TOMATO DETERMINATION AND THE TRUTH ABOUT GREEN PEPPERS

Bloom is the colorful and charming nursery, owned by Elizabeth McIntosh and her landscaper husband John, located on the grounds of Rolling in Thyme & Dough. Thanks to Bloom, our own gardens did indeed do so, and now Elizabeth has graciously agreed to share her gardening thoughts with us. This Thursday continues what we hope will be an ongoing series of gardening tips relevant to Dripping Springs gardens (but no pressure, Elizabeth!).

By Elizabeth McIntosh
Even though the pecan trees aren’t leafed out yet (a sure sign of Spring), gardeners are itching to get their veggies in the ground and, consequently, I have had a barrage of questions at the nursery about peppers and tomatoes. Having grown vegetables for a living (albeit a meager one), I have come to take certain facts for granted. Yesterday reminded me, however, that not everyone knows the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes, and that green bell peppers are simply unripe peppers.

Let’s start with the all-mighty tomato, the crown jewel of the garden. Tomato plants come in two sizes: bush or vine. More specifically, determinate or indeterminate. There are half-sizes as well; occasionally you’ll come across a tomato labeled vigorous determinate, but it is essentially still a determinate. Why does this matter? In the grand scheme of things it doesn’t, but when planning your garden at least you’ll know what size cage you need.

Determinate plants grow, flower, set fruit, and for the most part stop. The growing tip terminates in a flower cluster. Most of the fruit is set all at once and therefore ripens around the same time. Typically, these plants are two to three feet high and while they don’t necessitate a cage, seem to do better with a short one. One good reason to choose determinate tomatoes is if you plan to can them. You get the bulk of your tomatoes all at once, and won’t have to heat up the kitchen repeatedly as you fire up the hot-water bath over and over.

Indeterminate plants are the unruly, vining types that must be tamed or else they will take over the garden. They do not terminate in a flower cluster, but rather flower and then keep right on growing. Thus, the fruit sets over a longer period of time, resulting in an extended harvest. Cherry tomatoes and most heirlooms are indeterminate types. Easily reaching heights of five feet or more, these plants require cages or some other means of support. There are numerous support choices, be it the high-dollar collapsible tomato cage, some twine and cedar stakes, or the intricate basket weaving method. But, our favorite (read: most efficient and economical) is a roll of concrete reinforcing wire cut to the right length, 10 squares, wrapped back around and pinched together to form a four foot tall cylinder. Cut one of these in half and you have two perfectly sized cages for your bush tomatoes.

Here in Central Texas we have two tomato seasons, Spring and Fall, roughly. Spring tomatoes get planted in the…you guessed it—spring. Fall tomatoes get planted in the…wrong—heat of the summer, between mid July and the beginning of August. Or, you can cut back and compost your spring plants. Whack back the determinate bushes to a foot or less, and tame the indeterminates to roughly two feet or so. Not too many people do this, but we had great results when we were farming. Just don’t forget to feed them again.

For an even more delicious casserole, moms!

And, now, the great pepper revelation: Green peppers are simply unripe and that’s primarily why they give people indigestion. Even the pepper plants that say “green bell” will ultimately ripen to red or yellow if left on the plant. And that’s the key. Don’t pick them green (unless you grew up with my mother and insist on using green bell peppers ‘cause that’s what the casserole calls for). Leave them be. Except for the novel fried green tomato, nobody dreams of slicing into an unripe tomato. Why then would you settle for a bitter green pepper when you could have a delicious, sweet, crunchy red pepper? Allow the peppers to mature; this usually requires another few patient weeks, but it is well worth the wait. The drag is that every other bug and critter out there is waiting too. This is why sweet peppers are so darned expensive in the stores, and one of the most highly sprayed veggies out there. To get a perfect one is quite a feat, but you will likely never be satisfied with a green bell again. And last, but not least, please don’t pull your peppers out in the summer when they stop producing because it is too hot. Love them, nurture them, feed them, be patient. Fall is their time to shine. By then, they have grown into a largish shrub and should have plenty of foliage to protect the fruit from sunburn. Spend some time either staking them or caging them because once they get loaded with peppers they are likely to tip over from the weight if not supported.

Now that we’ve determined the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes, and come to terms with the truth of green peppers, we can all get back to the task at hand: planting the spring garden. But be forewarned and observe the signs, the pecan trees have been here a lot longer than we have. They have mastered the art of patience. Make sure you have a back up plan if you decide to gamble with Texas weather.

PAST DRIPPING GARDENS WTH BLOOM:
March 12, 2009: DRIPPING GARDENS WITH BLOOM: YOU'RE DOING IT WRONG! (OF "MR. MOM" MOMENTS AND THE COMMANDMENTS OF COMPOST AND MULCH)
February 26, 2009: OF ONE HIT WONDERS AND THE SINGING GARDEN
February 18, 2009: OF SLOWING DOWN AND THE CALL OF THE TOMATO
February 11, 2009: OF VEGETABLES AND OPTIMISM
February 4, 2009: OF WEEDS, WATER, AND WARM WINTER DAYS
January 29, 2009: OF CUTTING BACK PERENNIALS AND CRAPE MURDER