I love tomatoes. Well, I love them NOW. When I was a child, you couldn’t get me to eat a raw tomato if my life depended on it. If it didn’t come as sauce, or green and fried, it wasn’t getting near my mouth. But oh, how the tide has turned. I’m growing five different varieties of heirloom tomatoes on my little apartment balcony. Most of them are the grape or cherry size, perfect for making bruschetta.

The problem I’m having involves the fact that sometimes my excitement causes me to go overboard (Seed Savers Exchange does wonders to fulfill my veggie shopping needs). I have up to five tomato plants in each pot, which is obviously way too many for providing them with adequate room and plenty of food and water. Plus, I have pretty much no room left to stake them, so that they won’t fall over from the weight of their fruit. But – and this is a big but – I feel like there is a good lesson to take from all of this. Anyone, and I do mean ANYONE, can grow veggies. Whenever. Wherever. However. Even with five squeezed into a pot, the tomatoes are super yummy and great in all of my favorite dishes. I have tossed a little extra organic fertilizer into the pots over the past few months, but to be completely honest I think this just made them taller.

So, the moral of this story? Grow some veggies! It can’t hurt. You don’t need much space and with containers you can put them right outside of your kitchen. The only downside to this is that you’ll most likely be plucking tomatoes off of the vine well before they’re fully ripe. But they still taste great!

My Favorite Quick Bruschetta Recipe

1 tbsp pesto
2 tbsp garlic powder
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (you can make the recipe equal parts oil and vinegar if you like a little extra kick)
1 to 2 cups of tomatoes cut into small cubes

Let the mix sit for about ten minutes and then spoon over toasted semolina bread. Add grated asiago cheese to taste.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.

Buy at Amazon

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon