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About Tomatoes 
The tomato, accepted worldwide for its' flavor and utility, was among the last of the vegetables from the New World to be accepted into the Old World. Used for centuries in Mexico and throughout Southern and Central America it was not until mid 1800's that this plant was finally recognized as useful and more than simply a novelty plant. Tomatoes simply outgrew its status as a mere household crop, with many french cuisine london chefs nowadays using it as the main ingredient for their dishes.
Ironically, today tomatoes are the most popular gardening plant and with hundreds of varieties available it is no wonder. Most gardeners tend to grow several varieties of tomatoes and many will plant several they are committed to and several trial varieties in search of the perfect combination of types. If you have the space to gorw more than one variety we recommned you grow plants with differing maturation times so as to have as long a harvest as possible.
Even with limited space it is quite easy to grow enough tomatoes with only a couple plants. Tomato Plant varieties are labeled either determinate or indeterminate depending upon the number of tomatoes the plant will grow. A veriety labeled "determinate" will grow to a predetermined hieght and produce a set number of tomatoes, while indeterminate plants have no limit to the growth or production of fruit.
If space is a problem consider either growing tomatoes in containers or sticking to the determinate varieties as these most often will take less garden space.
Planning
There are several factors to consider when selecting tomato varieties:
- Intended Use of Tomatoes
- Dates to Maturity
- Disease Resistance
- Space Availability
When considering varities these four factors should always be at the top of your priority list.
Where you intend to plant your tomatoes is of critical importance. In most areas of the country, the sunnier the spot the better. In some of the warmer climates of the south and midwest, however, shady areas are a better match for the plants in order to reduce the dorp of blossoms that occurs when temperatures reach above 90 degrees. This precaution in hotter climates will increase yield and improve the fruit.
About ten days before setting plants into the garden add a 5-10-10 fertilizer or equivalent at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet of garden space devoted to tomatoes. If your soil is lighter or sandy you can triple this application.
Preparation
To start seeds indoors in flat, sow seeds about 1/4 inch deep and at least one half inch apart from one another. If you are using pots to start your tomatoes, only place to or three seeds in the containers and thin to the strongest plant about one week after the seedlings show.
Spindly tomato seedlings are the result of a lack of enough sunlight. Tomato seedlings require twelve to fourteen hours of sunlight a day. Early in the season starting tomatoes indoors will require lights. Hang these one to two inches above the top of the seedlings.
When seedlings have developed four leaves it is time to transplant them to deeper flats or individual pots. Setting them deeper than they originally grew will help to ensure a strong base and prevent legginess.
Feed growing plants regularly with soluble fertilizers added directly along with regular watering.
Seedlings will need between ten and fourteen days of hardening off before being placed in the garden. Do not fertilize or water heavily during the hardening off phase or you will encourage the plants to develop tender new growth rather than focus on hardening off the growth already present. Set the plants outdoors in a shady spot protected from strong winds. Do this for a few hours the first day and gradually increase the time spent outdoors every day.
If you have a coldframe you can harden off your plants earlier. Plants in a coldframe get plenty tend to get plenty of sunshine while the cooler temperatures promote the growth of sturdy stems. If daytime heat is above normal be sure to open the coldframe to keep the plants from withering.
Care
Most gardeners use some form of support for thier tomato plants. There are definite advantages to to caging, staking or trellising your tomato plamts. Tomato plants grow upright, making them easier to work around and harvest from and fewer fruits are likely to come into contact with the ground, decreasing the risk of rot. Ideas and information about techniques for supporting tomato plants are available here on Garden-Helper.
Pruning tomato plants is not necessary unless you are growing tomatoes on stakes or trellis. When you grow them this way it is then convenient to only allow one or two main stems for staking, or two to three for trellising. Controlling the growth of tomato plants is simple. Remove the suckers or side shoots that sprout at the intersection of the main stem and leaf branch.
If you want additional stems to develop allow the suckers which are closest to the bottom of theplant to grow. These are easier to train away from the plant as they grow and have the added bonus of more blossoms than those growing higher up the plant.
Caged tomatoes and plants running freely on the ground do not require pruning. Some nothern gardeners and those in cool coastal climes may remove blossoms and small fruit late in the season to encourage the plants to finish ripening of the fruit already growing. Likewise, removing some branches may encourage warm air to help developing fruit when the Autumn arrives.
