Tomatoes

Pictures of all tomato varieties

Tomato Plants All Varieties A-Z

Planting

Care

Pests

Harvest/Storage

Recommended Varieties

Recipes

Cooking Notes

What is the best tomato for my area? What is the difference between “heirloom” and “hybrid” tomatoes? What is the difference between “indeterminate” and “determinate” tomatoes? What does “days to maturity” mean? What does “disease resistance” mean? Where and when to plant? How to plant? Continuing care? When to harvest? When do tomatoes set fruit? What is the difference between Determinate and Indeterminate? What do the letters on tomato tags mean? What is the best tomato for my area? In areas with less sun, choose smaller size tomatoes with shorter maturing times. Well amended soil will give you the best tasting tomatoes. They also need at least 6 hours of sun a day, and night and soil temperatures of 55 degrees. What is the difference between “heirloom” and “hybrid” tomatoes? Hybrid tomatoes are cross bred from two or more different plants and they are created for a particular purpose (disease resistance, color, shape, etc.). Their seeds will revert back to one of the parents, so they are not reliable to grow from saved seed. Heirlooms are open-pollinated and the seeds have been handed down through generation of growers, and they are at least 50 years old. They are valued for their taste, unusual markings color and shape. They can be grown from saved seed and replicate the original plant. What is the difference between “indeterminate” and “determinate” tomatoes? Determinate, or “bush” tomatoes grow to 3-4 feet. They stop growing when fruit sets on the top bud. Fruit ripens at about the same time over a 4-6 week period. They need little support and are well suited for container gardening. Indeterminate tomatoes will grow and produce fruit until they freeze. They can grow from 6-12 feet tall and they need strong support. What does “days to maturity” mean? It means the number of days from transplanting the seedlings into the garden until the first appearance of mature fruit. What does “disease resistance” mean? The ability of a plant to withstand attack from such things as fungi,viruses, and bacterias is it’s level of disease resistance. The common disease resistance in our area (Marin County) is from verticillium wilt (V), fusarium wilt (F), and nematode (N). Where and when to plant? Plant 3 to 4 weeks after the frost free date in your area when the night time temperature and soil are about 55 degrees (around May 1). Choose the sunniest spot–tomatoes need a minimum of 6 hours of sun each day. Provide well draining soil because good tasting fruit comes from rich, healthy, well amended soil. Place plants about 3 feet apart. How to plant? Dig a hole to accommodate the plant up to the top 2-3 inches of foliage (new growth will form on buried stems). Remove any flowers or buds. Add compost and fertilizer (pellet form of a balanced fertilizer) to the hole. Place plant in the hole, replace the soil and water well at the base of the plant. Stake your tomato at the time of planting. Then mulch, mulch, much! Continuing care? You may choose to feed again at the time of fruit set . Use a fertilizer higher in phosphorus rather than nitrogen. Too much nitrogen will give you lovely foliage, but less fruit. Cut watering back to once a week (about 1 inch of water) as plants mature. Potted plants will need more frequent watering. Do not over-water or over- fertilize, and keep the foliage dry to prevent disease. When to harvest? Harvest when the fruit is well colored and soft, but not mushy. As tomatoes begin; to color, they can be picked to finish ripening indoors. Tomatoes will be ready to harvest about 6 weeks after they start to blossom. When do tomatoes set fruit? The smaller the tomato, the earlier it will bear fruit. Tags will tell days to harvest. See our tomato chart that tells how many days to harvest & if the tomato bears fruit early, mid- season or late. What is the difference between Determinate and Indeterminate? Determinate varieties, many also called “bush,” are varieties that are bred to grow to a compact height, approximately 4 feet. The plants stop growing when fruit sets on the ter- minal or top bud, ripen all their crop at or near the same time (usually over a two week period), and then die. Indeterminate varieties are also called “vining” tomatoes. The plants grow and produce fruit until killed by frost and can reach heights of six feet (or more). They will bloom, set new fruit and ripen fruit throughout the growing season. What do the letters on tomato tags mean? A letter or series of letters means that the plant has been bred for disease resistance. V Verticillium Wilt F Fusarium Wilt FF Fusarium, races 1 and 2 FFF Fusarium, races 1, 2, and 3 N Nematodes A Alternaria T Tobacco Mosaic Virus St Stemphylium (Gray Leaf Spot) TSWV Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus Botanical name: Lycopersicon esculentum Plant type: Vegetable USDA Hardiness Zones: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Sun exposure: Full Sun Soil type: Loamy Soil pH: Acidic? Where to buy tomatoes: Burpee Gardening Tomatoes are America’s favorite garden vegetable. (Yes, we technically eat the fruit of the tomato