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How to grow tomatoes successfully

Published 28 February 2024
– By Editorial Staff
With a little guidance, most of us can succeed at growing tomatoes.

Growing tomatoes successfully does not have to be difficult. With the right environment, replanting, and regular light patting, you can grow tomatoes successfully.

Tomatoes are one of the many foods that have recently gone up in price, causing more people to cut back on the red vegetable. However, it tastes great cooked or raw, is healthy, and can be added to most dishes. Best of all, it is also relatively easy to grow!

Many people don’t want to try growing tomatoes because they think it’s difficult or because they don’t have enough space, but these perceived obstacles can often be overcome. Tomatoes can be grown in pots and in the ground, and you can grow them on a balcony as well as in a greenhouse or garden.

Choose the right seeds

There are many varieties of tomatoes to choose from. Think about things like how much space you have, as plants can vary in size. For example, if you have limited space, bush tomatoes may be a better choice because they do not grow very tall. On the other hand, if you have plenty of space, you can choose taller varieties of tomatoes. Another question to ask yourself is what kind of tomatoes you prefer, perhaps you prefer plum tomatoes or larger tomatoes on the grill. Smaller tomatoes tend to ripen faster, so if you have a balcony with less sunlight, this may be preferable. There are also other colors, such as yellow, black and white, and different shapes.

Sow the seeds

If you have plant lighting, you can start seeds indoors as early as possible by pre-sowing, but without it you will have to wait until April at the earliest (in central Sweden), when the light in the windows may be sufficient. Sow the seeds in a small pot with a hole in the bottom with no more than two seeds in each pot. It is best to mix the seed soil with potting soil, vegetable soil or flower soil. Add two-thirds of the other soil to the bottom and then top it off with one-third of the seed soil.

“This way the seeds get a narrow start and can send roots down to the nutrient-rich soil below when they feel like it”, says Land.se.

Plant the seeds according to the instructions on the bag and water lightly, preferably with a spray bottle. Cover with a plastic bag or plastic wrap, but remember to air it from time to time or make a few holes in it. Place the seedling in a warm place and watch for the first sprouts, then you can move it to a cooler place. Be sure to keep the soil slightly moist.

Photo: Jasmin Schreiber/Unsplash

Replanting

Once the plants have started to produce their first heart-shaped leaves, it’s time to replant. Avoid choosing a very large pot, as the plant will do best in a pot adapted to its size. The plant will therefore need to be re-potted several times; an indication that it is time to re-pot is usually when the roots start to crawl out of the holes in the bottom of the pot. Plants should be re-potted one at a time. Plant with nutrient-rich soil, as tomatoes are nutrient-hungry plants. This means staying away from seed soil, for example.

Tomato plants often grow best in plastic pots because they retain moisture better than clay pots, says Sara Bäckmo.

When planting, especially the last time, whether it’s in a pot, pallet collar or outdoors, consider planting with as much of the stem underground as possible. The plant will then develop new roots along the entire stem. Remember to cut off the lower leaves first. If the plant has become a bit stunted, you can “curl” the stem in the pot and fill it with soil so that only the top sticks out.

May is usually a good month to plant tomato plants, but it is important not to plant too early, and as a rule, there must be no risk of frost as they do not tolerate cold (note that these guidelines are for a Nordic climate).

Proper environment

Tomato plants need plenty of light, but not too much heat once they start growing. Around 18 °C is often optimal, which can be difficult given their need for light. For example, it can get very hot in a window, but you can put a fan nearby or open a window wide.

Don’t grow potatoes and tomatoes in the same soil, some say not even in the same garden. This is because both potato and tomato plants are more likely to suffer from downy mildew, as they are closely related (they are both members of the Nightshade family, Solanaceae).

Caring for the plants

The stem produces leaves, flower clusters, and side shoots. In tomato varieties that grow straight up, the side shoots need to be pinched off because they steal energy. This is not necessary for smaller bush tomato plants, but they may need more general pruning to make them bushier.

