by Diane Sagers

CORRESPONDENT

Tomatoes are the reason for growing a garden in many people's opinion. In lots with small yards and no room for a garden, many people still find a little corner to grow a plant or two. Ditto for people with hectic lifestyles.

The ultimate would be to have fresh, garden-grown tomatoes year-round, but we live in a climate that does not allow us that privilege.

I would feel like that was a misfortune, only I have seen many sorry looking tomato plants in warmer climates. Our dry air keeps the plants from becoming diseased, and provided we don't have weird summer weather, we can nearly always count on a bounteous harvest.

I have tried extending the season by moving potted tomato plants into a greenhouse so I could continue with them through the winter, but the results have been less than perfect. Our greenhouse depends on solar heat with no supplemental heat or light and it is not warm enough to encourage the plants to grow more. The year I did this, the plant maintained itself and the tomatoes that were on it ripened gradually as the plant declined. They were not particularly good, as the plant got white flies that quickly spread throughout the greenhouse to other plants. What made that worse, the tomatoes I picked green and allowed to ripen over the next few months tasted better and kept for a longer time. I won't bother with that again.

Storing tomatoes can extend the harvest. The flavor of stored tomatoes will not be quite as good as those picked fresh during warmer weather, but you can still enjoy them.

The first frost is usually a light one, and often a covering of rugs, blankets or even plastic over the tomato plants to hold the residual heat in is sufficient to keep the plants green for a night or two until the weather warms again. However, by the time we reach the end of October, trying to save them on the vine for longer could also be pushing luck.

You can pick the entire tomato plant, carry it into the basement or another cool place, and hang it upside down with the tomatoes intact. This option is rather messy as leaves drop off and the fruits are not sorted according to quality.

My preferred method to save more of the harvest is to pick the mature green tomatoes to store indoors. Mature green tomatoes are those that have turned from the bright green immature shade to a light green or whiter tint. Use cracked or damaged, but otherwise sound, green tomatoes in green tomato recipes such as fried green tomatoes and green tomato preserves and relishes. For storing, after the rain finishes and the plants dry off, select only sound, mature, green tomatoes that are not cracked, bruised and do not have holes in them. Damaged fruits deteriorate rapidly. If you feel the need to pick while it is still raining, dry the tomatoes off before storing them.

Sort the fruits according to maturity. Use those that have begun to turn yellow or orange first, saving those that are mostly white to ripen later.

Air circulation is essential to keeping tomatoes fresh and tasty. Place them in single layers on racks or in boxes with plenty of ventilation. Store in a cool, dry place until you are ready to use them. They will ripen gradually a few at a time. Move some of the more mature specimens to a warmer area to speed up ripening.

Despite this special care, it is inevitable that some of the tomatoes will spoil or mold. To avoid spoiled spots from spreading to one fruit to another, wrap them individually or place them between layers of newspaper. Check frequently and dispose of those that show signs of spoilage.

Certain types of tomatoes store better than other types. Those with a higher solid content such as plum and paste tomatoes keep longer. Several varieties such as "Long Keeper" have been developed with storage in mind.

If you plan to store them, plant Long Keeper tomatoes later in the season than summer varieties. They look different from most tomatoes. Instead of developing a red color that deepens with age, mature Long Keepers look somewhat orange when they are mature. The skin stays light but the fruits develop a red interior that shows through. The fruits will often last well into the winter.

So, while now is the time to enjoy the fruits of your labors, plan ahead to extend that time by storing tomatoes.

Tips for the week

* Bring amaryllis bulbs that have grown outside in the summer into the house if you haven't already, and start them on their dormant phase. Lay the pot on its side in a basement, garage, or other cool, dry area. Do not water them until the resting phase is over. The bulb will gradually yellow as it prepares for the resting period. Do not let the bulb freeze. It should stay at 45 to 50 degrees until November or December when you start the cycle over again.

* Dig cannas, dahlias, gladiolas and other summer "bulbs" to store over the winter months.

* Plant bulbs and biennials for an early spring show.

* Cut lawns a little shorter than the usual 2 1/2 to 3 inches before putting away the lawn mower for the winter.

* Spray morning glory and other perennial weeds with glyphosate -- the active ingredient in sprays such as Round-up, Killzall and others. A more effective spray is a sprayer full of water with a full dose of both a glyphosate product and 2-4,D. Perennial weeds will translocate the sprays down to the roots at this time of year for more effective control.

* Spray lawn weeds with 2-4,D, Trimec or other broad-leaf weed killer.