plant, but it's used as a vegetable in eating and cooking and, thus, usually categorized in vegetables.) This vine plant is fairly easy to grow and will produce a bumper crop with proper care. Its uses are versatile, however, tomatoes are susceptible to a range of pests and diseases. Planting If you're planting seeds (versus purchasing transplants), you'll want to start your seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the average last spring frost date. See our post on "Tomatoes From Seed the Easy Way." Select a site with full sun and well-drained soil. For northern regions, is is VERY important that your site receives at least 6 hours of sun. For souther regions, light afternoon shade will help tomatoes survive and thrive. Two weeks before transplanting seedlings outdoors, till soil to about 1 foot and mix in aged manure, compost, or fertilizer. Harden off transplants for a week before moving outdoors. Transplant after last spring frost when the soil is warm. See our Best Planting Dates for Transplants for your region. Establish stakes or cages in the soil at the time of planting. Staking keeps developing fruit off the ground, while caging let’s the plant hold itself upright. Some sort of support system is recommended, but sprawling can also produce fine crops if you have the space, and if the weather cooperates. Plant seedlings two feet apart. Pinch off a few of the lower branches on transplants, and plant the root ball deep enough so that the remaining lowest leaves are just above the surface of the soil. Water well to reduce shock to the roots. Care Water generously for the first few days. Water well throughout growing season, about 2 inches per week during the summer. Keep watering consistent! Mulch five weeks after transplanting to retain moisture. To help tomatoes through periods of drought, find some flat rocks and place one next to each plant. The rocks pull up water from under the ground and keep it from evaporating into the atmosphere. Fertilize two weeks prior to first picking and again two weeks after first picking. If using stakes, prune plants by pinching off suckers so that only a couple stems are growing per stake. Practice crop rotation from year to year to prevent diseases that may have over wintered. Pests Tomatoes are susceptible to insect pests, especially tomato hornworms and whiteflies. Link to our pest & problem pages below. Aphids Flea Beetles Tomato Hornworm Whiteflies Blossom-End Rot Late Blight is a fungal disease that can strike during any part of the growing season. It will cause grey, moldy spots on leaves and fruit which later turn brown. The disease is spread and supported by persistent damp weather. This disease will overwinter, so all infected plants should be destroyed. See our blog on "Avoid Blight With the Right Tomato." Tobacco Mosaic Virus creates distorted leaves and causes young growth to be narrow and twisted, and the leaves become mottled with yellow. Unfortunately, infected plants should be destroyed (but don't put them in your compost pile). Cracking: When fruit growth is too rapid, the skin will crack. This usually occurs in uneven water or uneven moisture due to weather conditions (very rainy periods mixed with dry periods). Keep moisture levels constant with consistent watering and mulching. Harvest/Storage Leave your tomatoes on the vine as long as possible. If any fall off before they appear ripe, place them in a paper bag with the stem up and store them in a cool, dark place. Never place tomatoes on a sunny windowsill to ripen; they may rot before they are ripe! The perfect tomato for picking will be firm and very red in color, regardless of size, with perhaps some yellow remaining around the stem. A ripe tomato will be only slightly soft. If your tomato plant still has fruit when the first hard frost threatens, pull up the entire plant and hang it upside down in the basement or garage. Pick tomatoes as they redden. Never refrigerate fresh tomatoes. Doing so spoils the flavor and texture that make up that garden tomato taste. To freeze, core fresh unblemished tomatoes and place them whole in freezer bags or containers. Seal, label, and freeze. The skins will slip off when they defrost. Recommended Varieties Tomatoes grow in all sizes, from tiny "currant" to "cherry" to large "beefsteak." There are hundreds of varieties to suit different climates and tastes. Here are a few of our favorites: ‘Amish Paste’: Large paste tomatoes, good slicers. ‘Brandywine’: A beefsteak with perfect acid-sweet combination. Many variants are available. ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’: Foolproof in any climate, cherries bear abundant fruit in high or low temps and in rain or drought. For more about tomato varieties, see our post on "Tomato Trials: from blue to grafted; what grew this summer." Recipes Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes Deb's Fresh Tomato Sauce Carrot-Tomato Bisque Fried Green Tomatoes Blue Corn Chips with Goat Cheese, Corn, and Tomato Salsa Tomato Jam Pasta with Tuna, Tomatoes, and Olives Cooking Notes Capture the garden-fresh taste of tomatoes all year long! See this helpful post on how to can tomatoes. Here are further guidelines. http://www.qureshiuniversity.com/tomatoes.html