Don’t overwater; allow the plant to dry out between waterings. Feed the plant once a week or so, either by buying ready-to-use fertilizer from the store, using natural grass clippings, or mixing stinging nettle into the water.

Photo: Davor Denkovski/Unsplash

Pat the plant

When the wind blows, the stem will sway and become stronger. You can simulate this by running your hands over the plant from time to time to help it. Once the plant has flowered, you can also help it pollinate itself by either taking a swab or your finger and gently tapping each plant.

Harvest and use

When the tomatoes are red, they are ready to be picked and eaten. It is also okay to bring in green tomatoes and let them ripen indoors. A common misconception is that green tomatoes ripen best in the sun. In fact, the plant needs the sun, not the tomatoes. However, they do need heat to ripen, but if you want to keep the tomatoes longer, you can put the green tomatoes in a cooler place. If you want to speed up the ripening process, you can place the green tomatoes next to (or even in a plastic bag together with) an apple. Apples release ethylene, a gas that speeds up ripening.

Tomatoes store best at room temperature. If you have a large harvest, you can dry tomatoes in the oven, but you can also freeze them whole or sliced. However, they become more watery when thawed, so frozen tomatoes are better used in cooking than on a sandwich.

Other tips include making your own ketchup or tomato sauce. Why not make a big batch of roasted tomato soup and freeze it for the winter, or try making syrup or jam?

 

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is a member of the nightshade family and is classified as a vegetable in the food industry, but botanically it is a berry. It originates from Peru in South America and was used by the Incas. It was introduced to Scandinavia in the 17th century.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many in Europe believed that tomatoes were poisonous, while others thought they were an aphrodisiac.

Tomatoes are said to be healthier when cooked because the lycopene, which gives the tomato its color, is more readily available for the body to absorb. Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, has been shown to boost the immune system and protect against cardiovascular disease.

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After the shots – now the COVID vaccine is headed for the lungs

The criticized covid vaccinations

Published 6 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Initially, 350 participants are taking part in the clinical trials - but it is hoped that the vaccine will be tested on many more Canadians.

The COVID vaccine AeroVax is not to be injected – but inhaled according to a method that will be tested in Canada with government funding. This is despite previous vaccines being linked to millions of reported side effects and vaccine injuries, including heart muscle inflammation, blood clots, and sudden deaths.

At McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, researchers have launched a phase 2 study of a new COVID vaccine that is not administered by injection but is instead inhaled.

The vaccine, named ChAd-triCoV/Mac, will now be tested on 350 participants from across the country, with $8 million in government funding, and researchers say they hope the new vaccine will provide stronger protection against infection than previous injection-based vaccines.

While the current, needle-based COVID-19 vaccines have prevented a tremendous amount of death and hospitalization, they haven’t really changed a lot of people’s experience with getting recurrent infections, claims Fiona Smaill, professor in the Department of Pathology and Molecular Medicine and one of the study’s leaders.

We’re looking to change that by providing robust protection directly at the site of infection, she declares.

Targets three virus proteins

The new vaccine differs from previous COVID vaccines in several ways. In addition to being administered as an aerosol inhalation, it targets three different proteins in the structure of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. According to the researchers, this should improve protection against any future variants of COVID.

When a vaccine is inhaled, the body’s immune system reacts differently than when it is injected, which McMasters claims is more effective in preventing the infection itself.

Results from preclinical studies, together with unpublished data from the phase 1 study, suggest that the inhaled vaccine elicits a stronger immune response than traditional injections because it targets the airways where the virus first enters the body.

For those already vaccinated – but not recently ill

AeroVax is intended for people who have already received at least three doses of an mRNA vaccine. To participate in the study, participants must not have had COVID-19 or been vaccinated in the three months prior to registration. Participants must be between 18 and 65 years of age, free of lung disease, and able to attend all on-site testing sessions.

The study includes 350 participants from across Canada. Two-thirds will receive the vaccine and one-third a placebo. None of the participants know which group they belong to, which the researchers say is crucial for an objective evaluation.

