If you grow tomatoes and start with starter plants instead of seeds, there are several good tricks to help grow healthier tomato plants. … [Read more...]
Growing Cherry Tomatoes in Pots: Best Varieties
If you’re dreaming of home-grown tomatoes, but have limited space, growing them in pots is the ideal solution. Cherry tomatoes, with their compact growth, small fruit and early harvest times are a perfect variety to try. Read on to learn everything you need to know about growing … [Read more...]
Transplanting Tomatoes in Pots
Exotic, luxurious tomatoes are native to Central and South America and thrive in warm, moist conditions. To grow them from seed requires at least 110 days of sunny, hot weather — a luxury we don’t have in North America. Instead, northern gardeners have long used transplants to … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Cherokee Purple Tomatoes
One of the most popular of the non-traditional heirloom varieties of tomato, the Cherokee Purple grows to both great height and gives fruit of large size. It's very tasty with what's usually described as a “tomato-ey” flavor and has a distinctive deep reddish-purple color. … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Lemon Boy Tomatoes
Although relatively new, the hybrid Lemon Boy is a big hit amongst both home and commercial growers. It's one of the more popular yellow tomato varieties today. The medium-sized fruits grow to 7 or 8 ounces and have a distinct, beautiful sunny yellow color. Very … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Yellow Pear Tomatoes
Possibly the most popular yellow heirloom variety of tomato, the Yellow Pear gets its name from its color and shape. This variety dates back to the 1800s and is a vigorous indeterminate. It produces generously with an abundance of small, yellow pear-shaped tomatoes that are … [Read more...]
Sauce Tomatoes: Best Varieties
One of the things that many gardeners enjoy growing fresh tomatoes for is to make sauces. Whether it's a favorite spaghetti topping, a fun salad garnish, or a thick pasty sauce for any of a number of cultural recipes, growing your own tomatoes for it is the way to go. Some … [Read more...]
Tips for Growing Tomatoes Upside Down
If you spend any time researching gardening products you have probably seen planters designed to hold a tomato plant upside down. This non-traditional way of growing a tomato plant can be a fun way to keep your garden interesting. It can also help gardeners with limited space … [Read more...]
Growing Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes are one of the most popular of salad garnishments and are also handy for tossing into wrapped sandwiches or as just a snack. They are small, tasty, and easy to grow indoors or out. Here are the basics of what you need to know about growing cherry … [Read more...]
How to Protect Your Tomato Plants From Animals
Pets and wild animals love a healthy tomato garden. Not only is the moist soil a fun place for dogs to dig, the plants themselves provide a source of nutrition for your neighborhood squirrels, rabbits, and birds. If you leave your tomatoes without adequate … [Read more...]
How to Grow Tomatoes: The Complete Guide
Want to learn how to grow your own tomatoes? We certainly don't blame you. Everyone enjoys the taste of a home grown tomato. The sweetness, the firmness, the juiciness - who wouldn’t choose a home-grown tomato over a store bought one? Tomatoes are also high in Vitamins A, C and … [Read more...]
Tomato Terminology Made Easy
It’s cold outside, but the sky is blue, the sun is shining through your windows, and seed catalogs are arriving daily in the mail. Spring is just around the corner. This is the year. You’re going to grow your own tomatoes. So you pick up a catalog from the growing pile and … [Read more...]
How to Prune Tomato Plants for a Successful Crop
Managing your tomato plants by learning how and when to prune them is one of the key secrets for producing a healthier and better crop of tomatoes. Tomato plants are hardy and typically produce a good crop even without pruning, but pruning them produces an even better crop of … [Read more...]
How to Protect Your Tomato Plants From Animals
Pets and wild animals love a healthy tomato garden. Not only is the moist soil a fun place for dogs to dig, the plants themselves provide a source of nutrition for your neighborhood squirrels, rabbits, and birds. If you leave your tomatoes without adequate protection, your … [Read more...]
How to Grow Tomatoes in an Upside Down Garden
For gardeners with limited space, an upside down planter is an inexpensive, space-saving alternative. Instead of growing up out of the soil, the plant bed is raised allowing the plant to grow down through holes in the bottom. Upside down gardens tend to yield more bountiful … [Read more...]
How to Grow Tomato Plants in Containers
Tomato plants are one of the most popular choices for home gardeners. They are easy to grow and require relatively little care since they are such hardy plants. Plus, tomato plants generally produce a good crop of fruit, especially if they have been planted properly. For … [Read more...]
Five Beefsteak Tomatoes You’ll Want to Grow
Photo found on Flickr, courtesy of observing life. Beefsteak tomatoes are some of the largest and meatiest tomatoes. They hold together well, are perfect for sandwiches, and are among the best tomatoes for eating raw. These large tomatoes (typically 10 to 16 ounces each) … [Read more...]
Common Tomato Diseases
If you cultivate a vegetable garden, you may plan on planting a crop of tomatoes. In order to grow ripe, healthy tomatoes for your friends and family, you need to know how to recognize common tomato diseases. Recognizing a tomato disease early may allow you to take action in … [Read more...]
Tomatoes Grow Great in Containers
Love fresh-picked tomatoes but don’t have any land to grow them? Don’t despair. If you have a sunny spot to put a container you can grow tomatoes, and it’s just as easy as growing them in the ground. It’s a pretty simple formula for growing tomatoes in containers: Right … [Read more...]