Home-grown tomatoes

Some gardeners in Henry County have stopped trying to grow tomatoes due to blossom end rot, buckeye rot, leaf spots, overwatering, under-watering, nutrient deficiency, high nitrogen use, insect damage, deer damage or herbicide overspray. That's why the annual tomato growing class has become one of the more popular programs offered by Henry County Extension. Extension staff compiled the latest research-based information in a booklet form for use in this program. The Extension demonstration garden is used to show real time results of the methods being taught. Classes are updated so that even those who attend each year are learning new things. There have been 212 class participants with the past three years having over 50 participants each. At the Henry County Extension Farmers Market, on the last Thursday of July there is a tomato tasting event, where visitors to the market can sample fresh, locally grown tomatoes to decide which ones taste the best. For the 2016 season 45 samplers chose Arkansas Traveler as their number one choice followed by Cherokee Purple and Better Boy.