Randomization allows for objective comparison between those who received the vaccine and those who didn’t, which can tell us a lot about the level of protection the vaccine could provide and its side effects, Smaill continues.

“Ensures the safety of participants”

The study is led by researchers at McMaster’s Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, and all development – from laboratory design to testing – is taking place in Canada.

Every medicine or vaccine that we use and trust today has at one point gone through similar clinical trials processes, says Matthew Miller, director of the institute and a member of the research team.

This is a highly regulated process with extensive oversight that ensures the safety of participants and will generate critical data to inform the next steps in development, he adds.

If the results are promising, the researchers plan to move on to a Phase 3 study with a larger group of participants – a step toward approval and market introduction.

Previous COVID vaccines were usually administered with a syringe. Photo: Canstockphoto

Millions of side effects

In this context, it is worth mentioning that since the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines began, millions of side effects and vaccine injuries, including deaths, have been reported globally – ranging from fever and nerve damage to blood clots, heart muscle inflammation, and sudden death.

Young men have shown an increased risk of heart inflammation, which has led to certain vaccines being withdrawn or restricted in several countries, and many have come forward to testify about long-term vaccine injuries that affect their ability to work and their quality of life – but their stories have been silenced or dismissed by the healthcare system.

Critics argue that authorities and vaccine manufacturers prioritized rapid distribution over transparency and safety, and that the long-term effects are still very poorly understood.

The vaccine is also believed to have had virtually no effect on the spread of infection, and US health authorities were eventually forced to admit that vaccinated people could carry as much of the virus as unvaccinated people. In Sweden, too, healthcare providers concluded that the vaccine did not stop the spread of COVID-19.

Young Swedes consume too much sugar

Published 1 May 2025
– By Editorial Staff

70 percent of Swedish youth consume more sugar than recommended, according to a dissertation from the University of Gothenburg. Primarily, young people consume soda, candy, and pastries.

The thesis looked at how much free and added sugar Swedish young people consume, something that has not previously been studied to any great extent. Added sugar refers, for example, to sugar in soft drinks, candy, cakes, pastries and some breakfast cereals, while free sugar includes both added and natural sugar found in, for example, honey, syrup and juice.

Since there are guidelines for the intake of both added sugar, and since 2023 also for free sugar, it’s important to be able to follow up on how well these guidelines are adhered to, to have a basis for promoting public health through various health-promoting efforts, says Julia Wanselius, who wrote the thesis, in a press release.

The limits for the recommended maximum intake of sugar in Sweden are set in relation to the amount of calories consumed and then expressed in energy percent (E%). The intake of both added and free sugars is recommended to be limited to a maximum of ten energy percent, in other words, no more than ten percent of the calorie intake per day should be sugar. For an adult, this corresponds to approximately 50-75 grams of sugar per day.

Sugar linked to lower nutrient intake

The results show that only 30% of Swedish teenagers stay below the recommended maximum intake for sugar, which means that around 70% eat too much sugar.

The biggest sources of sugar are soft drinks, candy, cakes and pastries, which together account for about 70 percent of the added sugar that young people eat. The study also shows that a high intake of sugar is linked to a lower intake of important nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and whole grains.

One of the conclusions of the thesis is that the information around sugar intake would need to change to influence young people to eat less. Instead of focusing only on recommending less sugar, Wanselius suggests that the guidelines should instead focus on reducing the consumption of certain specific foods such as soft drinks and sweets.

Future of EU-wide PFAS ban remains unclear

Published 24 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
It is well known that PFAS chemicals are directly harmful to health - but a European ban may still be some time away.

France has recently introduced a ban on carcinogenic PFAS chemicals in all cosmetic products.

A similar ban is also being discussed at EU level but it is highly unclear when it might actually be introduced

France is described as the first country in the Union to completely ban PFAS in the beauty and fashion industry. Since February, make-up containing the chemicals cannot be imported or exported although some substances are still exempt from the new regulations.