Is a tomato a fruit or a vegetable? Tomatoes are a favorite food of many and are great on their own, in a salad, or accompanying any meal. Although technically a fruit, most people - including chefs - categorize tomatoes as a vegetable. Tomatoes grow on a vine that often reaches ten feet in length. To really figure out if a tomato is a fruit or vegetable, you need to know what makes a fruit a fruit, and a vegetable a vegetable. The big question to ask is, DOES IT HAVE SEEDS? If the answer is yes, then technically, (botanically) you have a FRUIT. This, of course, makes your tomato a fruit. It also makes cucumbers, squash, green beans and pumpkins all fruits as well. Along with the fruit from a plant or tree, we can often eat the leaves (lettuce,) stems (celery,) roots (carrots,) and flowers (broccoli.) Many of these other parts of the plant are typically referred to as VEGETABLES. Now don’t go looking for tomatoes next to the oranges in your grocery stores; fruits like tomatoes and green beans are usually (alas, incorrectly) referred to as “vegetables” in most grocery stores and cookbooks. Benefits of Eating Tomatoes Tomatoes have been found to be rich in vitamin A, containing 15% of the daily requirement, and vitamin C, with some 40% of your daily requirement. These vitamins, also called antioxidants, are known to fight off the effects of free-radicals, known to cause cell damage in the body. Tomatoes are an excellent food for aiding in vision improvement due to its high concentration of vitamin A. Tomatoes also contain a high amount of chromium which has been proven to be helpful in controlling your body's blood sugar level. Thus, diabetics will certainly benefit from consuming tomatoes. v The presence of potassium and vitamin B help to lower high cholesterol levels and blood pressure. This will aid in the prevention of heart attacks and strokes. Tomatoes also have high levels of lycopene, which is a compound that behaves in a similar manner as an antioxidant, making it another free-radical fighter. Studies have shown that consuming about 1 1/2 servings of tomatoes weekly can lead to a lowered risk of prostate cancer development. There are many variants of tomatoes and each provides the benefits listed above and more. Here are the five most common types of tomatoes. Globe Tomatoes These are your standard variant of tomatoes and are often referred to as Beefsteak tomatoes or Slicing tomatoes. They are easily identifiable because they are large, round, and red. They can also weigh up to two pounds. Cherry Tomatoes These tomatoes belong to the Cluster variant. Cherry tomatoes tend to be just about the same size as a cherry, but they are much sweeter and juicier than the larger varieties, such as Globe tomatoes. Heirloom Tomatoes This variety is gaining in popularity with gourmet chefs. This is because Heirloom tomatoes come in a large variety of shapes and colors. Their biggest downfall is that they tend to remain ripe for a very short period of time. Roma Tomatoes Also known as plum tomatoes, they are the least juicy of all tomatoes. Because they are thick and contain fewer seeds than other tomato variants, Roma tomatoes are a favorite for pasta sauces. Pear Tomatoes Another member of the Cluster tomato variant, Pear tomatoes get their name from their shape, which resembles a pear. They are only the size of a Cherry tomato, but without the high juice levels variety name maturity leaf type habit fruit shape fruit size fruit color comments Old Fashioned Cherry 57 regular determinate smooth globe 1 oz orange-red Classic small salad tomato. Very productive, early. Riesentraube Cherry 59 regular indeterminate smooth globe 1 oz red A sweeter, less tart salad tomato. very heavy yield. From Germany. Stupice 60 potato indeterminate round, flat bottom 2-5oz splotchy orange-red Soft tomato, tasty, early, productive. Irregular shapes & sizes.From