2011 Full Color Tomato Catalog
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Some tips for tomato growing 1. Do it! You don’t need a large garden space or a green thumb to produce great tasting fruits. The only ‘downside’ to growing your own is that you’ll never be happy with what you find at your local supermarkets in the ‘off-season’. Tomatoes are fun and easy to grow. 2. Pick the right variety for your situation. Some varieties have a restricted growth habit and can be grown in containers on your deck or back porch. Some can even be put in hanging baskets. Most are best handled in the ground using cages or multiple staking for support.

3. Fertilization is important-especially if grown in containers. Look for plant food specifically formulated for your tomatoes. These will have nitrogen but it should not dominate the analysis ratios of N-P-K ( nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium).

4. Be patient and don’t try to rush the season. If done right, you’ll be harvesting well into late September. Tomatoes planted in cold soil don’t grow and are subject to disease, frost, and freeze damage. Mid to late May is plenty early.

5. Choosing hybrid varieties offers definite advantages. They simply are more resistant to various diseases and nematode damage. There are some great non-hybrids out there, producing tasty fruits, but the F1 hybrids are a good choice if you’re just starting out or can only grow a few plants in the space available.

6. Try some Heirlooms, too! They have a fantastic taste, broad range of colors and types, not to mention terrific names like Box Car Willie, Mortgage Lifter, Pruden's Purple, and Caspian Pink, to name just a few.