Question
Hi Mike. I have 3 tomato plants whic all have small green tomatoes on them.  My Early Girl has one small red tomato which feels firm.  How do I know when to pick them?   Also how large are Early Girl tomatoes when mature?  I fed them a couple weeks ago with Kellogg's organic vegetable food.  Should I feed them again now, or not for a few more weeks?

Answer
Nancy, Early Girls are one of the smaller varieties, growing to only about 6-8 oz., or the size of a tennis ball.

Tomatoes should be picked by color. If they are a bright or dark red, and the fruit is firm, you want to pick now. Keep in mind that the first fruits are always the smallest. Subsequent harvests should be larger.

In regard to fertilizing, you should only feed the plants once every 14 days. More than that is not healthy for the plants. Using an organic fertilizer is a good idea, but make sure the second number on the fertilizer ratio, which represent phosphorus, is larger than the first, which is nitrogen. Nitrogen promotes lush foliage at the expense of blooming, while phosphorus stimulates more blooms and larger fruit.

I hope this answered your question. Please write again if I can ever provide assistance.

Regards,

Mike