Heirloom tomatoes have not been altered in any way, and produce seeds which can be planted to produce further plants. Planting seeds of the Heirloom will ensure, that over a number of growing seasons, the tomato adapts to the regional climate and soil conditions it is growing in.

Hybrid tomatoes do not have the same ability to reproduce. Many hybrid tomatoes will produce sterile seeds, or seeds that will only replicate one its parent plants, rather than the hybrid variety. The organic gardener can still use hybrid tomatoes, as long as they have not been genetically altered in anyway. There are non-genetically altered tomatoes on the market that are still resistant to disease and certain insect pests. You will also observe that many tomato plants will have a label with 'VFN' on it. VFN stands for a resistance to the Verticillium Wilt, Fusarium Wilt and Nematodes diseases.

Whichever type is chosen, there are some important tomato growing tips that the organic gardener can make use of. When these tips are followed, it is possible to make your plants more resistant to the damages inflicted by pests and disease, as well as boost the fruit yield.

Compost

The use of plenty of organic compost, when mixed with the soil, will improve the health and growth of the tomato plants. Top dressing, part way through the growing season, is also beneficially.

Mulch ? The use of a generous amount of mulch will ensure that water is conserved. Mulch will also have the added benefits of preventing the growth of weeds, which would compete with the new plant. Mulch also helps prevent the spread of soil born disease, preventing soil coming into contact with the plant leaves. There are a number of mulches on the market, and whilst plastic mulch will work it is advisable to use a natural one, both leaves and grass or seaweed mulch.

Planting ? the planting or transplanting of seedlings is a dangerous time. It is important that the roots of the tomato plant are kept compacted unlike many other plants. It is important that leaves are not near to or touching the soil, therefore it may be necessary to do some pruning.

Watering ? Regular watering is required to produce a successful tomato plant. The best time to water is in the early morning, and should be done from a low level which will prevent the wetting of leaves and the possibility of soil splash back.

Companion Growing for Tomatoes

It is a good idea to intermix your tomato planting with the growing of basil, dill, other herbs or borage plant. These other plants will attract insects including wasps, their young will feed on parasites that could harm your plant.

Fish Emulsion ? The application of Fish Emulsion will allow the tomato plant to take up additional minerals, which may be missing from the soil. These minerals could be vital to the growth of successful and health tomato plant.

Following these simple tips should ensure that a bountiful crop of organic tomatoes will be achieved.

In the United States the tomato has quickly become one of the most popular summer fruit or vegetables. An important part of any garden, the tomato plant can provide fruit that are tasty and healthy, and full of vitamins and minerals.

Tomatoes are a native product of South and Central America, where traditionally they have been grown for many seasons, in the United States though tomatoes are grown as annuals. There is a great deal of difference as to how the plants are grown in the United States.

In the warmer southern states it is possible to grow successful plants straight from seeds sown in the ground. In the cooler north it is advisable that the seeds are grown first in trays indoors. Indoor growing, for up to two and half months, will give the plants a healthy start and avoid the possibility of a sudden frost. Once these seedlings have grown to an acceptable size they can then be transplanted to an outside location.

It is of course not necessary to grow your own seedlings, as garden centers will stock a range of seedlings. It is important that the transplantation of seedlings, either store brought or hoe grown, is not done until the overnight temperature is above 50F. If your region is susceptible to overnight frosts it is important also that you can protect the tomato plants from this danger.

The choice of seeds and seedlings fall into two main types; determinate tomatoes vs. Indeterminate Tomatoes. These two varieties of tomatoes will be reviewed below.

Determinate Tomatoes

These tomatoes are bush plants ideal for container growing, taking up less space and needing less support once grown. All tomatoes like slightly acidic soil from pH6.0-pH7.0, and soil can be assisted with organic compost if required. Determinate tomatoes have an advantage as well in that all of the tomatoes grown from a single plant will ripen at the same time.

Indeterminate Tomatoes

These tomatoes are grown from vines rather than a bush. These vine tomato plants will also continue to be produce fruit throughout the growing season, allowing you to eat fresh tomatoes throughout the summer.

