EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GROWING TOMATOES

JANNA ANDERSON

Tomatoes

Selecting a variety

There are literally thousands of varieties of tomatoes to choose from. Sometimes handed down from generation to generation, to seed saver exchanges and small grower hybrids, the possibilities are just endless.

Difficulties or success growing tomatoes often start in the selection process of varieties that do well in your climate.

The shorter the day to maturity also means a smaller tomato.

Hybrid vs. Heirlooms

Hybrid Varieties Commonly confused

with Genetically Modified Organisms

(GMO) Created by cross pollinating two types

of tomatoesHybrids are designed

to have more disease resistance, better taste

or longer shelf life

Heirlooms Traditional “saver” type

of tomatoes Seed can be dried and

kept from year to year with a predictable offspring like the

parents Generally believed to

have better taste but a short shelf life and

sometimes are very ugly and difficult to grow!

As you can see from the chart, the type of tomatoes you plant can have a huge relation on what yield you may have.

Certain tomatoes grow much larger or smaller dependent on the varieties for example, Brandywines are large and Dr. Wyche’s yellow are usually smaller around 4 to 8 oz. each.

There is a correlation to size, our short seasons, and the success you have.

SINCE TIMING WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOU WITH TOMATOES, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS

THAT OUR LAST FROST DATE IN PHOENIX IS MARCH 15 T H .

IT TYPICALLY GOES OVER 90 DEGREES ROUTINELY IN MAY,

AND SINCE TOMATOES FREEZE, THEY CANNOT GO OUT BEFORE

MARCH 15 T H UNLESS PROTECTED AND MUST SET FRUIT BEFORE MAY, SINCE

TOMATOES CANNOT POLLINATE IN HOT WEATHER .

Timing is Everything!

Min

tem

p

Max

tem

p0

40

80

120

FebMarAprilMayJunJul

W H E N S O M E O N E S AY S “ W E H AV E S H O R T S E A S O N S H E R E , ” T H E Y A R E R E F E R R I N G T O T H E S H O R T P E R I O D O F T I M E B E F O R E I T G E T S S O H O T

C R O P S D O N ’ T G R O W W E L L .

W H E N S E L E C T I N G T O M AT O VA R I E T I E S, T H E D AY S I T TA K E S T O M AT U R I T Y S H O U L D B E L E S S T H A N 7 8 F O R A G O O D C R O P. A N Y M O R E T H A N T H AT, A N D T H E C R O P W I L L L I K E LY J U S T TA K E U P S PA C E F O R

T H E S U M M E R , G R O W I N G O N LY L E AV E S A N D N O F R U I T. I T W I L L

P I C K U P I N T H E FA L L W H E N N I G H T S G E T C O O L E R A N D

S O M E T I M E S Y O U W I L L G E T A S E C O N D C R O P.

What that means to you!

Winter

Fall

Summer

Spring

Getting Started

Select transplants with dark green colorLook for a shorter, sturdy stemCheck under leaves for bugs or damageLook at bottom of pot for roots sticking outGet a plant smaller than the pot to avoid root

bound transplantsTry to find how it was grown, and if it is

hardened off or needs extra protection from the sun

Talk to your grower about varieties

GOT DIRT?

Traditionally, we all think to add compost and maybe manure, but for a reliable tomato with the best flavor and heat resistance, plain old dirt is the best thing you can start with.

AZ native soil is high in micronutrients and minerals simply not found in a commercial potting mix.

Add no more than 1/3 of compost or manure to the planting hole.

Plant the tomato stem into the ground so the top is all that is exposed, then water deeply.

Watch them grow!

Now that you have successfully transplanted your tomatoes, you can sit back and watch them grow.

Watering should be done only when the dirt is dry more than an inch below the surface. Dirt in AZ looks dry, but has a nice layer holding in the moisture below, so check before watering, then deep water-being careful not to splash the leaves!

Weeds are good sources of water conservation!

Click icon to add pictureNow comes the waiting, the hardest part. Watching the tomatoes carefully for the first sign of a tomato baby.

If the weather is over 90 degrees, you might try to shade the plants with light shade cloth. This will help keep them cooler.

Mulching carefully around the plants will conserve water and keep the soil cooler.

Don’t overwater!

Finally the day comes

With a little luck and a bit of work, the day will finally come when you see the first tomatoes turning a rosy red!

Easy recipe: Mix about 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. It is ok to marinade it for a few minutes.