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Tomatoes: From Seed to Table

Growing tips from an expert and listings of where to buy the best tomato seeds.

Choose the right plants. Ask your nursery for selections that do well in your area. Paul grows 'Burpee's Early Pick' for an early harvest; then plants 'Crimson Fancy' and 'SuperTasty' for his main-season crop.

For early tomatoes, start early. Paul sows seeds for his earliest fruiting tomatoes in a small greenhouse during the first week of January. By February 22, he sows his main crop and transplants the early seedlings to his cold frame. In mid-March, he pots up his main-season plants. He places them in the cold frame behind the earlier plants, until the weather is warm enough for the later transplants to go into the beds. (The last frost usually occurs around April 20 in his area, so plants are sheltered until then.)

You have to have good soil. Paul uses compost from a 20 x 4 x 4 foot bin that he fills with leaves.

Plant them right. Paul advises setting the plants into the ground so that only the top set of leaves are showing. The plants will root along their buried stems, making them vigorous and drought tolerant.

Feed 'em well. Before planting his main crop, Paul digs a foot-deep furrow for each row, sprinkles cottonseed meal down the middle, and tills it in. During the growing season, he sprinkles about a half-pound of 5-20-20 fertilizer beside each 35-foot row.

Water regularly. Paul provides slow, even moisture by running soaker hoses down the center of each row. The soaker hoses provide an even flow of water and won't splash the leaves, which can spread disease.

Watch out for the pests. Paul sprays plants with Neem to repel chewing insects. He suggests you destroy pest-laden mulch after each growing season. Always pick the rotting fruit off of the vine because it attracts pests.

Where to Order Heirloom Seeds
You can order heirloom seeds by telephone or on the Internet from the following companies.