Vine tomatoes can be left to their own devices, where you will find that they spread out over the available ground. This can cause more tomatoes to rot, as the fruit will be closer to the ground. The sprawling nature of the plant can also make it more difficult to pick the ripe fruit. To control this sprawl it is normal for gardeners to make a support system from such things as wire cages. Wire cages also have a benefit of coming in types with a mesh large enough to put your hand through to harvest the tomatoes.

The origins of the tomato are believed to have been the mountains of Peru, where it is still possible to view wild species of the fruit still growing. From Peru it made its way into Mexico and Central America where it was first harvested as a food. European explorers then took the tomato plant back to Europe when they returned home.

The tomato though failed to become universally popular in Europe. In the 16th and 17th centuries many people believed the fruit to be poisonous, as the tomato plant is a relation of the deadly nightshade.

There are also tales of people becoming ill after eating the tomato, but these tales have been attributed to the use of pewter plates rather than the fruit itself. Pewter plates have a high concentration of lead in them, and the acidic juice of the tomato would cause the lead to leak from the plate causing lead poisoning. The poorer people would seem to have had a lucky escape by using cheaper wooden plates and boards, and thus allowing them to avoid this fate.

In today's society the reputation of the tomato has recovered to such an extent that it now seen as vital by many people to a maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Healthy living is now high on many people's list of foods for nutritional intake and a healthy diet. The tomato is a key source of Lycopene, a strong anti-oxidant.

The tomato can also supply Vitamin C and Calcium. Studies have also shown that in the northern regions of Italy people are 60% less like to develop several forms of cancer. These studies indicate that the consumption of a helping of raw tomato each day will fend off the cancers of the cervix, colon, prostate and the stomach, when compared with those who consume 2 helpings a week or less.

Buying tomatoes though is less beneficial that growing your own. Those tomatoes grown in the back garden are going to be pesticide free, especially when compared with commercially grown fruit. These home grown tomatoes will also be ripened whilst still on the plant, ensuring that more beneficial elements remain in the fruit.

The tomato is predominantly grown during the summer months. The best growth occurs in soil which is mixed with compost of decomposed matter.

Tomato seeds can be planted straight into holes in the soil. Ideally the seeds should be 2.5cm apart, allowing enough room for the plants to grow comfortably in their infancy. The holes should be filled in with more soil.

Once the tomato plants have grown to about 12cm it is important that the plants are then transplanted to their ultimate growing positions. To ease the transplanting process, it is important that the seedlings are not watered for about 3 days before being moved. Non-watering will allow the seedlings to harden, hopefully ensuring that the plants will not die during their move.

This final location needs to be big enough to allow the seedlings to be planted at least 60cm apart. Any less will be detrimental to the plant's health. The more space there is between the plants will mean that air can circulate between the plants, helping to reduce humidity, and the possible fungal infection that comes with it.

Start Plants Early

The more time the tomato plant spends in the ground, the healthier the plant will be. Of course the healthier the plant is the more likely you are to take off a large yield of tomatoes. Tomato plants can be transplanted into the ground from their pots once the average temperatures hit 45 degrees. There is always the danger that a sudden frost may hit, but this can be avoided with a commercial product like the 'Wall-O-Water'. This device, or a similar make, can be brought from many plant nurseries or garden centers. In essence the 'Wall-O-Water' will gather heat during the day then releasing it during the night when the plants most need it.

Grow Tomato Plants from Seeds

There are far more seeds available on the market than there are seedlings from your local garden center. This choice will enable you to pick rare Heirlooms or plants most suitable to your region. Seedlings of course do take out the initial hassle of growing from seed, but the chances are the garden center won't have them in stock until after you want to put them into the ground.

Use Tomato Supports

Whilst it is possible to purchase tomato support, they rarely meet the needs of the home grower. More often than not they will be unable to hold a heavy plant in an upright position. Hopefully you will have heavy plants full of fruit to support. One of the best ways to keep up your plant therefore is to build your own support. A wire livestock panel is ideal, and is the wire is far enough apart it provides perfect holes through which to pick your tomatoes through.

