Select and Grow Tomato Plants

The tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) has a legacy of misunderstanding. A member of the nightshade family, tomatoes probably originated in South America. After migrating to Europe when the first explorers returned, tomatoes were considered poisonous and grown only as ornamentals (or not at all). Thomas Jefferson was one of the first Americans to recognize the culinary possibilities.

From that humble origin, Americans now each consume an average of 70+ pounds of tomatoes and tomato products per year.

The tomato plant itself is an herbaceous perennial. However, tomatoes are grown as annuals in most of the United States since they don't survive fall frosts.

A fruit is the mature reproductive body (ovary) of a plant (a bloom that develops into a fruit and contains seeds). A vegetable is the edible part of a plant, such as a root, stem or leaf. Although the tomato is technically a fruit, the Supreme Court declared that it was a vegetable, even going so far as to affirm it as such in 1893.

Tomatoes are juicier grown at home, but some of the juiciest varieties can't be shipped by commercial growers without damage. They're relatively easy to grow. Four or five plants will produce enough tomatoes for a normal-sized family.

The key to a successful tomato garden is selecting the types of tomatoes to plant or the right tomato variety (there are hundreds for your climate). The other important consideration to keep in mind is how you intend to use the tomato: for a sauce, slicing, salads or all three.

Tomato Growth Habits

When determining which variety of tomato plants you want to grow, you’ll need to select the plants with the type of growth habit you want. All tomato plants have either a determinate or indeterminate growth habit and knowing which will help you better understand how to care for tomato plants.

Determinate varieties grow to a certain size and then bear fruit. Bush tomatoes are the best example of a determinate type. Since the crop comes in pretty much at the same time, determinate tomatoes are great for canning or freezing for later use. These varieties don't need staking.

Indeterminate tomatoes will continue to grow and bear fruit until frost in the fall. Indeterminate varieties can be staked or allowed to grow with abandon, hence the term tomato vine. Put down a good bed of mulch to protect fruit that will be on the ground. If you stake, use twine or soft cord to tie the plants. Make sure the loop is large enough to allow stem growth that won't cut or pinch the plant.

Heirloom tomatoes are old varieties grown from seed saved from season to season. Heirlooms are a category unto themselves. They tend to be less disease resistant and wilder in appearance. Fans insist that their flavor and uniqueness make up for any disadvantages.

Hybrid tomatoes are developed to give growers the best characteristics of all varieties. Fruit size, crop yield and disease resistance are all traits of hybrids.

On the plant tag or container, you may see some letters, which indicate resistance to various diseases:

• V = Verticillium wilt
• F = Fusarium wilt; two Fs on the label indicate resistance to both types of fusarium
• N = Nematode
• T = Tobacco mosaic
• A = Alternaria stem canker
• S = Stemphylium (gray leaf spot)

Gardeners in cooler climates should remember that early-season varieties are best for their shorter growing seasons. Depending on the variety, these types start to produce fruit in as few as 60 days.

Whether you choose plum or sauce, big beefsteaks for slicing, salad or cherry tomatoes, their names are as colorful as the fruit itself. Brandywine, Better Boy, Early Girl, Mr. Stripey and German Johnson are a few of the more common types.

• Tomatoes like well-drained neutral soil with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
• Plant them in full sun in an area that has access to water. Your plants will need 1 to 2 inches of water a week (supplement natural rainfall).
• When choosing where to plant tomatoes, space plants to allow maximum growth area, room for air circulation and harvest. The space needed varies by cultivar.
• Space plants to allow maximum growth area, room for air circulation and harvest. The space needed varies by cultivar.
• You can plant smaller varieties 18 to 24 inches apart, while some of the more vigorous indeterminate types should be 3 to 4 feet apart.
• Amend soil with organic matter. Plant the seedling as deeply as possible. Roots will form along any part of the stem that's buried.
• Fertilize lightly at the time of planting. Too much can burn the tender young plants.
• If you insist on planting early, be prepared to cover the young plants in the event of a late frost.
• Pick tomatoes as they ripen to allow other fruit that's forming room to mature and also to keep the plant from getting too heavy. Tomatoes will ripen indoors on the kitchen counter. For best results, don't put them on the windowsill or in the refrigerator.
• Rotate your tomato planting beds every year. Plants to be rotated include any member of the tomato family, including bell peppers, potatoes and eggplant.

Suckers: Tomatoes grow rapidly in the first weeks after planting. Not all growth can support fruit; the plant simply can't generate that much energy. To direct the energy to where it can be most productive, you need to remove suckers. Indeterminate plants that are staked need to be regularly suckered. Suckers are shoots that grow from the crotch of the main stem and main side stems. The removal of these offshoots is technically pruning (but suckering is much more fun to say). Pinch suckers off when they're small (less than 6 inches). If pulled when they're larger, the plant could be wounded and opened for attack by disease.

Fertilizer is a must when growing tomato plants, but go easy on the nitrogen unless you want lots of foliage and no tomatoes. Use a water-soluble fertilizer that's heavy on phosphorus (for root growth).