 I commonly get the question, "What is the best tomato to grow?"
The answer to this question will be different for everyone. This
time of year we have a great opportunity to taste-test garden
fresh tomatoes. This can be done by visiting a farmers market or
having a garden taste-testing party with your friends, asking
everyone to bring a different kind of tomato.So how do you
begin to pick the perfect tomato variety? There are more than
7,500 tomato varieties, ranging in size, shape and color.
Tomatoes come in several colors: red, pink, yellow, orange, deep
purple (black), white, green and striped. Fruit size ranges from
a half-inch cherry tomato to a 4-inch beefsteak tomato. Most
important, each variety of tomato has its own flavor.
Understanding tomato terminology can help narrow down the
selection for finding the perfect plant.
Slicing, beefsteak and globe tomatoes are large and round and
commonly used for fresh eating.
Cherry and grape tomatoes are small in size and tend to be
sweeter than slicing tomatoes. They are commonly used whole in
salads.
Plum, paste and Roma tomatoes have a low water content and
are used for making sauce, paste and ketchup.
Determinate tomato plants grow to a certain point and stop
growing. Plants tend to be more compact, taking up less space,
and all the fruit ripens within a short period of time.
Indeterminate tomato plants continue to grow and fruit until
frost. They produce higher yields.
Hybrid tomato means that the seed is a cross between
different varieties. It is usually bred for a certain set of
characteristics, such as disease-resistance. Hybrid tomatoes
tend to be the most popular.
An open-pollinated variety has the same characteristics
generation after generation.
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Heirloom tomatoes refer to tomatoes passed down from generation to
generation. Commercial heirloom refers to open-pollinated varieties
more than 50 years in circulation. Because of their great taste,
there is increasing demand for heirloom tomatoes. Some common
varieties are Green Zebra, Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, Red Pear,
Yellow Pear, Amish Paste and Cherokee Purple.
Unfortunately tomato plants are not without their problems, being
susceptible to various diseases, insects and physiological
disorders. They are more than 40 recorded diseases of tomatoes. In
addition there are a number of disorders that relate to growth
conditions. These environmental disorders don't spread from one
plant to another.
Tomato plants are heat-loving and need a long growing season.
They are a relatively easy vegetable crop to grow, but sometimes it
is a challenge to produce the picture-perfect fruit. It is not
uncommon to find a few problems with your crop during a normal
growing season.
Maintain good health of plants by proper care, such as providing
1 inch of water per week, maintaining even soil moisture, mulching
plants, providing proper plant nutrition, caging plants, rotating
the location of the plants each year and selecting disease-resistant
varieties.
Whether growing your own or buying local, it's time to start your
fresh tomato adventure.
[By
JENNIFER FISHBURN,
University of Illinois Extension]
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