Tomato contestant: Burt Tarcher
Reader Burt Tarcher's tomato garden. (2013) Credit: Handout
Burt Tarcher of Great Neck has sent an update from his “Tarcher Victory Garden”:
“These babies were germinated from seeds and are San Marzano tomatoes. And yes I'm very proud! These amazing, meaty tomatoes are wonderful for sauce.” Tarcher gives his plants water, sunlight, organic feedings, coffee grinds and eggs shells. “They are overgrowing their 6-foot bamboo stakes and are still flowering with multiple layers of fruit.” He’s expecting to start harvesting at the end of the month, just in time for the Challenge!
Save the date
Are you in? This year’s contest will be held at 7 p.m. Aug. 23 at Newsday headquarters (235 Pinelawn Rd., Melville). To join, simply bring your biggest, heaviest ripe fruit to the event. I'll be on hand to weigh your tomatoes personally and crown the 2013 Tomato King or Queen. In the meantime, send a photo of yourself with your tomato plants, along with details about your growing strategy, to jessica.damiano@newsday.com, and you might be featured next.