Apply Epsom Salts

The addition of Epsom salts early in a plants life is a must. The salts are one of the best sources of magnesium available, this magnesium will stop blossom drop from occurring. The first lot of salts should be added when transplanting into the ground occurs. The salts should be added to the base of the plant and then well watered in. The addition of salts should then be repeated when the first fruits are produced. Tomatoes which are grown in pots and containers may need more than two lots of Epsom salts, as they are less likely to be getting goodness from their soil.

Prune your Tomato Plants

One of the easiest ways for the tomato plant to get a disease is through its leaves. They are especially vulnerable when water from the sky or from sprinklers splashes soil onto the leaves. The easiest way to avoid this is the cut away those leaves touching or near to the soil level.

Mulch Around Your Plants

The application of hardwood mulch will enable a tomato plant to retain more water, by keeping the soil cool and moist. The mulch should be applied to a depth of about 3 inches, although there does need to be space around the plant stem to allow the plant roots to breathe and take in moisture.

As popularity has grown so has the argument about whether the tomato is a fruit or a vegetable. In the strictest sense it is a fruit, the tomato encloses reproductive seeds. Many people still refer to the tomato as a vegetable, mainly due to its use in savory dishes, and in truth does it really matter.

Although popular today, history has not always seen the tomato as a favored food. It has not been a smooth path from the Peruvian mountains to the kitchen of today.

The tomato originated in the Americas, and the most common quoted place of origin is Peru. Domestic cultivation of it though occurred further north into Mexico and other Central American countries. This cultivation caused domestication, and the wild useless weed was transformed into a plant the produced a high yield of flavorsome fruit.

The Americas were conquered by Spanish explorers from the 15th century onwards. These explorers would take back the tomato to their homeland, from where it would spread around the rest of the Mediterranean.

Tomatoes are part of the potato family, the 'Solanaceae' which also includes eggplants. This means that the tomato is also part of the Nightshade family, which resulted in the belief by many people that the tomato itself was poisonous. This belief was not helped by the fact that the tomato plant looks very similar to the Deadly Nightshade.

This similarity brought about its Latin name, Lycopersicon esculentum, meaning 'edible wolf peach'. At a time when it was believed that werewolves were summoned by witches and warlocks using nightshade, tomatoes became known as 'wolf peach'.

The belief that the tomato was poisonous obviously prevented it becoming popular in North America and non-Mediterranean areas of Europe. This changed in the 19th century. The tomato became popular in the United States when a public demonstration was undertaken in 1820. This demonstration saw Colonel Robert Johnson eating a basket of tomatoes in front of a crowd with no resulting illness.

At a time when vegetable cultivation was still done in people's back gardens, the tomato plant soon became a firm favorite. Indeed it is from these back gardens that today's Heirloom tomatoes have emerged from.

It is unlikely that you will find heirloom tomatoes in your local grocery store. Commercial growing of tomatoes is almost universally of hybrid tomatoes. Hybrids are specially grown and developed to ensure that there are plenty of spherical red tomatoes available on the shelves. The hybrids are grown not for flavor, but to get non-bruised, red looking tomatoes on the shelves, that will last for longer whilst in the store.

From the Heirlooms you will get a much more pleasurable taste. Also Heirlooms come in all sorts of shapes and colors. Colors can range from purple to green, with reds, yellows and oranges in between. Some varieties of Heirlooms are as hardy as the commercial hybrid varieties but are still largely ignored.

In the past few years more and more Heirloom tomatoes have become available for those wishing to grow them in their garden. In addition to flavor from the tomatoes, the plants can also bring color and beauty to the garden. Many gardeners are particularly pleased with the difference in shapes and sizes that can be produced.

Heirlooms are also highly sought after by cooks. Heirloom tomatoes can produce unique shapes ideal for making a dish look good, as well as providing a rainbow of color and strong taste.

Modern Heirlooms have long since overcome the downside of many of their predecessors. Today as well as being tasty, some varieties of Heirlooms are also more resistant to pests and disease, as well as rapidly changing temperatures.

In infancy all tomato plants can be vulnerable to pests and diseases, despite some resistance. One of the worst pests is the cutworm, which will effectively decapitate the tomato plant at soil level. The easiest way of avoiding this issue, is to place an aluminum foil collar around the stem at its base.

