Projo Garden Blog

I just received a book that some of you might be interested in. Giant Tomatoes: How to grow giant tomatoes, and lots of little ones too, by Marvin H. Meisner, M.D ($19.95). They previously published a book about giant pumpkins.

My previously declared loathing of the love apple makes me the last person to judge the quality of a book about tomatoes, but I know Rhode Islanders are passionate about them, and the book appears to have some good information, even if the "Alien Autopsy" style seed-saving photos left me a little queasy.

Dr. Meisner, a retired cardiologist in Pennsylvania, has included interviews with growers of champion tomatoes (the book lists the heaviest tomato of all time as 7.75 pounds!) extensive growing advice and attractive photographs of a variety of tomatoes with big potential, and the people who grow them.

I like books written by scientists, and this one is easy to read, and has a glossary. I think it would be suitable for a beginner, up through someone who's tinkering with mycorrhizae to increase yields. (They're beneficial fungi that live around plants' roots.)

As a bonus, How to Grow Tomatoes, by Gordon Graham, the man responsible for the world record tomato mentioned above, is reprinted in the back.

Of course, biggest doesn't mean best-tasting. But how you use the growing advice is up to you.

If readers have books they recommend on tomatoes, or vegetable gardening in general, post the titles and authors/editors here! Projo Garden Blog readers tell us they are eager to learn more about vegetable gardening.

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