Tomatoes
Types of tomatoes
- Classic – Generally round & smooth, ranging from medium-small to medium-large in size. Sometimes called main crop or slicing tomatoes
- Beefsteak – Generally large to very large, usually somewhat irregular in shape, often later to mature
- Cherry – Small, bite-size tomatoes
- Paste – Generally elongated shapes and often meatier with less seed gel, hence good for processing as sauce & paste. Also good for salsa and salads.
Size of plants
- Determinates – Short, about 2-4 feet high. Standard tomato cages will work.
- Indeterminates – Will continue growing until frost kills them, easily 6 feet or more, need tall cages
- Semi-determinate – Indeterminates that don’t get very tall, 4-5 feet
How to grow
- If starting from seed, plant seeds in pots about 6-8 weeks in advance, February - May, and pot up into larger containers as needed.
- Stems can be buried, both when potting up and when planting in the ground. Roots will develop where the leaves were attached.
- Plant out in April through June, when soil has warmed up, 2-3 feet apart.
- Don’t use a high nitrogen fertilizer. It encourages too much leafy growth.
- Support vines with cages to keep fruit off the ground.
- Don’t overwater tomatoes once they’re established. They’ll develop better flavor with less water.
Additional links
Spring Garden Market tomato varieties, PDF list of excellent varieties for Santa Clara County