OK – we admit it! ‘Snomato’ is not a real word – but we think it is an idea too good not to share!

A number of savvy gardeners have a neat trick – they plant ‘late season’ tomatoes in the middle of summer and very early fall and get another flush of fruit just before the winter hits.  Pretty sneaky we say.

To make this work – the real secret is to plant varieties that are very quick to bloom and fruit – ‘early’ in tomato vernacular.  So – without further delay – let us introduce to you our family of ‘Snomato’ plants– our very early to bloom, plant them mid summer and race the winter collection.

Most of our ‘Snomato’ collection are varieties that will fruit in 40 days or so – compared to the more traditional 60 day speed of regular tomatoes.  You can also tell by the names these have been selected by breeders originally to fruit in places of very short summers – ‘ Manitoba ’ and ‘ Siberia ’ are good examples. Summer in Manitoba– I was there that week…

Tricks :

• Plant ‘Snomato’ plants mid summer till mid fall. 
• Plant plants as big as you can.
• Since we are racing the frost – hot spots are ideal – that really hot southwest wall will help protect the plants from frost and keep them growing when temperatures start to cool.
• If you have a lot of small fruit and flowers – consider ‘suckering’ the plant – pinching out the youngest and smallest fruit to let the plant focus on ripening the bigger fruit. Avoid too much feed – especially Nitrogen (the first number in the N-P-K ratio)as you want the plants to be fruiting – not growing leaves. ( My real secret is using VIGORO Root Stimulator and Transplanting liquid plant food – it is low N and high P and K and perfect for this late season race)
• Finally – ‘Snomato’ plants are no more frost tolerant than normal tomatoes – just faster to fruit – so if you have a frost coming and you want to keep gardening – throw a sheet, drop cloth or plastic bags over the ‘Snomato’ plants to keep the frost off the plants. 

HEALTHFUL ASPECT OF TOMATOES
Tomatoes are an excellent source of lycopene, the major carotenoid contained in tomatoes that is responsible for the deep red color. Similar to beta-carotene, lycopene has been noted as a potent anti-oxidant which eliminates cancer-causing free radicals. Numerous studies have confirmed that people who consume increased amounts of tomato products experience marked reductions in cancer risk. A University of California at Davis survey also ranked the tomato as the single most important fruit or vegetable of western diets in terms of overall source of vitamins and minerals.

GROWING TOMATOES
Set out as transplants (like VIVA! Veggies!) after the danger of frost has passed. When planting, remove one or two sets of lower leaves from the stem, and bury the entire stem up to the remaining leaves. Tomatoes will root along the entire stem creating a stronger more robust plant.

• Tomatoes are categorized as early, mid, or late-season as well as determinate or indeterminate. Determinate tomato plants grow to a certain height and then stop. Indeterminate tomato plants grow, flower, and set fruit throughout the entire growing season.

• Choose a garden site that receives full sun and has good soil drainage. Tomato plants can also be grown in containers using a sterile planting mix with good drainage.

• Tomatoes grown unstaked are usually planted 3-4 feet apart. Plants to be staked or caged are planted 2-3 feet apart. Stakes and cages should be set at planting time or soon after to minimize damage to the root system.

• In most situations plants only need to be fertilized when transplanting and once after fruit set has begun. A soluble starter fertilizer, high in phosphorus, is recommended. Use according to label directions.

• Deep but infrequent watering once established. Water when soil becomes dry down to 2" below soil surface.

Harvesting and Ripening: Tomatoes are at their finest when picked thoroughly ripe from the vine. If picked slightly unripe, they can be left on a kitchen counter or windowsill and they will still ripen perfectly. Never refrigerate tomatoes; it stops the ripening and dulls the flavor. At the end of the season when the plants have finished and there are still green tomatoes on the vine, pick them and enjoy “fried green tomatoes”, or wrap individual tomatoes in newspaper and store in a cool dark location checking on them frequently. Over a few weeks or so they will ripen into nice red tomatoes when the season is long over!