Staff writer
When Tracy Hett put two tomato plants in his Trace of Copper storefront in Marion, he was only trying to keep the plants alive until spring. He never expected the plants to yield a steady supply of fresh produce, but that is exactly what they did.
The plants began in 2009 as “volunteer plants” — plants that germinated from seeds dropped by other plants in his garden in Galva.
He had to get the plants out of his garden. He didn’t want to throw them away, so he planted them in a pair of pots and put them on his back porch. When weather got cold, he decided to take them to his store. Hett placed the potted plants in front of a large south-facing window, where they can get the most sunshine.
To his surprise, the plants began to grow larger. The plants are about 7 feet tall and take about one-half gallon of water every two weeks.
Hett wasn’t sure if the plants would produce tomatoes, because he didn’t know whether they needed to be pollinated. Apparently they didn’t need it, he said, because he has picked between 40 and 50 tomatoes. Another 30 smaller tomatoes are growing on the plants.
The tomatoes aren’t as large or tasty as ones grown during the summer in his garden, he said
“Nothing is as good as summertime, sun-ripened tomatoes,” Hett said, but they are better than imported tomatoes.
Hett plans to transplant the plants to a garden behind the store at 1216 Commercial Drive when the weather is warm enough. He said he will try putting four plants in his window next winter.
Customers have told him they were envious of his winter produce. Hett doesn’t blame them. He and his wife, Geraldine, enjoy having fresh tomatoes for salads and sandwiches.
“I bet we’re the only folks around here who had BLTs in January with homegrown tomatoes,” he said.