What started out as a quest for a tasty tomato has evolved into a year-round obsession. The Tomato Man is a certified garden master who pays close attention to his happy and unhappy customers to provide the best tomato harvest each and every year. Bob Zeni joins us now with the tips to enjoy hand-picked, homegrown, vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes.
>> WHAT STARTED OUT AS A QUEST FOR A TASTY TOMATO HAS EVOLVED INTO A YEAR-ROUND OBSESSION. THE TOMATO MAN IS A CERTIFIED GARDEN MASTER WHO PAYS CLOSE ATTENTION TO IS HAPPY AND UNHAPPY. CUSTOMERS TO PROVIDE THE BEST TOMATO HARVEST EACH AND EVERY YEAR. BOB’S THE NEED JOINS US NOW WITH TIPS TO ENJOY HANDPICKED HOMEGROWN VINE. HEIRLOOM TOMATOES, SPOTS TO TELL US THIS ALL STARTED WHERE YOU ARE JUST KIND OF DO IN SOME FOR FRIENDS AND YOUR IN YOUR BACKYARD. >> BUT THEN EVERYBODY’S LIKE WE WANT MORE RIGHT? >> SO BECAME A BUSINESS. I LIKE TO CALL IN BUSINESS. I WOULD HAVE TO TAKE IT A LOT OF MONEY STARTED. THE YOU SEE IT ALL THE TIME. YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE AND THERE’S JUST THESE TOMATOES AND THEY’RE BRIGHT RED IN COLOR. BUT THE CHEST LIKE >> THE 2 MINUTE YOU BUY IN THE STORE COULD BE OFF VINE FROM ANYWHERE FROM 2 WEEKS TO A MONTH. THE SECRET GETTING A TOMATO. THAT RIGHT O THE VINE AND IT IS SWEET. IT SUGARY THE FLAVOR IS COMPLEX AND YOU’RE NOT GOING TO GET THAT FROM THOSE TASTELESS TRAVESTIES IN THE SUPERMARKET TASTE WAS THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT VARIETIES TO YES. HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE PICKING >> BOARD BUYING ANY? >> HEIRLOOM PLANNED THAT YOU GROW IS GOING TO TASTE WONDERFUL. I MEAN, THEY THEY COME IN ALL SIZES. THERE’S 5 TO 10,000 DIFFERENT VARIETIES FROM SOFTBALL SIZE DOWN TO THE SIZE YOU CAN. YOU CAN GET ANY OF THEM. AND ANY FRESH TOMATO WILL TASTE BETTER THAN WHAT YOU BUY IN THE STORE. AND THE INCREDIBLE THING IS THANK GOODNESS YOU’RE DOING THE WORK OF PRESERVING THESE HEIRLOOM SEEDS AND VARIETIES BECAUSE IF YOU DIDN’T DO IT, LIKE WHO WOULD BE DOING VERY IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO GET THE WORD OUT TO PRESERVE THE SEEDS TOTO FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THERE’S PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING. I AM A LA DENVER, SAN FRANCISCO, CLEVELAND. >> AND ALL OF THEM, ONE OF THEIR MISSIONS IS TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT HEIRLOOM TOMATOES. >> A WONDERFUL THING. SO I’M SURE PEOPLE AT HOME WERE GROWING THEIR OWN TOMATOES RIGHT NOW HAVE ONE QUESTION LIKE YOU HAVE THE EXPERT. ASK HIM. IT’S SO HOT RIGHT NOW. WHAT ARE WE WE DO? OKAY. I RECOMMEND 5 E FIRST. >> WATER EVERY DAY, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE POTS THE WAY THESE OKAY AND SECOND WATER, EVERY MORNING WHICH I KNOW I’M REPEATING BUT I CAN. IT’S A WAY STAY IN THE MORNING AND AT NIGHT, NO GO AHEAD. SORRY. NO, I’M OR WATERING EXTRA OKAY. OKAY. SO THE 3RD THING IS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A LOT OF MULCH IN THE PLANTS AND THAT’S A THAT’S THE AND I USE STRAW CAME 