Growing Tomatoes, Going Green

According to a recent article from The Iowa Independent, the push to grow and purchase organic produce has become more popular than ever. This movement has drawn more attention in recent months after the May release of the President’s Cancer Panel report that expressed concern federal regulators had greatly underestimated the risk pesticides, antibiotics, and herbicides have on causing environmental cancer. The panel, which has members the president hand selects, reports on issues related to the country’s national cancer program. The report faults the government for lax regulation of the 80,000 unstudied chemicals used on food and produce. This report had drawn new attention to using organic growing practices to ensure the foods and produce consumed are healthy rather than harmful.

Along with the push to go organic, many concerned consumers are making the decision to become “locavores,” a term used to describe shoppers who prefer to purchase food grown locally. The reasoning behind this movement is not only is the produce grown naturally, but there will also be a decrease in the amount of fossil fuels used to transport the food. Instead of purchasing fruits and vegetables that has been shipped across the country, locavores prefer to purchase their produce from farmers markets, nearby co-ops, or even decide to grow it in their own backyard.

So how can you ensure the food you prepare is grown free of pesticides, is the freshest available, and has not been transported hundreds of miles to reach your dinner table? The easiest way is to grow your own produce, and one of the most popular plants seasoned and amateur gardens alike can grow is tomatoes. In The Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply — Including Heirloom Tomatoes, author Cherie H. Everhart covers everything readers will need to know to begin growing tender, juicy tomatoes. Everhart walks gardeners through the steps they will need to prepare their garden plot, including how to select a location and perform a soil test; choose the right seeds; purchase all the equipment necessary to begin planting; how to determine the proper time of year to plant; and the spacing tomatoes will need to grow vibrant and healthy. Readers will learn the difference between heirloom and hybrid breeds; how to prevent and treat pests and disease naturally; and organic practices to use to ensure healthy plant growth, including tips on composting, cover crops, and organic fertilizers. There are even recipe suggestions for how to use your newly harvest tomatoes and ways to store, can, and freeze your tomatoes for future use.

Whether you care about you and your family’s health, your carbon footprint, or are just looking to save money at the grocery store each month, The Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes will offer all the advice any gardener will need to have fresh and plump tomatoes.

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