The scion is selected for the taste of the fruit. There are two parts to a grafted plant, the rootstock, which contains the root of the plant and the scion, which is the fruiting part of the plant on top.The rootstock is chosen for its disease-resistance, vigorous growth, and high fruit yield. More recently this technique is being used to allow gardeners to the benefit of harvesting heirloom varieties of tomato fruits while having the benefits of disease resistance and higher yields of a hybrid. Grafting is an old technique that involves matching the top part one variety onto the bottom part of another variety. Heirloom varieties, if grown on their own rootstock, are not likely to be resistant to verticillium wilt or fusarium wilt, common disease problems in growing tomatoes. Heirloom tomato cultivars come in a wide variety of colors, shapes, flavors and sizes. Heirlooms are open pollinated, meaning that seed saved year to year will grow a plant which is true to type. 1945 marks the end of World War II and is roughly the beginning of widespread use of hybrid varieties. The definition of heirloom is widely debated, though the term is often used for varieties that pre-date 1945 and were handed down from one generation to the next. Disease resistance can be an important consideration, especially if you have experienced these problems with tomatoes in the past. Many cultivar names are followed by one or more letters indicating resistance to Verticillium wilt (V), Fusarium wilt (F), or nematodes (N). Since they continue to make new leaves all season, this has the additional advantage of maintaining some leaves on the plant if leaf spot diseases really take hold later in the summer.Īnother characteristic when choosing tomato cultivars is disease resistance. Indeterminate (I) tomato plants grow, flower, and set fruit over the entire growing season. This is an advantage if the tomatoes are being grown primarily for canning purposes. They also flower and set all their fruit within a relatively short period of time. Determinate (D) tomato plants grow to a certain height and then stop. Maturity is indicated by the number of days from transplanting to first ripe fruit.Īnother consideration is whether the tomato cultivar is determinate or indeterminate in growth habit. Tomatoes are usually categorized as early, midseason or late. There are numerous varieties of tomatoes. It was returned to eastern North America in the late 1700’s but not generally cultivated for food until after 1820. Tomatoes were introduced to Europe in the early 1500’s from the subtropical Americas. Too much fruit and not enough support can cause the stems to bend and break.Tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum) is of the Solanaceae or nightshade family, as is pepper, eggplant and potato. It also helps to keep the plant upright with either a stake or a tomato cage. It’s important to pick the ripe fruit as soon as possible from the plant to prevent the plant from stressing out too much. Harvest ripe fruits to keep the plant healthy.They can be hand-picked off if you have the time and patience, or you can use Captain Jack’s Deadbug, an organic insecticide. They damage tomato plants by chewing on the foliage and can do heavy damage if not taken care of. In the summer, green worms known as tomato hornworms can also become a problem. You can control this fungus by using a copper fungicide spray. Be sure to remove any diseased or yellow leaves to prevent the blight from spreading. When the weather is humid, it creates ideal growing conditions for fungal diseases, such as blight, which is indicated by dark spots on the lower leaves. Keep an eye out for fungal diseases and insect problems.During dry weather, it’s important to keep your tomatoes well-hydrated. Immediately after planting your started tomato plants, water thoroughly to help give the roots a kick-start on getting established. Like many plants, tomatoes will tell you when they’re thirsty. When the plant begins to set fruit, begin fertilizing on a 1-2 week regimen. Compost gives extra minor nutrients to the roots and helps more vigorous growth. It also helps to mix compost into your soil as you prepare your garden for your tomato plants. When planting your tomatoes, following the fertilizer label, mix in a slow-release fertilizer such as Miracle Gro Shake N’ Feed. These 6-8 hours of sunlight help to give the tomato its best flavor. Try and find a spot in your garden that you know will receive 6-8 hours of direct sunlight. We have for you a few tips to keep in mind to help you prepare to grow your best tomatoes this season. However, growing a successful crop of delicious tomatoes without incident seems like a daunting task. What’s better in the summertime than fresh, ripe tomatoes from your own plants? Not much.
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