Tomato Man Shares Gardening Tips AG WORLD Ag World The Tomato Man also known as Joe Cluts learned early on that when it comes to growing great tomatoes sometimes it doesn t hurt to depart from what the experts say More than 200 tomato plants and a myriad of other vegetables fill his raised 4-ft wide beds that run the full length of his 50 by 150-ft garden
    Years ago when Cluts followed his extension agent s recommendation to add 1/2-in organic material to his heavy clay soil it didn t help at all Cluts decided to take extreme measures He brought in 100 tons of sand and 100 tons of manure - enough to cover his garden 3 ft deep The sand trucker thought he was crazy and Cluts admits the soil wasn t great the first couple of years but it s gotten better every year since He re-generates it each year with 2 in of an organic sawdust/horse manure mix that fertilizes holds moisture and mulches so well that Cluts doesn t have to weed The raised beds also dry faster in the spring for earlier planting When he needs to water the beds Cluts irrigates from a pond
     Virtually all I have to do is plant and harvest he says To prevent disease Cluts plants tomato plants 2 ft apart in cages he makes out of sturdy concrete reinforcing wire He uses the same wire around the garden s perimeter to keep out wildlife
    Each year Cluts starts 1 800 tomato plants 97 varieties in 10-oz Styrofoam cups in late winter The cups are cheap and give the plant more space to produce healthy roots Each cup is numbered according to the tomato variety it contains and becomes a garden marker once the plants are transplanted
    The seedlings are grown in a lean-to greenhouse next to his house Clutz uses vents and fans to transfer heat between the greenhouse and house when he starts the plants in March He also has electric heaters and a backup propane heater
     Use a soil-less mix not compost Cluts says You want it sterilized without fertilizer The pots should be on 75-80 degree surfaces or heating pads with a plastic dome or something on top to hold moisture Once plants are 1/2-in tall they should be placed in a cooler location so they don t grow long and leggy He also likes to harden off plants in the high 30 s and low 40 s which makes them hardier and bear fruit earlier
    Cluts sells all but about 200 of his plants He also sells the 1/2 to 1-bushel of fruit each plant bears at a stand in his front yard He encourages people to taste different varieties and try some of the old heirloom favorites Some varieties such as Brandywine are overrated in his estimation
     My favorite is Hillbilly Cluts says It s very large at 16 to 32 oz and multicolored - yellow orange red It s not the prettiest but it s the best tasting
    He grows tomatoes in all colors - red yellow orange green and white purple and chocolate brown - and has plenty of entries for the county fair The Tomato Man as customers call him is a perennial ribbon winner
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Joe Cluts Tomato Man 9799 Pekin Rd Novelty Ohio 44072 ph 440 338 3091

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