by Lis Friemoth
Tomatoes provide table with a real taste of summer
The garden tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) — what a fruit!
Nothing else brings the taste of summer to us in quite
the same way. That first flush of pleasure for the juicy
taste soon disappears. As the plants produce more than
we ever suspected (yes, even experienced gardeners forget
the volume …) we are reduced to stealthy night maneuvers,
creeping through darkness, facing possible dog and/or police
intervention just to spread the tomato joy.
Sometimes just a bit of a change-up can refresh the whole
outlook. Choose one (or two) that are colorful, and delicious,
and then learn a bit of background. A bit of fascinating
information may induce your victims — I mean friends —
to take a few more tomatoes off your hands!
Find out the history of any heirloom or hybrid that you
choose. Ask around the family for any interesting stories.
Be sure to make note of the tomato names — your garden
produce recipients will find them more personal when named.
Check the descriptions for intriguing tidbits and shapes.
Questions to ponder: Where does the tomato come from?
What do you look for when choosing? Need any tips to help
you be more successful in tomato growing?
Origins of the species
Lots of stories surround the humble tomato. Interestingly,
it didn’t really make it into the mainstream of the United
States until relatively recently. Differing sources have
it showing up in public records somewhere on either side
of 1800 — with Thomas Jefferson’s reported serving of it
at Monticello in 1781 being the earliest. Originating in
the mountain regions of western South America, the tomato
made a very roundabout trip to the U.S.
As the European explorers made their way through the Americas,
they collected many unusual species to bring back with
them; tomatoes were just one of many. And as with all historical
happenings, stories differ as to the specific discovery
of the tomato. Some say Columbus, or one of his exploring
cohorts, took seed from the originating area to Europe
where it underwent immediate domestication and became quite
popular in the process.
Others claim that the tomato migrated north with the movements
of some of the indigenous peoples. With that human movement
also came the need for domestication and breeding to adapt
the plants to changes in environment and growing conditions.
I tend to lean toward the latter, because it seems more
believable that the tomato made its way north into Mexico,
eaten by indigenous peoples and domesticated to a certain
degree before it was transported to a new location. Interestingly,
no matter which route the tomato took, it had to go from
South America to the gardens and production fields of Europe
before the gardeners in the United States paid any attention
to all of the hoopla and decided to give the tomato a whirl.
Looks are everything
So, what did that much-touted tomato look like? Research
indicates that the original native tomato shape and form
is thought to have been very small and very round. That
early shape and size is indicative of reproduction purposes,
not use as a food. The size, color and shape differences
all are the result of domestication and breeding that has
been ongoing since prehistoric times.
Good choices
When looking for a tomato to try, much relies on personal
tastes and preferences. However, solid plant health and
disease resistance are important enough to consider mandatory.
There is nothing more dissatisfying than to watch much-babied
plants wither and die from issues that could have been
avoided.
Look for V (Verticillium wilt),
F (Fusarium wilt), FF (Fusarium wilt race 1 & 2),
N (Nematode), T (Tobacco Mosaic Virus), A (Alternaria),
and TSW (Tomato Spotted Wilt) on the labels. These letters
indicate resistance to the specified issues — not immunity
but resistance. You can find disease-resistance inherent
in heirloom varieties. That is not just a hybridizing
trait. Some resistant plants may still suffer from problems,
especially if stressed or not well cared for. Choose
resistant plants that have a healthy, creamy white root
structure with moderately green, thick, vegetative growth.
Decide if determinate or indeterminate plant type fits
your needs. A determinate tomato plant will grow to a relatively
specific size and produce the majority of the entire crop
all at once. Indeterminate plants continue to grow and
produce fruits throughout the entire season as it progresses.
Either type has lovely cultivars to choose from, making
the end use the main factor for this decision point. Proper
soil tilth, adequate organic matter, appropriate fertility
applications (get a product made for tomatoes), and consistent
water provision all are essential elements for the plants
to adapt and thrive. Know what inputs are needed for your
soil and site and carry on! A really neat development to
watch is the seedless tomato. They are becoming more available
to us regular folks; OK, maybe available is too strong
of a word. They are no longer completely impossible to
find.
Planting
For good tomato production, the plant requires solid roots
to help those heavy, fruit-laden plants stay firmly rooted
in the ground during the season. Tomatoes are easy to plant
as they will root all along the stem and can be planted
horizontally, with most of the stem underground. Leave
just a bit of top growth above soil level to get a dense,
solid root structure started.
Do keep in mind that tomatoes grow best in eight hours
of sun per day at temperatures from 70 F to 80 F, so warm
soils with a pH between 6.5 and 6.8 are happiness in the
making.
If the tomato plants are purchased and planted before
night temperatures stay consistently into the mid-40s,
think about keeping some type of cover handy to protect
against cold weather or frost damage.
Tomatoes benefit from staking or caging, and spacing the
plants about 2 feet apart will encourage air flow in and
around the individual plants. If you don’t get to staking
or caging before they get away from you, at least place
a mulch or a weed-barrier cloth between the soil surface
and the plants to prevent splash and the subsequent disease
potential.
Try to wait until you see some flowers forming before
fertilizing. This will ensure that the nutrients you add
will head toward the fruit first, and then to the stems
and
— Lis Friemoth is a horticulture diagnostician. Contact her at (262) 745-2904, P.O. Box 58, Springfield, WI 53176, visit online at www.thegardenhoe.com or e-mail her at gardenhoe@tds.net. Listen to Liz from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. every third Saturday on WISN AM1130 radio. |
