Normally, I have nothing to do with fresh tomatoes this time of year. The tomatoes one sees around here in May are either hard, flavorless pink golf balls, or fancy, overpriced imports shipped from who-knows-where. And yet, as I write this, I am happily devouring a small handful of sweet, ripe local cherry tomatoes.
Fresh. Local. Tomatoes. In Seattle. In May. How is this possible?
Not ten minutes ago, my petite serving of tomatoes was still on the stem. For almost three weeks, this tomato plant has occupied (quite literally) the front row seat in our southwesterly bay window. In the past ten days, I’ve harvested a couple dozen luscious crimson orbs. They ripen a few at a time, and one plant is great for the person who wants several tomatoes every other day or so. (Paul doesn’t like raw tomatoes, nor do the cats, so these are all mine!)
Before the tomato plant came to live with us, it was raised in a greenhouse in Sequim (pronounced Skwim), WA. This lady and her husband raise tomato plants and worms. They grow the tomato plants in the worm castings, which they also use to make worm tea, a better drink for your thirsty plants than for you. Do they feed their worms tomatoes? If so, lucky worms!
You can buy your own tomato house plant at the Ballard Farmers Market.
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Yum! Wish we have a Squim tomato lady near by. Barbie.
Are tomato plant poisonous to cats? My (possibly wrong) understanding is that they are unhealthy for people to eat, which makes me wonder about having them around cats. If they are cat safe, though, I’ll have to run by the Ballard farmer’s market!