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...]
Great Roma Tomato Recipes
by Julie Christensen You’ll find fresh Roma tomatoes in the store year-round, but in most parts of the country they’re at their best from late July to October, when you can find vine-ripened, local tomatoes. Roma tomatoes have a meaty texture and few seeds, making them an … [Read more...]
Roma Tomatoes: Calories and Nutritional Information
by Julie Christensen Tomatoes are ranked as Americans’ third favorite veggie (after potatoes and lettuce) and most of the tomatoes we consume are in the form of cooked tomato products, such as ketchup, tomato paste, marinara sauce and salsa. Roma tomatoes, also known as … [Read more...]
Preserving Roma Tomatoes: Canning and Freezing
Roma tomatoes are also known as Italian or plum tomatoes. With their prolific yields of meaty, sweet fruit, they make the ideal tomato for sauces, canning and freezing. And unlike many vegetables, tomatoes are actually more nutritious cooked than raw. If you’ve never preserved … [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 Juliet Tomatoes
The Juliet is one of the most popular of small "cherry" style tomatoes grown. They are known as a "grape" tomato not only for their shape, but also for their high sugar content (the trait that sets most grapes apart from cherries). The small, 1-2 oz. fruits are tasty, robust, and … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Better Boy Tomatoes
The Better Boy is a hybrid tomato that is prized by home growers for its median maturity rate (70-75 days), and consistently excellent smooth-skinned fruits with a classic flavor. They are extremely popular thanks to their resistance to Verticillium and Fusarium Wilt. They are … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Beefsteak Tomatoes
Beefsteak tomatoes are by far the most popular type of home garden tomato grown in North America. These tomatoes grow fairly quickly, produce huge (up to 2 pounds!) fruits, and are relatively easy to grow. They are not often available in the grocery store as they are not … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Celebrity Tomatoes
The popular Celebrity strain of tomatoes has one major advantage over most others: it is almost entirely maintenance-free. There are more than one strain in this hybrid type, but the most common is Lycopersicon esculentum. Authorities are mixed on whether this variety is … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Grape Tomatoes
It's only been recently that grape tomatoes have become popular with gardeners and cooks. These small, cherry-type tomatoes are set apart by their egg-like shape and their sweet flavor. They are generally smaller than cherry tomatoes – roughly the size of a grape, in fact. They … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Early Girl Tomatoes
Early Girl tomatoes are an extremely popular variety that is one of the most common supermarket and backyard garden varieties in the U.S. This indeterminate variety grows to about the size of a tennis ball and has the look and shape of what most people would equate with a … [Read more...]
Guide to Growing Brandywine Tomatoes
The Brandywine varieties are some of the most popular heirloom tomatoes grown in North America. They are known for their huge size, great taste, and pumpkin-like ridges. Many color options are also available in the Brandywine family, including red, pink, orange, yellow and even … [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...]
Yellow Tomatoes and Orange Tomatoes: Best Varieties
There are many varieties of yellow and orange tomatoes, nearly all of which are low in acid, making them a great boon to those on acid-reduced diets. Many are also heirloom varieties suitable for organic growing and most are also abundant producers. Gardeners grow yellow and … [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...]
How to Support Your Tomatoes
You don’t have to stake tomatoes in order to get a decent crop, but it’s a good idea. Staking saves space, but more importantly it keeps fruit off the ground, where it is vulnerable to damage from insects and diseases. Plus, it’s easier to harvest supported plants than to hunt … [Read more...]