Czechoslovakia. Anna Russian 65 regular indeterminate smooth heart 10-14oz pink Noted for its noticebly high sweetness. Tasty, low acid, large & early. From Russia. Eva Purple Ball 68 regular indeterminate smooth globe 7-10oz deep pink Beautiful looking, smooth, good taste, resists cracking. Not actually purple.From Germany. Amish Paste 75 regular indeterminate oblong 4-6oz orange Paste tomato: meaty, low moisture, productive. Excellent for cooking, canning. Martino's Roma 75 rugose determinate oblong-pear 2-4oz red Paste tomato: meaty, very low moisture, productive yield. Excellent for cooking, canning.From Italy. Paragon 75 potato indeterminate smooth globe 4-6oz orange-red Extremely productive with good flavor, consistent size, all-purpose tomato. Super Sioux 75 regular indeterminate smooth globe 4-6oz orange-red Good flavor, extremely productive, tolerates extreme heat, all-purpose tomato. Red Mortgage Lifter VFN 77 regular indeterminate round-ribbed 16-24oz red Large size, very good flavor, very hardy and good disease resistance. Brandywine, pink 80 potato indeterminate round-ribbed 10-18oz pink Legendary taste, very flavorful. Original Quisenberry strain from Landis Valley Farm Museum. _______'s Lebanese 84 regular indeterminate round-ribbed 18-36oz pink Consistently huge, sometimes reaching 4 lbs. Very Good tasting tomato. Rare find from Lebanon. Marizol Gold 85 regular indeterminate heart-ribbed 12-16oz gold-orange striped Tasty, very colorful tomato with sweet flavor. From Germany. Opalka 85 regular indeterminate oblong-tear 6-8oz orange-red Paste tomato: meaty, very low moisture. Excellent for cooking, canning. Unusual shape.From Poland. Lillian's Yellow Heirloom 95 potato indeterminate round-ribbed 12-16oz yellow Flavorful & very large crisp yellow tomato, very few seeds, unlikely to blemish. Late season. Red Ponderosa Beefsteak 96 regular indeterminate round-ribbed 14-18oz red The original beefsteak tomato, excellent flavor, large size, late season. Maturity: Number of days until the plant starts producing green tomatoes, based on averages produced in controlled (greenhouse) conditions. Weather conditions have a great effect on the actual arrival of the tomatoes. Early season tomatoes tend to be small and are in the range of 65 days or under. Late season tomatoes tend to be large and are in the range of 80 days or over. Habit: Indicates plant growth habit. Indeterminate: Large, viney plants (typical). Determinate: Bushy, more compact (atypical). Determinates can also be grown in pots that are at least 12" deep and 12" in diameter. Leaf type: Potato leaf is a leaf that is large, teardrop shaped, and is dark green. Older varieties of tomotoes tend to have this leaf shape. Regular leaf is the leaf type that most tomato plants have today: medium green, small and ruffled. Rugose leaf is a leaf that is a bit of a cross between the two. Which varities should I choose? Taste was the #1 consideration for the varieties we offer. We purchased the seed from Chuck Wyatt, an heirloom tomato grower from Maryland, who sells about 400 varieties. The varieties we choose are nearly never available from a supermarket . In most cases, the seeds of these heirloom tomatoes have been passed down from generation to generation within families and small rural communities, and never have been grown commercially. Choosing a variety of types rather than just one type is the best way to go with tomatoes. Your culinary use of tomatoes is an indication of what types to choose. For example, to make fresh squeezed tomato juice, Brandywine, Mortgage Lifter, and Eva Purple Ball are all rather juicy tomatoes. If you like to cook with tomatoes, make sure you get at least one variety of the paste-type tomato plants (Martino's Roma, Amish Paste, and Opalka). Paste tomatoes hold up in cooking much better than slicing tomotes do, as they are meatier and