Choosing the Right Variety of Heirloom Tomato For Your Area
by John Yazo
When it comes to having a successful tomato crop, it is very important to choose a variety that will do good in your area. There are varieties that need longer growing seasons than others and one that grow better in a specific climate. There are many to choose from and there are ones that will do good in your area.
In areas with cooler climates the season is usually too short to grow your tomato crop from a seed planted directly in your garden. Starting your own tomatoes from seeds indoors is the best way to give your plants the head start they need. Starting in about March or six to seven weeks before it's safe to transplant the seedlings outdoors or you can buy transplants at your local garden center. Despite the narrower choice of varieties, garden centers usually carry varieties that are best suited for the area. Another way to purchase is through mail-order catalogs, they will ship tomato plants at the appropriate time. It is wise to get orders in early with mail-orders because they tend to sell out.
Determinate or indeterminate are two different types of plant. "Indeterminate" plant varieties grow longer and adding more fruit until the plant dies off due to frost. These plants can get quite large, 8 to 12 feet tall unless severely pruned. "Determinate" varieties grow to a particular size, they bear all their fruit within a few week period of time and then quit. These plants usually are bushier and smaller, but still usually need to be supported.
There are also varieties for early, mid and late season harvests. The early varieties are usually hybrids and ripen fruit fast, as quickly as 55 days after they are transplanted into the garden. Fast fruit often has less flavor, this is because it takes the long days in the sun to develop a sweet tasting tomato. Mid season tomatoes are ones that ripen after about 70 days and late-season ones can take 80 days or even longer.
Choosing a variety of tomato that is best suited for your needs and area will greatly benefit the productivity of your crop.
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