Tomatoes are fun and easy to grow
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Diane Lynch
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Tomatoes plants purchased from the Master Gardeners and grown by Bill Wong. Photo: Diane Lynch
Tomatoes are divided into hybrid and heirloom varieties. Hybrids generally produce more fruit and are bred to be resistant to nasty diseases like verticillium and fusarium wilts. Heirlooms are open-pollinated, which means you can save seeds from them to grow the same tomato next year, which doesn’t work with hybrids. Determinate tomatoes grow to a predetermined height and produce their entire crop within a few weeks, making them good for canning or freezing. Indeterminate tomatoes will keep growing, producing fruit until the plant freezes or dies at the end of the season.
Tomato plants on their way to the Master Gardener sale. Photo: Diane LynchWhere to plant your tomatoes? In the sunniest part of the garden where they’ll get 6-8 hours of sunshine daily. How to plant them? Cut the leaves off the stem all the way to the top 2 or 3 sets of leaves. You’ll bury the stem all the way up to those leaves because tomato plants will grow roots along that stem, which gives them the very best start. Don’t do this with other plants. You can dig a little trench for the stem if you don’t want to dig a deep hole, but deep roots are best for capturing soil moisture.
Susan Lukens grows amazing tomatoes in Old Tiburon, despite fog and cooler temperatures. Photo: I'Lee HookerWatering is essential for optimal growth, but the less you use, the more flavorful your tomatoes will be. Some commercial growers will gradually ween the plants off water and dry farm them for extra flavor. If you let them dry out and then soak them too much, you risk blossom end rot, which is easy to recognize. Aim for consistent soil moisture, not too dry, not too wet, tapering off the water as fruits start appearing.
Don’t forget to store your tomatoes on the kitchen counter, never in the refrigerator, which will ruin their flavor and texture. Enjoy the best eating of the year from your own garden!
The Master Gardeners have been working since the early part of the year, selecting and growing tomatoes that will do best in our microclimates. The 16 varieties are a mix of hybrids and heirlooms, and some are marked for good performance in the cooler coastal climates of Marin.
Sungold tomatoes just starting to ripen. Photo: Diane LynchYou can get yours at Bon Air Shopping Center in Greenbrae or Pini Hardware in Novato on April 15 at 9 AM. Onsite advisors can help you select the best ones for your location. They usually sell out, so get there early!