Tomato Talk
02 Mar 2011
It’s time to start tomatoes indoors, so here are our picks for the tastiest tomatoes to grow in the garden this year.
By Carol O’Meara The National Garden Bureau declared 2011 the “Year of the Tomato,” and what a year it will be. The most popular vegetable in the U.S. has millions of devoted fans across the globe, and for good reason—one bite of the tangy sweet fruit inspires hundreds of salsas, sauces and salads.
Sauce and Stew Tomatoes

Sweet Cherry Tomatoes

Great Tomatoes, Hands Down

Tomato Tips

- If growing tomatoes in a container, choose compact plants that stay well behaved and plant them in a 5-gallon pot.
- Pick plants that are bright, deep green with a stout stem, avoiding those with flowers or fruit; though enticing, those fruits or flowers will stunt your plant’s early growth.
- Plant tomatoes in full sun (8 hours daily exposure).
- Amend the soil with compost.
- For large, healthy roots, dig a horizontal trench and lay the tomato in it. Gently lift the plant upward, avoiding bending or breaking the stem, until the top two sets of leaves are above the soil line. Don’t bury any leaves, which will rot against the stem under the soil, so pinch off those below the soil line. Then cover the roots and stem with soil.
- Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart.
- Give seedlings a shot of starter fertilizer, then set up trellising.
- Fertilize every two to four weeks through July, depending on your soil (those low in organic material need more fertilizer than older, richer gardens).
- Keep watering consistent, irrigating regularly to a depth of 7 to 8 inches.