Tomatoes are widely considered the most popular vegetable grown in home gardens today. I’m not sure who did the research, but I’ve seen it enough places to believe it. You can be that even though I don’t have much of a vegetable garden this spring, I’ve still made sure to plant six tomato plants! They’ve gained popularity largely because they are nutritious and relatively easy to grow.
Tomatoes originated from the Americas and were take back to Europe by the Spanish. Eventually, this fruit made its way around the world. Early on in Europe they were grown as an ornamental plant. Adoption of tomatoes as a food you could eat came about slowly as some had tried cooking the leaves in stews only to get quite ill. It is a fact that the entire tomato plant (except the fruit) contains high levels of alkaloids.
Historians say the first known reference to the tomato in the British North American Colonies was in 1710 somewhere in the Carolinas. Herbalist William Salmon’s plant history book Botanologia is credited with the first mention in north America. The tomato had to overcome a number of myths and false information, but has undoubtedly developed a strong following.
Tomatoes grow best in soils that have lots of organic matter. If possible, spread 2 to 3 inches of organic material such as compost, leaves, or rotted hay over the planting area. Mix this organic material into the top 4 to 6 inches of soil. They need at least 6 hours of sunlight each day.
Most families need only a few plants, so it is best to buy plants and not grow them from seed. If you haven’t planted any tomatoes at this time, buy the healthy but larger, green plants. Do not set out tomato plants until all danger of frost has passed.
If you feel like you are too late for a spring garden, plan on raising tomatoes Transplant fall tomatoes in the garden about 100 days before the first expected frost.
If possible set you plants on raised beds of soil that are about 6 inches high. Make the transplant holes 3 to 4 inches deep and 2 to 4 feet apart in the row. For staked or caged plants, space the rows at least 3 feet apart. For unsupported plants, leave 4 to 5 feet between the rows.
Unlike other transplants, plant each tomato transplant slightly deeper than it had been growing. If your transplants are leggy, set the root ball and stem on their side in an elongated planting hole. Pack the soil loosely around the plant and leave a slightly sunken area around each plant to hold water.
Water transplants slow and deep. Never allow them to get severely wilted.
You will hear gardeners talk about bush and vining varieties. The technical term for this is determinate and indeterminate. Bush (determinate) varieties will grow to a certain size and then bear fruit. Vining (indeterminate) varieties will continue to grow and bear fruit, if cared for, until frost.
While is possible to grow tomatoes without any support, most gardeners choose to support the tomato on a stake or in a cage. Stakes should about six feet long with one foot of it in the soil. When staking tomatoes, you’ll want to pinch out the suckers to maintain a manageable vine. With caging, you can still pinch prune, but it is not as necessary.
For consistent and quality fruits, fertilize and water regularly. Fertilize the plants every 3 to 4 weeks with 1 to 2 level tablespoons of fertilizer.
Determining what kind of tomato to plant may be the hardest part. Suffice it to say that there are several varieties available. I have an entire catalog of tomato varieties in my office and books have been written about the tomato. If you are new to growing tomatoes, simply ask around and try a few out. You’ll want to experiment and enjoy the variety.
If you want to take a deep dive and learn more about the history of the tomato worldwide, I highly recommend the documentary on Amazon Prime “Triumph of the Tomato”.