have much less moisture than the other tomatoes. They make wonderful sauces! These heirloom paste tomatoes are usually about twice as large as a supermarket Roma (and the taste of a homegrown heirloom and a supermarket tomato is like the difference between a Rolls-Royce and a Yugo). Paste tomatoes are excellent for canning as well. Another reasonable way to choose plants is by days to maturity. If you were to get four plants for example, pick an early, a couple of mid-season, and a late season tomato to ensure a regular output of tomatoes throughout the early summer and through the early fall. Also tomato size is a consideration. A general rule is that as tomato size increases by the variety, production per plant goes down. You may want a few smaller fruited, productive tomato plants as well as a few that produce giant tomatoes. How many tomato plants should I grow? Three well-cared for plants per person in the household will provide about one tomato a day from late july through mid-september, with a glut of tomatoes usually the second and third week of august. With 3 plants per person, you have a few to give, but you won't have any to put up for the winter. Six plants per person will give you enough to put some tomatoes away for the winter, and quite a few to give to the neighbors. With one hundred plants you can make a nice income selling at farmer's markets. When can I transplant my tomato seedling? After you receive your plant, the safest (most conservative) early date to put your plant in the ground is May 10. Some people in our area will put their plants out as early as april 25th, but they will also use cold frames to keep the plants safe from frost danger. Tomato plants will die if there is a light frost. You should acclimate ("harden-off") your plants to the weather. Keep them outside but only in full sun the first day for about 2 hours, gradually increasing exposure to the sun over a week. If you plant them outside without acclimating, you risk losing the plant to shock, and early growth will certainly be stunted. Keep your plants a bit dryer than normal during this time. How do I transplant my tomato seedling into the earth? Work the soil where the plants will be set in. The soil should be loose, and richly amended with compost and/or well rotted manure (the composted manure found at garden shops in the 40 lb. bag is suitable). Plant the tomato up to its first leaves when setting in to the ground. Tomatoes need at least 7 hours of full sun per day, the more, the better. Mature plants (ones that begin to produce tomatoes) require 1 gallon of water (or an inch of rain) every 4-5 days. Fertilize once a month from the time plants are set out until the end of summer. It is preferrable to use a balanced natural, organic fertilizer. Will I need to cage or stake my tomato plants? The plants should be caged or staked. Plants should be spaced about 18"-24" apart. Staking and caging should be done when the plant is first set in the ground.If caged, leaves should be trained in (about twice weekly) until the plant surpasess the cage. Choose a cage that is at least 42" tall. Suckering is not necesserary if you cage tomatoes. Caging results in a plant that is quite productive but bears tomatoes on the smaller size. In staking, the tomato is limited to a single main stalk and 6" or so of branches by suckering. The plant will need to be tied loosely (about twice weekly) with cloth strips in order to keep it in close to the stake. The stake should be just about 2-3" away from the plant when it is driven into the ground. Ideally stakes should be about 7' long and at least a half inch in diameter. Wood or iron are suitable materials for a tomato stake. The stake should be buried about 18 inches deep. Staking produces larger, yet fewer tomatoes. Staking also requires more work than caging. http://njaes.rutgers.edu/tomato-varieties/?Skin+Color