Selecting Tomato Varieties
Tomatoes originated in the South American Andes cultivated as early as 700 AD. They have become one of the central ingredients in many diets on all continents. It is now the most popular plant grown in home and commercial gardens across the world. There are two basic types of Tomatoes with literally hundreds of hybrids and heirloom varieties. - Determinate varieties grow as a small bush and set all of their fruit early in the year. - Indeterminate varieties grow as a vine. They bloom and set fruit as they grow. Growers living in hot summer temperatures should plan for the fact that indeterminate varieties will stop setting fruit when night temperatures reach approximately 85 degrees f. In warmer climates growers can plan for setting a fall crop by propagating cuttings from from the mature vines in late summer. Then plan for a new vigorous crop of tomatoes in the fall. Unfortunately fungus, bacteria and virus love tomatoes as much as we do so care must be shown in s