Tomatoes are heavy feeders and will need side dressing at least once (but more likely twice) during the growing season. In general ide dressings should follow every three to four weeks after the initial application. Side-dress when the first tomatoes are about golf ball size. Two cups of a 5-10-10 fertilizer should be enough for all the plants in a thirty foot row. By digging a one inch deep trench and putting the dressing fertilizer in this trench then topping with soil, the next watering or rain will deliver the nutrients to the roots.
Some gardeners swear by foliar feeding of tomatoes - especially caged or staked tomatoes. Fish or seaweed emulsion and Epsom salts can be sprayed in the home garden.
Tomatoes require a regular and even supply of water through the season. Erratic watering will cause problems such as blossom end rot. Like most other crops for harvest tomatoes require at least one inch of rain or irrigation water per week for steady growth. In hotter, dryer climates double this may be required during the hotter months of summer. Soak the garden soil to a depth of at least a half foot. See below for general guidelines by soil type:
| Soil Type | Watering Schedule |
| Light, Sandy Soil | Thorough soaking every four to five days |
| Heavy Soil | Thorough soaking every seven to ten days |
Use of a thick organic mulch to retain moisture inthe soil is a good idea. Some gardeners have in recent years sworn by the red plastic tomato mulch saying the reflective color encourages better fruit setting and development. Do not apply mulch until after transplants have been growing for five to six weeks outdoors. This should give the soil ample time to have warmed completely.
Pests / Disease
Tomatoes are subject to a number of disorders, diseases and pest infestations. Rotating your tomato crop from year to year (not planting in the same place two years in a row) and working to keep the garden clean of fallen fruit are two simple yet effective ways of working to protect your plants.
Sunscald is a serious issue for tomato plants. To reduce problems let two to four leaves form on the suckers before pinching them off. They will offer some shade but will not blossom or need tying up.
Blossom drop is another common problem for gardeners and one that is often met with great anxiety. When nighttime temperatures are below 55 degrees the process of germination is slowed to such a point that blossoms may drop before they can be fertilized.
Blossom end rot shows first on the bottom of the tomato and appears as large brown or black sunken areas. These will appear on both green and ripened fruits. The rot is caused by fluctuating water supply to the plants. Drip irrigation systems are popular among tomato growers as a measure against blossom end rot.
Staked and pruned plants are more likely to suffer blossom end rot than unstaked tomatoes, and most likely to affect the fruits at the early part of the growing season. The rot often takes hold when the plants are growing vigorously and hot, dry weather conditions. The plant suffers moisture stress and and the roots are are unable to draw enough calcium form the soil to satisfy the needs of the fast-growing plant. If your plants suffer blossom end rot you can try a calcium foliar spray along with consistent watering to try and arrest further rot.
Another common problem for tomato plants is catfacing, or growth cracking. This can occur during warm, rainy periods, especially if this weather follows a dry spell. The fruit simply expand too quickly. The best defense against catfacing is to keep the moisture supply as steady as possible. There are some varieties which are crack resistant.
Harvesting
Foe best flavor harvest tomatoes when they are firm and fully colored. When air temperatures are high softening occurs rapidly. If the air temparature nears ninety degrees or above it is advisable to pick your tomatoes before they are ripe and let them ripen at room temperature.
