Homegrown Tomatoes! (and Squash and Peas)

Homegrown tomatoes,
Homegrown tomatoes,
What would life be without homegrown tomatoes?
Only two things that money can’t buy
And that’s true love and homegrown tomatoes….

– Guy Clark, Homegrown Tomatoes, from his album Better Days

In 2009 Horticulture Projects Director George Kuepper and intern Bobby Quinn started plants for the upcoming season in the greenhouse. They also established an herb garden bed using compost made from chicken litter and sawdust.

During the summer of 2009, squash, tomatoes, gourds, and purple hull peas were grown in the garden. Buckwheat as a beneficial insect attractant and green manure was sown between the rows.

Seventeen heirloom tomatoes, six trailing squash and nine bush squash heirloom varieties are being evaluated. Intern Frances Forrest helped pick and weigh the produce. Reports on the tomato and squash trials are available free to download.

One goal of the trials is to give Oklahoma farmers and gardeners information on what traditional varieties grow and produce well in Oklahoma. Because, contrary to the song, if you can’t grown them yourself, ripe, flavorful “home grown” Oklahoma tomatoes can be had at state farmers’ markets, farm stands and through outlets like the Oklahoma Food Cooperative. Click here for info on local food.

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