Tomato Plants

One of the most important considerations when selecting which tomatoes to grow will be whether you want to be able to pick continuously throughout the growing season (indeterminate varieties) or have a large, one-time harvest (determinate varieties), perhaps for canning a large quantity at once. There are varieties available that produce early-season, mid-season and late-season fruit. Indeterminate tomatoes grow on long vines from five to thirty feet tall, which usually need support. Determinates tend to be more bushy and compact. By planting a few of each type that you like, you can have the best of both worlds – tomatoes for salads, sandwiches and snacking, ready to pick on a regular basis from early in the season through late in the season, plus a bountiful harvest at season's end for preserving.

Tomato plants can be grown in raised beds to produce an earlier yield. Since the soil warms up earlier in raised beds, you can plant your tomatoes earlier. The raised bed also allows the plants to develop stronger roots, since they can be planted deep into the soil. And although tomatoes like a lot of water, they don't like sitting in wet soil. Watering a raised bed allows better drainage for all the plants in the bed.

Tomato Varieties

Beefsteaks are especially delicious for slicing and are a favorite during barbeque season for their large, meaty slices. The fruit can weigh up to two pounds each, and ripen in late summer.

Cherry tomatoes are small, round and sweet, and are perfect tossed into salads. They are available in sizes that fit into a six inch pot to large plants of over six feet. A single plant can produce a steady, continuous crop all season long.

Grape tomatoes are slightly oblong in shape and are also eaten whole and in salads. Campari's are slightly larger than cherries and can be described as juicier and less acidic.

Plum, or paste tomatoes, are less juicy varieties. They have a pear shape and a small number of seeds, making them perfect for cooking and canning.

Dwarf tomatoes, also known as midget or patio tomatoes, have a shorter life cycle than other varieties, producing small fruit early. Their vining nature makes them ideal for growing in hanging containers or small pots.

Indeterminate plants are the most popular for home vegetable gardens for the steady supply of tomatoes they provide. They will produce fruit throughout the summer season and into frost. They need to be supported to keep their weight off the ground, either with tall stakes or in large cages.

Determinate plants, or compact tomato plants, grow similar to indeterminate but yield an early, one-time harvest that lasts only a week or two, and then do not continue to produce fruit. These plants don't grow as large as indeterminate, but need pruning to keep them from developing non-fruiting vines. This pruning increases the size of the fruit as well.

With so many varieties to choose from, there's no reason not to have at least a few tomato plants growing in your home garden.

More Tomatoes Info

Pruning Tomato Plants
Since the main purpose of pruning tomato plants are to remove unwanted stems and produce healthy, abundant fruit, you want to make sure you do not expose your plants to disease or shock.

Patio Tomatoes
Patio tomatoes are hybrid plants especially designed for their compact size, making them ideal for container gardening, as you might do on a patio.

Organic Heirloom Tomato Seeds
Grow a few varieties of organic heirloom tomato seeds for snacking, salads, cooking and canning and preserve the wonderful flavors of heirloom varieties.

Tomato Seeds
Whether you choose hybrid or heirloom tomato seeds, starting tomatoes from seed is a fun and rewarding way to grow a large number of tomato plants in your home garden.