Tomatoes & Okra

This year I decided to try something new with some of my Celebrity tomatoes. I had read that planting them outside the compost bin really made a big difference in the plant. Boy, did it!

To explain the "why" this is true here goes... First of all, the compost bin here holds most of my household compost such as veggie scraps, egg shells, coffee grounds etc. I add other things such as weeds, some soil and yard waste. What happens is that while it all breaks down into lovely compost it rains and washes the compost and nutrients into the surrounding soil. The added bonus of attracting earthworms makes a huge difference in the soil too. I've only had to water the tomatoes these past few weeks as rain here in Texas has all but stopped. No fertilizer additions required and it has plenty of blooms. I like this!

Next is my Clemson Spineless Okra. This is my first year trying this variety. It only grows to 4 ft. tall. This thing is a must to those wanting plenty of okra with little problems. I was told this is as easy as growing weeds here. :) The only warning is to watch for the ants. They'll be all over the place! If it's fire ants, be especially cautious because I have the bites to prove it. Gloves are a must here.