AccuWeather.com

Tasty Veggie Tidbits

Jul 19, 2010; 11:27 AM ET

This week I thought I would focus on vegetables again as they always seem to be ready for plucking now. I am including some sites of interest to help you learn more about vegetable gardening as well as how to improve your tomato crops with proper pruning and staking. Lastly I am including some really neat tidbits of information on tomatoes.

Americans are converting some of their yards to produce food for the table and reconnect with nature and the University of Illinois Extension has several web sites to help.

"Vegetable gardening has been increasing as more and more people want to grow at least some of their own food," said Jane Scherer, U of I Extension urban programs specialist and director of Extension's website. "Helpful hints and guidelines are only a mouse click away on a number of vegetable gardening-related Extension websites."

The Illinois Vegetable Garden Guide offers step-by-step guidelines and tips for the home gardener. "Vegetables from the home garden are fresher, may have better nutrient values, and often cost less than those sold in stores," Scherer said. In addition to providing wholesome, low-cost food, vegetable gardening is a hobby, one in which the whole family can take part. "The purpose of this guide is to help you plan and maintain a garden under Illinois growing conditions so that you will have an abundant supply of high-quality vegetables at harvest and even throughout the year if you freeze, can, or store your vegetables." Watch Your Garden Grow is a guide to growing, storing, and preparing vegetables.

"All gardens have problems," explained Scherer. "One year it may be insects and disease and the next year it may be a drought. This website has lots of good information about dealing with problems, planning, and utilizing the garden's production."

Children often love to get their hands dirty. When they are allowed to help in the garden, it can be fun and educational for them. My First Garden is a guide to the world of fun and clever gardening targeted toward youngsters.

"The purpose of this site is to make learning about gardens, flowers, vegetables and the principles of horticulture a really fun and creative experience," Scherer said. Extension also has two online features that are regularly updated to reflect changing conditions and concerns.

Gardener's Corner is available both as a web site and a YouTube series.

"Both are great sources for up-to-date information on gardening topics," she said.

Pruning and staking tomato crops to improve yields

Pruning and staking tomato plants helps keep the fruit off the ground, protect fruit from sunburn, and get a decent crop. "Staking and pruning also expose leaves to full sun and reduces competition between suckers and the developing fruit," said Maurice Ogutu. "Tomatoes can be supported by stakes, cages or trellises. The type of support depends on the tomato growth habit. "Tomatoes are divided into two different types -- determinate and indeterminate varieties -- based on their growth habits."

And here are 10 Neat Things About Tomatoes I bet you didn't know...

Donna Dawson for ICanGarden.com