LA GRANGE PARK, ILL. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A La Grange Park resident known as the “tomato man” is making deliveries since the coronavirus forced the cancellation of his annual plant sale.
Bob Zeni usually would have had a steady stream of people on his driveway this past weekend to buy some of the 2,000 tomato plants he grows.
Worried about social distancing, the village told Zeni not to hold his sale.
But that hasn’t dampened interest in his crop – in fact, he said there are even more people eager to buy his young plants.
He’s delivered hundreds already - driving to North Aurora, Palentine and even meeting a Wisconsinite who drove into Illinois.
Zeni plans to continue his garden-side service by delivering for the next few weeks.
Showing disdain for store-bought tomatoes, he called what's available in the grocery store “over-inflated, red water balloons”.
He grows about 80 different varieties, including black cherry tomatoes, green zebras and Abraham Lincoln beefsteaks.
Check out Zeni's tips on how to properly grow your tomato plant.
- Sun. The more the better. Plant the tomato in the sunniest spot you can find.
- Space them out. Tomato plants should be at least two feet and preferably three feet apart. They need the space for the roots to obtain sufficient nutrients from the soil.
- Dig a big hole. Prepare the soil with a mixture of 1/3 peat moss, 1/3 mushroom compost and 1/3 garden soil. Never ever use cow manure. It burns the roots.
- Plant them deep. The bottom quarter to the bottom third of the plant should go below the soil line. Those nubbies along the stem at the bottom of the plant are the start of roots trying to reach into the soil. Make it easy for them.
- Put the cages in when planting. Don’t wait until the plant gets large. Forcing the cage down around the plant then will only succeed in breaking the branches.
- Use sturdy cages. I suggest going to tomatocages.com. Their cages are very pricey but a wise investment. They’re collapsible (for easy storage) and are made from hinged high-gauge steel. Mine are at least 20 years old and show no deterioration whatsoever. They will probably outlast me. Those conical ones from the hardware store are more reasonably priced, but within a couple years the low-gauge supports are badly bent and the welds have popped off entirely.
- Plant basil around the plants to discourage aphids. Two or three should do it. Marigolds work well, too, but personally I hate the smell of them and I’m guessing they really taste awful on bruschette.
- Mulch around the plants to keep the soil from drying out. Cocoa shells are great, but not around dogs. Straw works well, too.
- Keep the soil evenly moist. Like a moist sponge. Don’t flood them until there’s standing water then ignore them until they’re dust dry. Then flood them then ignore them. That cycle produces fruits with cracked skin where mold can start. Water around the base of the plant if possible. Yeah, this requires ridiculous vigilance in the parched dog days of summer.
- Fertilize regularly. Every week or so give your plants a shot of Miracle Grow or Tomato Tone. Follow the direction on the package, okay? Be careful with Tomato Tone around dogs. It works great, but it’s bone meal, which dogs absolutely love to dig up and eat.
- Pinch them suckers. Less productive secondary branches – technically called “suckers” (really) – sprout between the main stem and primary branches. When you see them, simply pinch them off. This is nearly a full-time job as the plants grow more robust.
- Gently shake. Tomato plants are self-pollinating. You don’t need to plant them in pairs. Gently shaking or brushing the plant back and forth once the flowers appear will help distribute the pollen and increase the chances of more fruit. Do it daily if you’re really obsessive.
- Varmints? Rabbits, squirrels and chipmunks are both inevitable and frustrating beyond comprehension. They have an uncanny sense of the exact moment when your tomato has reached the pinnacle of ripe perfection. Then they grab it, take one bite and move on. I don’t endorse any lethal tactic – even though it works best and the critters truly deserve it. High fences are your best bet, as impossible as that is.
- Pots: 1) Use a big one. No smaller than 18” in diameter. Give the roots room to grow. And make sure there are drain holes in the bottom. 2) Weigh down the pots. In late summer when the plant is full of fruit it will get very top-heavy and tip over. Put bricks, cobblestones or a thick layer of pebbles inside at the bottom before you put the soil in. Make sure the pot rests on a flat, not tilted surface. 3) Water water water. Pots drain far faster than the ground. When it gets hot, you’ll need to water at least once a day.
- Pick it, eat it. When, after all of your loving attention and care, you gently pluck the luscious fruit off the vines, consume it ASAP. The longer it sits, the less flavorful it becomes.
- NEVER REFRIGERATE! The surest way to kill the taste of a tomato is to put it in the refrigerator. Never, ever do that. Like I said, pick it, eat it!
- Finally, don’t worry. Tomato plants are amazingly resilient. Whatever mistake you make, I’ve already made it several dozen times.
