April 28, 2010 A Little Bit About Tomatoes

 Emmie Sherry

 Herb and Vegetable Specialist

       Everyone wants to grow tomatoes, and there's a perfect tomato for everyone. There are hundreds of varieties of tomatoes, and when it comes to growing and deciding which ones to grow, it can be a challenging experience.

       There are little ones, big ones, and even bigger ones. There are not only red tomatoes, but also pink, yellow, green, white, and even purple too. Then there are the hybrids and the heirlooms, and some that are determinate and others that are indeterminate. And which ones taste the best?

       Well, let me tell you, they're all good. Although I have grown a good number of different tomato varieties, I have not, by far, tried them all. But, I have never grown or even heard of a "bad" tomato.

So, don't let all the sizes and types hang you up when choosing your tomatoes. Just know that whatever variety you choose, you can't go wrong.

       Every year I grow some of my old favorites ( Big Boy, Better Boy, Early Girl and Cherokee Purple) but I also always try new varieties. Even after doing this for so many years, it is still hard to choose between all of the different and interesting varieties. But, thats when the fun begins. This year I'll grow some of these and some of those, and then there's next year, and then the next... And every season it's actually kind of fun choosing tomato plants and not knowing which one will be this year's best.