I remember I was thinking when grabbing a tomato starter from Home Depot saying, "what the heck, throw it in a pot, whatever happens, happens". Wasn't expecting much with my 3-4 hours of sunlight a day, but it actually produced some "doozies" (if that's a word)
Tomatoes were a surprise treat for my first edible garden this summer, although in reality, I need perhaps a quarter acre of land to make tomato planting practical for all the tomatoes I can go through in a year.
However, my one tomato plant gave the garden a little color and "bling", and makes that definite statement to the neighbors that, "Look out folks, the 'Urban Soul Farmer' is here, and in full effect!!!".
Funny, I have a new next door neighbor with a terrace just like mine, we connected quickly, and I gave her some tomatoes as a "welcome to the 'hood" gift.
She said "Wow, these are lovely bright tomatoes, how did you figure out how to grow them!". I said, "I have no idea, they grew themselves". 🙂
…now she wants a garden, took me two days to sucker her over to the righteous path of Urban Gardening. I'm gonna get a whole food forest started if I can get everyone in the building involved 🙂
Below: not too much info for me to give about growing tomatoes. I just put it in the dirt, followed the rule that you should plant the starter 2/3 below the surface for better rooting. I just gave it plenty of water and that was basically it. No pest or disease problems for me, but we talking only one plant in a cloth "Smart Pot".
Why I think tomatoes are so important …..
(….the quick, nutrition science bla-bla-bla)
Tomatoes are rich in the antioxidant Lycopene. OVERWHELMING evidence is starting to be accepted by progressive medicine and nutrition science that Lycopene is one of several powerhouse fighters of breast and prostate cancer (as well as other cancers).
Though it's truly sad to say, traditional medicine, and the Pharmaceutical Industry are fiercely opposed to this new wealth of info. Not sure if I'm happy or upset, but they are even starting to come after me and my blog……..sigh.
I wrote on Lycopene as pertains to fighting breast and ovarian cancer, as well as Lycopene for Prostate health, and how the cancer fighting benefits of Lycopene/Tomato when combined with Green Tea are greatly increased.
NOTE: Since I passionately believe in the cancer fighting properties of Lycopene, I consume the "top dog" of Lycopene, that being the little known lycopene rich fruit called Gac (aka, Fak Khaao) in powder form in my smoothies. Gac has up to 70 times the Lycopene as tomato, but I still consume a lot of tomato if for nothing else, for pure enjoyment. Lycpene was one [of many] food based nutrients I took in to heal myself from a brief but serious prostate ailment.
ALSO NOTE: studies show more Lycopene is activated in cooked and steamed tomatoes as opposed to raw…….
Below are few tomato recipes elsewhere in my online cookbook
caprese and tomato Kebabs (click photo below for recipe)
(below) heirloom tomato, avocado, zucchini stacks, with a tomato almond pesto
(click photo below for recipe)
(below) heirloom tomato + chorizo salad
(although I like to replace Chorizo with spicy Whole Foods Turkey Sausage)
(click photo below for recipe)
(below) heirloom tomato and haloumi Stacks
(click photo below for recipe)
(below) simple tomato and onion salad
(click photo below for recipe)
(below homemade gourmet Himalayan Salt for to "lively" up my simple tomato recipe below
(click photo for gourmet salt recipes)
above and below
"No Recipe Required" Tomatoes
Tomatoes
Pink Himalayan Salt AVOID COMMON TABLE SALT!!!
…..I just Grind some Salt on a plate and dip tomatoes and enjoy, sometimes a little olive oil or culinary argan oil sets this simple treat out!!!! Sometimes I can go through a whole container of Organic Cherry Tomatoes like this 🙂
"Growing your own food is like printing your own money" 
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……you might also like
Ron Finley: The "Gangster Gardner"
He plants food and gardens in Vacant lots in South Central L.A.
Healthy Eaters, Strong Minds (What School Gardens Teach Kids)
click here or photo for all my articles in
"Sustainable Eating, Living, and Gardening"
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