– I saw the film Dark Water about a poisoning scandal in the US and realized pretty quickly that this is the same kind of scandal that is happening around PFAS in Europe, French influencer, documentary filmmaker and activist Camille Étienne, 26, told tabloid Aftonbladet.

Through her reporting, she was instrumental in pushing through a ban and says that she herself tested her blood and discovered that it contained the harmful chemicals.

– Some of them are classified as carcinogenic by the WHO’s cancer research institute. The tragedy is that there is no way to get rid of PFAS already in the body. This is the asbestos of our generation, she continues.

Accumulates in food and drinking water

It has long been known that PFAS can affect fertility, cause liver damage, several types of cancer, weakened immune systems, and high cholesterol – and major cosmetics producers have frequently been pointed out as major culprits driving the poisoning of citizens.

PFAS refers to a group of thousands of highly persistent industrial chemicals often called “forever chemicals” because they remain for a very long time in both the environment and the human body.

These substances can accumulate in drinking water and food, thereby reaching people even in very small doses. Due to their long-term effects, PFAS is seen as a serious environmental and public health issue, and even at the EU level, a comprehensive ban on PFAS in consumer products is now under discussion.

“Impossible to say”

Sweden, together with countries like Norway and Denmark, has been a driving force in the matter, which is now being analyzed by the EU Chemicals Agency and various committees. However, the bureaucratic processes are expected to take a very long time, and a total ban is unlikely to become reality anytime soon – if it ever does.

It’s impossible to say when a ban might be in place. First, all uses must be evaluated. Then a consultation follows on SEAC’s (Committee for Socio-Economic Analysis) draft opinion. After that, the opinions of RAC (Risk Assessment Committee) and SEAC, together with the proposal, are sent to the Commission, which in turn drafts amendments to the restriction annex in the REACH regulation (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals), says Jenny Ivarsson, strategic advisor at the Swedish Chemicals Agency.

This will then be discussed and voted on among the member states before a decision is reached, she continues.

The proposal was submitted as early as February 2023.

More young Swedes poisoning themselves with over-the-counter medications

Published 23 April 2025
– By Editorial Staff
Last year, the Swedish Poisons Information Center received almost 7000 calls about self-harm and suicide attempts.

Over the past decade, the number of calls to the Swedish Poisons Information Center (Giftinformationscentralen) about young people deliberately poisoning themselves has almost tripled and the most commonly used drug in suicide attempts is the painkiller paracetamol.

– Paracetamol is by far the most commonly used drug in suicide and self-harm, confirms Shahabeh Shokrolahi, a call-taker at the Swedish Poisons Information Center.

It’s not that paracetamol is necessarily more toxic than many other medicines it’s that it’s something that most families have in their homes, and it’s often kept in an easily accessible place.

– It is not paracetamol that is the problem, but the well-being of young people. If it hadn’t been paracetamol, it would surely have been something else, she argues in the state television SVT.

It should be noted that there has long been an awareness that Alvedon, Panodil and the like have often been used in suicide attempts and that several changes have therefore been introduced to make it more difficult for minors to obtain the drugs.

For example, the sale of paracetamol tablets in supermarkets was banned and young people were only allowed to buy one pack at a time yet poisonings have only increased.

“Could have been worse”

– If we hadn’t taken these measures, it could have been worse. We don’t know and we’ll never know, but it could have been that there would have been even more calls, speculates Shokrolahi.

Last year, the Swedish Poisons Information Center received almost 7,000 calls about self-harm and suicide attempts compared to 2,500 ten years earlier.

There is no clear answer as to why more and more young people are choosing to harm themselves in this way but it is noted that nine out of ten people surveyed keep painkillers in unlocked and easily accessible areas.

– Even if you don’t suspect that your teenager would resort to drugs in a crisis situation, your teenager’s friends or relatives might. That’s why it’s important that all medicines are locked up and the home is teen-proofed, concludes Shokrolahi.

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