Tomatoes

TOMATOES

The tomato is native to Central & South America.  While its culture is ancient,  tomatoes have only reached their present prominence since the mid-1800's.

Medium sized tomatoes can be grown in a 5 gallon bucket if you have poor soil
or only a small space with 6 hours of sunshine a day.

There are two types of  tomato plants, 'Determinate' or 'Indeterminate'.  Their growing habits, flowering and harvest is the major difference between them.

Determinate tomatoes are low growing plants that require less staking, but they flower only once and are all ready to harvest all at the same time.  If you plan to preserve them you have a limited window of opportunity. 

Indeterminate tomatoes grow taller so they require staking, pruning and care during the season.  The advantages of indeterminate plants make them worth the effort to true tomato lovers.  Most important, the flavor is better in these tomatoes.  Secondly they have a long harvest season, constantly flowering throughout the season and insuring a good harvest from early summer until the frost.

Proper pruning of suckers which are unproductive leaves, forces growth into more valuable
areas of the plant such as the roots and fruit. 

Indeterminate tomatoes need constant pruning, removing the stems which do not produce fruit but absorb energy from the plant.  These stems are called 'suckers' . 

Staking your plants makes it easier to detect problems, to harvest your crop, and will keep fruit from touching the ground where it can rot.  Staking also improves air circulation which helps control disease and fungus problems.

Unfortunately tomatoes can host many diseases that can devastate your harvest just when you are looking forward to it.  There are a few things you can do at planting time to help limit the chances that will happen to you.

Rotate your crops.  Plants your tomatoes in a different spot than you planted them last year.  This practice prevents diseases that can remain in the soil, which can contaminate it for years into the future. 

The first signs of  tomato disease is often in the leaves. This can appear on the bottom or top of the plant,
wilting, yellow or brown leaves should be removed quickly.
Contact your local county cooperative extension for advice.  Photographs can be helpful. 

 If  last year you had a tomato problem don't replant tomatoes, eggplants or peppers  in the same area.

Take a soil test from your county cooperative extension every three years for nutrient requirements.

 You can add ground egg shells to the soil to prevent 'blossom end rot'.

Disease resistant varieties are available. These are marked on the label and your local greenhouse personnel will be able to help you locate them.

Plant several different varieties.  Not only will this help prevent disease from infecting all of your plants, it will also give you more flavor and most likely a longer and more bountiful harvest.

Proper and consistent watering will greatly improve your harvest. Tomatoes require less water than you might think, just one inch a week. Over-watered tomatoes lack flavor and meatiness. 

This water logged tomato could have been saved by proper watering or harvesting before
a heavy rainfall.  Still edible, it will lack firmness & flavor. 

Although we cannot control rainfall, we must take it into consideration when hand watering.  A rain meter, either bought or home-made, can be very helpful. It can be as simple as dipping a ruler into a bucket.

Mulching with black or red plastic, or chopped leaves will control weeds and maintain moisture. This will help keep the soil cool during the heat of summer.  

Although we know tomatoes like it hot and sunny, they stop producing fruit when temperatures reach above 90 degrees. This can diminish your late harvest.

Heirloom tomatoes have regained popularity in recent years. They add flavor and interest
to your harvest but they have not been hybridized for disease resistance. 

Container gardening is a good choice if you have had disease problems in the past.  A simple five gallon bucket with holes drilled in the bottom can be a good choice for this. This system works best with medium size or cherry tomatoes.

For more information on growing tomatoes contact your 
Local County Cooperative Extension Service. 

Happy Gardening, James