2 OR 3 INCHES AND IT’S IT’S GREAT BECAUSE IT’S A CHEAP. YOU CAN BUY ALMOST ANYWHERE IT’S IT’S KIND OF MESSY. SO IT’S REALLY NOT MAKE A TV STUDIO. BUT WHAT IS THE STRAW TO IS THIS IMPORTANT? WELL, PREVENTS EVAPORATION. IT’S KIND OF ANOTHER THING YOU CAN DO IS PUT OUT A BOWL OF WATER TO KEEP THE URBAN VERMIN AND OTHER WILDLIFE FROM GOING FOR THE TOMATO. SO GO FOR THE WATER AND THE TOMATOES LEFT ALONE AND FINALLY, THEY CAN PUT SOME SORT OF NETTING OVER THE PLAN. SOME SORT YOU KNOW, THE KIND OF THING THAT THEY HAVE RESTAURANT PATIO. YES, PUT THAT OVER THERE AND IT WILL CUT DOWN ON THE DIRECT SUN AND HEAT. THAT’S THAT’S HITTING THE PLAN. OKAY? >> WELL, LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PLANT HERE. SO YOU SAID THIS PLAN SHOWS US COUPLE SIGNS OF WHAT RIGHT NOW THERE’S THERE’S SOME DEAD OH, YES, AND THAT IS FROM THE EXTREME HEAT WHEN IT’S 65 85. MIDDLE PLANTS LOVE IT. >> 75 TO 95 NINETY-DEGREE DIFFERENT THAT NINETY-DEGREE TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO KILL THE FLOWERS. >> NO FLOWERS, NO FRUIT. SO THIS THESE ARE THE DEAD FLOWERS ON HAS GARBAGE WHAT GOING ON? OKAY, BECAUSE LOOK. >> JUICY. THEY AWAY SAVE IT. AND IT ABOUT THEIR LIMBS TO THEY ALWAYS HAVE THESE. I’D LIKE SHAPES LOOK LIKE THIS. SO ALL KINDS OF SHAPES THAT THERE ARE SOME THAT HAVE THE SHAPE OF A PUMPKIN. >> GAYNOR HALL: LIKE MANY PUMPKINS WITCHES. REALLY INTERESTING. THAT IS CRAZY. OKAY. I WAS ALSO TOLD YOU’RE GOING TO SHOW US TO DO SOMETHING WITH A TOOTHBRUSH THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO YOUR TOMATOES HAVE THAT WHAT ARE WE DOING TO ME? A PLAN POLLINATING. OKAY. SO YOU WANT TO GET THE POLLEN OFF FROM ONE FLOWER TO THE OTHER. NOW WHAT YOU CAN DO IS JUST SHAKING BECAUSE THAT WILL DISLODGE THE POLLEN OR YOU CAN USE. THAT RUSHED. LISTEN, BOB, I LOVE THAT. YOU HAVE SPARED NO EXPENSE FOR YOUR TOMATO PLANTS. YOU’RE USING A STATE-OF-THE-ART TOOTHBRUSH. SHAKES THE FLOWERS. >> TOMATOES CLOSE ATTENTION. YES, THEY DO. I MEAN, THEY ARE. THEY ARE GREAT THERAPY FOR ANYONE SUFFERING FROM THE. HEARTBREAK GD. YES, OBSESSIVE GARDENING. HAHA. >> I BET YOUR WIFE DOESN’T MY >> SHE IS GLAD I AM OUTSIDE THE HOUSE AND THE GARDEN HAND SIDE. HOW BEST WAY THAT YOU LIKE ENJOY YOUR TOMATOES. WHAT KIND OF DISH DO YOU JUST HAVE PLAY? AND YOU HAVE A TO ME TO SANDWICH DUE CAPRESE SALAD. HOW DO YOU ENJOY THEM? OKAY. ON A SALAD, OF COURSE, THE IS IT’S JUST MOST WONDERFUL THING WITH THEY DO. >> BASIL, THAT WHICH WE GROW ALONGSIDE FOR JUST LIKE IT ON A PIECE OF TOAST BETWEEN JUST BREAD WITH A LITTLE SALT AND PEPPER OKAY. DELIGHTFUL. WE LOVE YOU’RE GOING HAVE TO THANK TO THE THUNDER. DON’T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR SUNSCREEN WHEN YOU’RE OUT THERE GUARDING, OK AND ALL RIGHT. THANKS, BOB. FOR MORE TIPS, INFORMATION JUST HEAD TO CHICAGO TO MEET A MAN DOT COM OR FIND HIM ON INSTAGRAM. ARE YOU TRYING TO BE MADE A WOMAN? SCRUMPTIOUS. AND I JUST I LOVE TO MAKE SOME CATCHING ABOUT TOMATOES TO AND IT’S JUST GREAT. THAT >> I WILL FOLLOW HIM. THE PIED PIPER.
1 Comment
What a special hobby for people to enjoy.