This summer I introduced tomatoes to our garden (or yard as I would call it). These were purchased at the Lowe’s in San Bruno. My understanding is these tomatoes are probably of similar family to cherry tomatoes that can be found in the grocery store, and can probably be quite delicious. Certainly tomatoes that I can find in the grocery store are tasty and an important part of the diet.
The red tomatoes contain amongst others the molecules lycopene. This is a red pigment found in many red colored vegetables and is known as a phytochemical that may have anti-oxidant capabilities in the human body. The lycopene molecule is similar to beta-carotene, found in carrots.
When I bought the tomato plant, there was only a single budding tomato, green and approximately 1 inch in diameter. I potted the plant in a larger vessel and covered with soil, bought also at Lowes. The soils typically contain rich nutrients, organic matter and air. In particular, nitrates or nitrogen compounds, phosphor compounds and some sulfur compounds may be important in the soil as nutrients for vegetable growth. Certainly these elements, nitrogen, phosphor and sulfur, are important parts of the molecules that are needed for our nutrition. Daily watering and sunshine adds to what is needed for the plant to grow. After about a month and a half, there are six to seven tomatoes growing on the vines, and the first and second one have begun to turn slightly red. We will see how far these tomatoes grow.工