Tomato Varieties
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Better Boy Tomato
Zone: '3 - 11' Sun: Full Sun The Tomato Better Boy, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a popular all around hybrid, featuring high yields of smooth textured fruit with excellent fla... more |
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Big Beef Tomato
Zone: '3 - 11' Sun: Full Sun The Tomato Big Beef, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a beefmaster type with twice the yields. Coupled with old-fashioned, rich flavor Big Beef featur... more |
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Burpee Big Boy Tomato
Zone: '3 - 11' Sun: Full Sun The Tomato Burpee Big Boy, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a very vigorous plant with heavy foliage that produces large fruit. The Burpee Big Boy is ... more |
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Celbrity Tomato
Zone: '3 - 11' Sun: Full Sun The Tomato Celebrity, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', produces large glossy tomatoes that have light green shoulders. Celebrity has great flavor in firm... more |
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Early Girl Tomato
Zone: '3 - 11' Sun: Full Sun The Tomato Early Girl, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a very early slicing variety that produces tasty fruit throughout the summer. There's no faste... more |
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Jet Star Tomato
Zone: '3 - 11' Sun: Full Sun The Tomato Jet Star, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', produces tasty, mild-flavored fruits that matures early with tremendous yields. Jet Stars have larg... more |
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Tomato - Golden Girl
Zone: '4 - 10' Sun: Full Sun - Partial Sun The Tomato Golden Girl, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum' produces large yeilds of golden orange fruits that are sweet yet tangy, with a very good flavor. ... more |
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Tomato - Juliet
Zone: '4 - 10' Sun: Full Sun - Partial Sun The Tomato Juliet, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum' produces clusters of juicy red elongated tomatoes on long vigorous vines. The Juliet is the most crack... more |
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Tomato - LaRoma II Red
Zone: '4 - 10' Sun: Full Sun - Partial Sun The Tomato LaRoma II Red, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum' produces tasty fruit on large vigorous plants. It is known for it's outstanding vigor and unifo... more |
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Tomato - Lemon Boy
Zone: '4 - 10' Sun: Full Sun - Partial Sun The Tomato Lemon Boy, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum' produces unique lemon yellow skin. The Lemon Boy is vigorous, has a very mild flavor and is extreme... more |
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Tomato - Red Grape
Zone: '4 - 10' Sun: Full Sun - Partial Sun The Tomato Red Grape, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum' produces long clusters of 20 or more bright red baby grape tomatoes. They are very sweet which has ... more |
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Tomato - Sweet 100
Zone: '4 - 10' Sun: Full Sun - Partial Sun The Tomato Sweet 100, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum' has huge multiple-branched clusters producing 100 or more small sweet fruits. Smaller than cherry t... more |
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Ace Tomato
The Tomato Ace, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is an old favorite with excellent tomato flavor and it is great for canning. The 5 to 6 inch in diameter... more |
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Aunt Rubys German Green Tomato
The Tomato Pole Aunt Ruby's German Green, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is an old Heirloom variety. It is not the prettiest tomato, but it is spicy an... more |
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Beefstake Tomato
The Tomato Pole Beefsteak, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is an old favorite. The huge tomatoes can reach up to 2 pounds. This old favorite is for thos... more |
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Black Krim Tomato
The Tomato Pole Black Krim. 'Lycopersicon Lycopersicum', is an early, rich flavored old heirloom from the Crimean peninsula of Russia. Black Krim set... more |
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Brandywine Tomato
The Tomato Pole Brandywine, 'Lycopersicon Lycopersicum', is considered by many to be the best tasting tomato in the world and it has won lots of tast... more |
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Celebrity Tomato
The Tomato Bush Celebrity, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum (Hybrid)', is a 1984 All America Winner and it is still a winner. Celebrity is an excellent all... more |
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Cherokee Purple Tomato
The Tomato Pole Cherokee Purple, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is an old Heirloom variety from Tennessee that is extremely productive and also has a v... more |
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Cherry Sweetie Tomato
The Tomato Cherry Sugar Sweetie, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a highly regarded, perfect cherry tomato for classic tomato flavor in salads or righ... more |
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First Lady II Tomato
The Tomato Pole First lady II, 'Lycopersicon Lycopersicum', is earlier, tastier, more disease resistant than Early Girl. They are crack resistant and... more |
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Gardeners Delight Cherry Tomato
The Tomato Cherry Gardeners Delight, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is quite possibly the best tasting little tomato in the world. Gardeners Delight is... more |
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Grape Juliet Tomato
The Tomato Grape Juliet, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum (Hybrid)', is an All American Selection that has sweet, wonderful flavor and produces tons of red... more |
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Green Zebra Tomato
The Tomato Bush Green Zebra, 'Lycopersicon Lycopersicum', is an old heirloom variety. Green Zebra is very flavorful, sweet, yet zingy and well balanc... more |
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Husky Gold Patio Tomato
The Tomato Patio Husky gold, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a vibrant gold colored tomato and an All America Selection. The Husky Gold is a great co... more |
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Red & Yellow Blend Currant Tomato
The Tomato Cherry Currant Red and Yellow Blend, 'Lycopersicon pimpinellifolium', produces pea-sized tomatoes that are intensely flavored and a charmi... more |
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Roma Tomato
The Tomato Bush Italian Roma, 'Lycopersicon lycopersicum', is a determinate type Heirloom paste tomato from Italy. The Italian Roma is an absolutely ... more |
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Yellow Pear Tomato
The Tomato Pole Yellow Pear, 'Lycopersicon Lycopersicum', has a sweet, mild, almost lemony flavor. Kids and adults will love this late 1800's variety... more |
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