Tomato Basics

The tomato is by far the most popular plant in the vegetable garden. It could be because they are somewhat easy to grow and develop their fruit relatively quickly. It seems generation after generation carry on the tradition of the vegetable garden and what would it be without the tomato. Whether it is the standard Beefsteak or the Amish heirloom variety Brandywine, there is nothing better than a fresh, vine-ripened tomato on a salad or sandwich.

Tomatoes are either considered determinate or indeterminate plants.
Indeterminate plants continue to set fruit as long as the weather permits. Indeterminate varieties usually require staking because they continue to grow all summer. Determinate tomatoes grow to a set size and produce all their fruit over a short period of time, usually 2-4 weeks.

The picture tag included with a tomato plant should offer some valuable information. Next to the tomato name is a series of letters that represent resistance to common tomato problems. The resistance is indicated by the initials “V” for verticillium wilt; “F” for fusarium wilt; “N” for nematodes; “T” for tobacco mosaic virus. Basically the more letters, the better resistance this variety of tomato plant has.

Tomatoes are warm season plants that should be planted after the last chance of frost. Temperature is an important factor and many varieties will not set fruit in cool weather. Consider warming the soil with a black plastic mat, to reduce transplant shock. Soil should be well drained with an ample supply of nutrients, especially phosphorus and calcium. Before planting, add a generous amount of organic matter, such as compost or manure, to the soil.

Add crushed eggshells to the soil to enrich it with calcium. This helps prevent blossom end rot, which is a common problem in tomatoes.

When planting your tomatoes, choose a location that receives at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. Allow adequate spacing between plants to insure air circulation. If you set your tomato plants deep in the soil, it will form roots all along the buried stem, resulting in a stronger plant. Keep plants evenly moist. Fluctuations in the amount of moisture in the soil make the plant more susceptible to problems like cracking, rot, and blight. Apply a dry fertilizer at the time of planting like 5-10-10 or Espoma Garden-Tone. Tomatoes can even be grown in containers, provided the pot is large enough. Large fruiting varieties require the minimum of a 12-inch pot.

Train your plant to grow upright with a tomato cage. This will keep fruit from contacting the ground and reduce damage from garden pests. Monitor your plants regularly to avoid insect infestation and use organic pesticides whenever possible.

Variety	Days to Maturity	Growth Habit	Fruit Size	Disease Resistance
Better Boy	75	Ind.	Large	VFN
Jet Star	72	Int.	Med.	VF
Early Girl	52	Ind.	Med.	VF
Marglobe	75	Det.	Med.	VF
Rutgers	75	Det.	Med.	VF
Beefsteak	75	Int.	Large	VF
Beefmaster	80	Int.	Large	VFN
Supersonic	79	Ind.	Large	VF
Roma	75	Det.	Small	VF
Lemon Boy	72	Int.	Med.	VFN
Brandywine	90	Int.	Ex.Lg
Celebrity	72	Det.	Large	VFNT
Oxheart	86	Int.	Ex.Lg
Sweet 100	65	Int.	Tiny	VF

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