I spent some time planting in my raised bed garden yesterday. Already had some corn, peas, and some lemon basil in so I put in some tomatoes.

Now I’ve planted tomatoes in the past but I’ve only really had success with cherry tomatoes. This time I did some research. Soil is the first thing to consider. From listening to Randy Lemmon (garden guru) on the radio I’ve learned to go heavy with the rose soil.

Next, not all vegetable species are created equal. Certain varieties do better in any given location. For my location along the sunny gulf coast, I bought Carnival and Better Bush, both determinate.

Say what? Yes, that’s something else I learned: the terms determinate and indeterminate. Don’t you just love counter-intuitive words? In a nutshell, determinate tomato plants only reach a given height, four feet is a good bet, and produce fruit within a short period of time.

Indeterminate ones, on the other hand, grow larger, need staking, and bear fruit for a longer period of time.

Will I save much money by growing my own vegetables? Probably not this year, give what I’ve shelled out for building the raised bed. Cinder blocks, soil, and mulch. This year, I do it for homegrown organic flavor. Next year, I save money!

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