Whether you want tomatoes for salads or sauces, we’ve got the details you need to get started!
Tomatoes are a delicious summer staple for dinner tables across the country! Growing your own right at home is easy, but there are so many varieties that it’s important to know which ones will suit your household best. With some terminology and basics on tomato varieties, you’ll be an empowered tomato grower and impress your dinner guests all summer!
Tomato Terminology
Tomatoes fall into two categories: determinate and indeterminate. These inform how the plant grows and when you can expect to harvest your tomatoes.
Determinate tomatoes produce flowers all at once and mature to give you one big harvest! If you are growing multiple plants, we recommend waiting to plant them a few weeks apart so that you aren’t overwhelmed with too many tomatoes all at once. These are great options if you want to do any preserving or large batch recipes.
Indeterminate tomatoes will produce fruit all season long. These are perfect if you’re looking for a plant that will supply your dinner table throughout the summer. Typically, one or two plants will be more than enough for a household.
Choose the Right Tomato for the Job
Each variety of tomatoes has unique properties that make them particularly useful in specific recipes. If you’re looking for tomatoes that are similar to what you can find at the grocery store, slicer tomatoes are a good choice! They’re medium-sized and are great for burgers and salads.
If you’re looking for a cute addition to salads, kebabs, or something to snack on while you’re tending your other veggies, “grape” or “cherry” tomatoes are a great option! They’re also a great plant to get the kids involved in the garden.
Sauce tomatoes are a great variety to grow if you’re looking forward to stocking up on Grandma’s classic tomato sauce recipe for the rest of the year. With lots of flesh and very few seeds, sauce tomatoes are great for making sauce, pastes, and stewed tomatoes.
Beefsteak tomatoes, aptly named for their meaty flesh, really give you something to bite into. They are massive, making them great for burgers and salads, but also suit salsas and pico de gallo.
Finally, consider heirloom tomatoes if you want to get creative with your tomato growing. They come in unique shapes and colors that add a bit of pizazz to any dish you create. You can also hold onto the seeds to plant again next year!
Best Ways to Plant Tomatoes
There are two ways to start your tomato plants in the spring: you can start them indoors or plant them directly in the ground. Planting directly in the ground means that your plant doesn’t undergo any stress from transplanting–it settles in and stays put all season! However, this can put you behind a bit for harvesting, especially in regions with shorter growing seasons.
By starting your seeds indoors, you gain a head start on growing tomatoes and then transplant your seedlings once the frost date has passed. Plant your seeds in small pods about six weeks before the frost date and keep them in a warm environment with moist soil while the seeds germinate.
If growing tomatoes from seeds isn’t important to you, you can always purchase a seedling from our garden center! We’ll give you the head start you need for a timely harvest.
Caring for Your Tomato Plant All Season
If you’re growing indeterminate tomatoes, they’ll need some structural support for their long vines. Determinate tomatoes will do well with a cage to support their bushy foliage.
To promote strong roots, water your tomato plants deeply, less often. Watering a little bit every day will result in shallow roots and an unstable plant. If the roots can grow deep into the soil for water, your plant will do much better! Fertilize your plant every six weeks during the growing season for delicious tomatoes all summer.
If you’re looking for tomato plants or seeds for purchase, visit us at Primex Garden Center. We can help with any questions you have about growing tomatoes for your household and any recipes you have in mind.
