My favorite fruit (or vedgetable).....

"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato."
Lewis Grizzard

As I mentioned in the previous entry, I love to garden.  That is no secret, all who know me know that I am continually on the quest for the perfect tomato.  Heirloom varieties make my heart sing.  The colors are exquisite--green, white, yellow pear, various stripes.  I love them all.  Heirloom varieties are a bit more trouble to grow as they are not genetically altered to resist diseases and pests like todays hybrids.  Still, I can't live without them.  The taste is FAAARRR superior to todays plants.  That being said, my favorite varieties are Brandywine, yellow pear and pineapple.  This year I have 20 plants...yes, 20.  Sound a bit extreme for 3 people?  You betcha....I love to give them away and still have enough to can for juice, salsa and spaghetti sauce.

Now, since I love y'all, I'm gonna let you in on my little secret.  This is one of the those secrets my papaw taught me and it's super easy and cheap.  Epsom Salt.  Tomatoes love the stuff and so do I.  Locally, I can pick ES up for 3 dollars a quart and it will last forever.  Simply, take 1TSP of salt and sprinkle around the base of your plants and then water as you normally would.  While my neighbors are suffering from blight, blossom end rot and other horrible things, my vines are thriving. 

What the heck makes Epsom salt so wonderful?  The combination of sulfur and magnesium.  Try it, y'all.  I think you will be surprised at the results.