All Roots Planter Co. News

A Cook's Herb Garden

Mon, 18 May 2020 19:24:48 GMT

Every cook can have their own herb garden; providing fresh herbs for their favorite fish, soup, pasta, or meat dish.

You do not need a garden to have fresh herbs available; a sunny window sill or deck will do. All you need is one of our planters , some potting soil, seedlings or plants, water, plus good old fashioned sunshine and you are on your way to fresh herbs for your next 'gourmet' meal. Fresh herbs not only provide excellent flavors to your meals but the plants add nature's beauty and aroma inside your home and outdoor living spaces.

These eight herbs are some of our favorites for growing in planters:

Mint
Basil
Thyme
Sage
Oregano
Parsley
Chives
Rosemary

Need a little guidance on growing herbs in planters. Maybe this article from The Spruce will help you:

Easy Tips for Growing Herbs in Containers →

The Dirt: Potting Soil

Tue, 12 May 2020 19:24:48 GMT

Container plants need a balance of moist, well-draining soil. Potting soil is the right choice for your plants in our planters . Potting soil is developed to be a well balanced growing environment. A mix of organic materials allows both air and water to flow through the soil while retaining enough moisture to satiate your plant's thirst.

Potting soil is perfect for your container plantings, in your home and outdoors. Cover the drain holes with a few small pebbles or mesh, to keep the potting soil mix from falling out. Fill your planter up about 3/4 of the way with potting soil, add your seedlings or plants, firm them in with a little more potting soil, water...and you are ready to grow.

Varieties of Red, Green and Yellow Tomatoes

Fri, 01 May 2020 19:24:47 GMT

Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable among home gardeners in America. In part, their popularity is due to how easy they are to grow. Tomatoes are a great addition to any garden or patio planter, from beginners to those with years of experience. With our planters and the Tomato Ring , growing them is easier than ever before!

There are almost too many varieties of tomatoes to count, so just pick two or three new ones every year. Eventually you will find favorites that you want to plant year after year.

Don’t try too many varieties at once. If you are new to tomato varieties, it is harder to take good care of lots of different varieties than just two or three.

It can be difficult to find unique varieties at garden stores where most tomato plants are sold. The easiest way to explore new varieties is to start from seed.

The varieties mentioned below are heirlooms, which means that you can save the seeds to use next year. Heirloom varieties are a great way to try unique and delicious tomatoes, but there are lots of hybrid varieties available at garden stores, which tend to be more disease-resistant, be better for storage, and appear more uniform.

Some of our Favorites:

A purple favorite - Cherokee Purple tomatoes are our favorite! They have the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, are great for slicing, and are easy to grow. They have reddish skin with hints of purple and green, and they look incredibly juicy and appealing when you slice them open – like something you’d want to eat. Cherokee Purples are very popular all over the country, so if you only try one new variety this year, make this the one!

Green when ripe - Everyone needs to try a ripe, green tomato and Aunt Ruby’s German Green is a popular one. They are large beefsteak tomatoes, delicious and surprisingly sweet. When ripe, they are green with a hint of yellow. We like to plant them closest to the house or entrance to the garden where we can keep a close eye on them because it’s so easy to get tricked by the green color and pick them when they are over-ripe. Test for ripeness by gently pressing the shoulders (the top rounded part near the stem) – they are ripe when soft, just like a red variety. (By the way, fried green tomatoes are made with unripe tomatoes. If you are going to make this delicious Southern treat with Aunt Ruby’s German Green, just pick them unripe.)

Delicious yellow tomato - Lillian’s Yellow is also a beefsteak type tomato but it is yellow with a hint of orange when ripe. It is also generally smaller and rounder than Aunt Ruby’s German Green. It has a thin skin that breaks easily, so it can be hard to transport and store, but we prefer thin skin when eating fresh tomatoes. Another popular yellow is Brandywine Yellow – it is larger and maybe even more delicious than Lillian’s.

Cherries for the kids - Cherry tomatoes are great for getting kids into the garden. They are small enough to eat in one bite. We like to choose sweet varieties (these often have “Sugar” in the name) to keep the kids coming back for more! They come in yellow, red and even black.

Tomatoes for tomato sauce - Paste tomatoes are good for making tomato sauce because they have denser flesh and fewer seeds (with less water that would have to be cooked down). We have always liked Amish Paste and have stuck with it year after year. But there are so many intriguing varieties to try – maybe this is the year we branch out!

Let us know if you have a favorite that we should try!

Introducing the Tomato Ring

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 19:00:26 GMT

All Roots Planter Co. is now home of the Tomato Ring - Sold in sets of 6 for $25.99

Tomato Ring is a Cage on a Stake!

All Roots Planter Co. is now home of the Tomato Ring ; formerly part of Veggie Cage LLC and gotogardener.com.

Grow the best tomatoes this year. Designed specifically to help grow & support tomatoes. The Tomato Ring is made of galvanized spring steel and is one of the premier tomato cages on the market today. With the Tomato Ring you get the best of both worlds. Experience the convenient support of tomato cages and the height and plant support of a stake without the bulk of a cage and tedious tying and retying of a stake. At the end of the season, simply toss them in a bucket.