The Plant Lady

General Information Regarding Tomatoes:

 85% of the estimated 29 million gardeners grow tomatoes (NCG)

Physical Description

• semi-tropical perennial that's grown as an annual (NCG)
• Originated in the Andean mountains, but the fruits were smaller than cherry tomatoes. They were ignored by the incas, but birds carried the seeds to Central America where it was cultivated for it's decorativeness by the pre-Mayan Indians. The Aztecs were the ones to start eating it as Tomatl or Xtomatl. Spanish conquistadors brought it back to Europe. Colonists brought it to the US. (NCG)
• Heat loving (GGC)
• Subject to many fungal diseases (GGC)

Taxonomy

• Family: Solanaceae or Nightshade
• Other Members: eggplant, peppers, potatoes (although they prefer different soil conditions), tobacco, ground cherries, cape gooseberries. Also includes some poisonous weeds (GGC)
• Latin Name: Lycopersicon esculentum
• Nightshade family also includes some poisonous weeds (GGC)
• Categories:
  • Indeterminate
  • Determinate
  • Semi-determinate

Growth Habits

• Tomatoes are heavy feeders (GGC)
• Bees do most of the pollinating for tomatoes (GGC)
• Open pollination makes uneven results (GGC)
• Flavor components are produced in the leaves, then carried to the fruit. This means that indeterminate varieties, which have more leaves to fruit, taste the best. This goes for peppers, too. (GGC)

AHA Zone

Categories Available 

there is a staggering amount of diversity in the tomato world. they are divided first by size, shape, then color, then growth habit (vine or bush) 

• Categories Based on Size:
  • Currant-sized
  • Cherry tomato
  • Plum, Roma or paste tomato
    • thick-walled tomatoes have less juice, so they are better for sauces
    • take longer to ripen
  • Slicing Tomato
  • Large Beefstakes: 
    • Giant ones weighing up to 16 oz.
    • take longer to ripen
• Categories based on Shape
  • Round
  • Ribbed
  • Plum
  • Cherry
  • Pleated
• Categories based on Color:
  • Red (standard)
  • Pink
  • Purple/black
  • Green
  • White
  • Yellow
    
    • May be more resistant to potato blight than other colors (REOG)
  • Orange
  • Striped
  • mottled
• Categories Based on Growth Habit
  • Indeterminate Varieties
  • Dwarf Indeterminate
  • Determinate Varieties
  • Semi-determinate Varieties
• Categories Based on Season Length Required for Ripening:
  • Early Season
  • Mid Season
  • Late Season

Disease Resistance Types: 

• V = Verticillium Wilt
• F = Fusarium Wilt (F1 & F2)
• FF = Fusarium Wilt
• N = Nematode Resistant (root knot nematode)
• T = Tobacco Mosaic Virus Resistance
• A = Alternaria Leaf Spot resistance (Alternaria Blight)
• ASC = Alternaria Stem Canker

When to Plant Tomatoes:

Tomatoes are the epitome of a summer crop. Summer is synonymous with tomatoes, in my mind.

If you are starting seeds, start them 6-8 weeks before your area's last frost. Where I live (Redding, CA), this is  between February 18th and March 4th. Our last frost date is April 15th. They can go in right after the last frost, but it's good to wait till night time temperatures stay above 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you are planting starts from the nursery, don't put them out until night time temperatures are staying above 50 degrees Fahrenheit, which turns out to be about 2 weeks after your area's last frost.

Tomatoes that are planted too early, when it's too cold out for them, are said to be less productive. 

Harvest Time 

•  Seed to harvest takes 7-12 weeks (REOG)