Although it’s really a fruit, the majority of gardeners consider tomatoes a vital plant for their vegetable garden. There is nothing quite as delicious than pulling off a sun-ripened tomato off the vine and shaking a little salt on it.
The tomato is one of more popular types of vegetable grown in the U.S. The reason why is because tomatoes are easy to grow and you end up with a delicious vegetable that can be used in many recipes or simply all by itself.
You can grow them from seed or buy a plant that has already been started. Many people find it easier to buy the plants and then replant them in their own garden. That way, you can see they are off to a good start and some will even have small tomatoes already.
Most varieties of tomatoes will need at least eight hours of sunlight every day. They shouldn’t be planted close to other vegetables as their roots are shallow. Nearby roots from other plants or weeds will steal the water and nutrients necessary for your tomato plants to thrive.
Make sure that you stake your plants or buy a tomato cage. When the tomatoes get larger, they will pull down the stalks if they aren’t fully supported.
When you are buying the plants, be sure there is no yellow or speckling on the leaves. The tag will have information about the plant’s disease resistance. There are certain letters that stand for the disease the plant is resistant to. These are:
- V – verticilium wilt
- T – Tobacco Mosaic virus
- N – nematodes
- L – Septoria leaf spot
- FF – Fusarium -Race 1 and Race 2
- F – Fusarium wilt
- A – Alternaria leaf spot
Different areas have different varieties that are more common to their area.
Standard
Varieties include Better Boy, Big Boy and Celebrity.
Cool Summer
These do better in the northern gardens because of the cooler summers.
Early Tomato
These tomato plants will produce even at lower temperatures. If you have cooler summers, this too is a good variety.
Plum Tomato
These are used for tomato paste and sauces because of the thick meat and the small seed cavity. Roma is the most popular variety.
Hybrid Tomato
These tomatoes have been bred for size, taste and texture. The Beefsteak and the Beef Master are two of the most popular types of hybrid tomatoes.
Heirloom Tomato
These are old strains which have been passed throughout the generations by harvesting the seed. Brandywine is one example and another is the Amish tomato which has been kept alive by the Amish in Pennsylvania and Delaware.
Other Heirloom varieties include the orange Nebraska Wedding, the Cherokee Purple and the yellow Pixie Peach.
Because there are so many varieties that can be grown in different climates, they are very easy to grow so almost anyone can be successful at learning how. The real prize of is seeing them ripen and being ready to be eaten!
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