| NAME | HOMETOWN | VARIETIES | PLATFORM |
| Karen Vati | Massapequa Park | Beefsteak | Forget cages! |
"My garden is my therapy, relaxation, and pride and joy," says Karen Vati, 49, of Massapequa Park. "This year I am growing 12 Beefsteak, 1 cherry and 2 Campari plants that we've started from those little tomatoes in the grocery store as an experiment."
Vati, a design consultant with Drexel Heritage, grows her crop in 10 raised beds lined with 12 x 12 pavers "to keep the weeds out." She removes the bottom leaves on the plants and keeps them upright with bamboo "teepees" made from bamboo grown by her husband,Tom. "Forget cages!" she says, asserting that her homemade contraptions work better.
Every two weeks, the mother of two -- Marisa, 18, and Michael, 15 -- gives her plants a shot of Miracle-Gro, and so far, she says, "the crop looks to be outstanding."
