I love passionate people, whether it’s about cooking, music, sports and of course, gardening. My friend Marielle, who lives in Canada, is a huge birdwatcher and gardener. She’s called the Tomato Queen, and she shared with me all the secrets and dirty tricks for growing tomatoes.

Her passion for tomatoes began when she bought her century-old house in 1988. At first, there was nothing, just gravel and three rose bushes. She then brought in loads of good soil to create a good base and then she planted grass all over the land. Looking back, she laughs, “What an idea!” she says. Today, all that remains is a small grassy area.

Marielle didn’t study horticulture; and she learned a lot from her mistakes, adding that the school of life taught her the art. She joined a plant and gardening forum, where she met wonderful people, ME for example, and then she bought seeds and traded them all over the world. She tried several varieties of tomatoes, of all shapes, sizes, and colors, from flattened to heart-shaped to even banana-shaped.

She learned how to preserve them, first by selecting the most beautiful tomatoes, the one that possesses all the characteristics of the variety, a ‘perfect’ one, then you squeeze the tomato over a glass, along with the juice and seeds. Let it macerate for three days; the maceration sterilizes the seed, and prevents disease, so there will be a layer of mold on top. You then wash the seeds through a sieve and let them dry, taking care to label the batch. You can store the seeds in a small paper envelope for up to 10 years.

You can buy seed trays at the Sunshine Nursery in Gracebay, but you can also use egg cartons and light potting soil. Re-transplant them when they have 2 true leaves, it’s essential to bury the plant a bit deeper.

Tomatoes like cooler nights, which is OK with our winters, but the long summers in Turks and Caicos have very hot nights, so it’s best to find heat-tolerant varieties or cherry tomatoes during this period.

Another tip from Marielle is to sow buckwheat; this prevents diseases that are present in the soil. Fungi often take root in the heat and humidity, and the buckwheat will act as a shield and keep these spores there. She prefers to water in the morning rather than in the evening so that the plants are dry before nightfall and thus avoid fungicide problems. She adds that she sprays with milk—yes, you read that right—she says the fat in the milk protects against tomato blight, so she doesn’t have any insect or disease problems. Note that once the tomato plant is dead, it should never be composted.

I harvest and eat; the flavour of a freshly picked tomato from the garden is nothing like one bought at the grocery store. Marielle makes lots of dishes, like macaroni and cheese with tomato sauce, lasagna, etc., and freezes some for months to come.

My friend told me that she has planted at least a hundred varieties, and that she’s now focused on about twenty species: The tomatoes have different flavours; the yellow ones, for example, are sweeter, and the small cherry tomatoes explode in your mouth. She eats them every day, either simply picked and eaten like fruit (in fact, it is a fruit), she also makes salads and delicious sandwiches.

I must tell you that Marielle has a large, beautiful garden, not only tomatoes, but a large collection of peonies, irises, and many other gems. She doesn’t have a gardener; it’s the fruit of her labor. She lost her sight in the late 1990s, but it’s never been a handicap for her; in fact, if you meet her, you’ll quickly forget she can’t see. I asked her how she navigates her garden, she told me hearing the water from the fountain, the noise from the street, and closer, the noise of the neighbours. She touches the plants and knows exactly where they are in the garden. There are also some paving stones for some of the paths, and sometimes she crushes a plant or walks too close to them with the lawnmower, but she says, “Well, they’ll grow back.” I even allowed myself to tell her that her trellises weren’t straight; it bothered me lol. Obviously, it’s more difficult now than before, but “we make do,” she says. She weeds, plants, and replants the plants herself.

This passionate woman says that what makes a difference and her independence is being surrounded by people who let you live and be autonomous, who force you to go further.

Marielle’s Spaghetti Sauce

• 2 lb Ground Beef
• 5 Onions, finely chopped
• 1 Green Bell Pepper, chopped
• 5 Garlic Cloves
• 1/4 tsp Clove
•  1/2 Thyme
• 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Basil
• 1/2 tsp Parsley
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 tsp Chili Sauce
• 3 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
• Garden Tomatoes (about 6 cups pureed)
• 1/2 cup Ketchup (or less)
• 2 10-ounce cans Cream of Tomato Soup
• 1 5 1/2-ounce can Tomato Paste
• 1 can Tomato Sauce
• 1 cup Red Wine

Sauté the onions, then add the meat, garlic, peppers, and spices. Brown, then add the wine. When the wine has evaporated slightly, stir in the remaining ingredients.
Cook in a casserole dish for 2 hours.