Most Heirlooms are late season producers, although it is possible by carefully choosing your varieties, you can produce tomatoes throughout the growing season. Heirlooms can be acclimatized to their growing environment, and given a few years the Heirloom can thrive in its new growing location just from replanting produced seeds.

Taking seeds from the heirloom tomato will also ensure that in the following season, the tomato plant can be reproduced. This is in contrast to the hybrid plants which will not reproduce itself, causing reliance on seed providers for next years plants.

Saving seeds is important for producing next year's tomato plants. Whilst it is possible to replant right back into the same place as your tomatoes have already grown, yield may be limited. The best results for continual production, is by growing your plants from seed indoors. Using a 'grow light' six inches from your seeds, will give the seedlings a boost.

Once there is second growth of leaves on the seedling, then they are ripe for transplanting into individual pots, before eventually they go outside.

Using containers to grow tomatoes does have advantages; there is none of the weeding or turning over of soil as needed in a garden. Also using containers makes it easier to protect your tomatoes from being eaten by birds and insects. This of course does depend on you not placing the container on balconies or porches where they are once again susceptible to those same birds and insects.

It is important to find the best sized container to put your tomato plants in. The size may be constrained by the amount of space you have, but it is also dependant on the type of tomato being planted. A hanging basket, or equivalent sized container, would be ideal for the growing of cherry tomatoes. The same container though would be totally inappropriate for the growing of larger varieties of tomatoes, where a five gallon bucket would be more suitable. Each tomato plant needs space to grow.

The choice of tomato plant is important. It is possible to purchase tomato plants that grow to a set size, perfect for those with limited space. There are also plants on the market that keep growing and growing. These plants, varieties like 'Early Girl' and 'Big Boy', are only really suitable for those with large gardens where the plant can grow in comfort.

Once you have your tomato plant and container, then you are ready to start planting. The container needs to have holes in the bottom of it, these holes allow good drainage. Without sufficient numbers of holes, your tomato plant will drown.

The lower sets of leaves need to be cut from the stem, and position the plants in the container. Most people use stakes of some sort to tie their plant to. Stakes will allow the plants to grow upright, making the best use of any space. It is important that the container is sturdy and heavy enough to avoid the container falling over when the tomato plant is in full bloom and top heavy.

It is best to plant the tomato plants in potting soil mixed with some natural organic material. It is easy enough to find out the best soil and fertilizers to be used for growing tomatoes, either online or in your local plant nursery.

Tomato plants require sunlight and lots of it. Ideally the plants should receive 8 hours of sunlight each day, although it is possible to grow with as little as 6 hours. If serious about your cultivation it may also be beneficial to buy a 'grow light'. This light will prove invaluable on cloudy days to stimulate growth, especially in young plants.

The tomato plants need to watered daily, irregular watering will only stunt their growth, and may bring about a premature death. Consistency in caring for your plants will produce the best results.

Picked from your own garden, there is no other way of getting the freshest vegetables and fruit. Freshness imbues flavor and color into the vegetables and fruit, and there is no better example of this than with the tomato.

The tomato is also one of those vegetables and fruits that can be grown in the smallest of apartments with a great deal of success. growing tomatoes in containers enables the tomato plant to be grown almost anywhere.

If you are going to use a container to grow tomatoes, then the container can be any size; dependent only on the space required to place it in. Many apartment owners have found that their balcony is an ideal location for using a container. Optimal container gardening technique calls for the planter to be turned ona regular basis, so that all of the tomato plants receive an equal amount of sunlight.

To begin, you are of course going to need a container to grow tomatoes in. Wood or plastic types would be better to use than their metal equivalents. Into the container you need to place a few stones and rocks, to allow for sufficient drainage, and then fill up with potting soil.

The potting soil is available for purchase from many garden, home improvement or department stores. Into the soil, you just need to make some holes, using your fingers or a stick. Into the holes place the seeds and then cover with soil. All that is then required is some watering in.

You should quickly see the first sign of plant growth and within a few weeks your new tomato plants will be producing home grown tomatoes that are full of flavor and nutrition.

Growing tomatoes in containers has many advantages. One of the main ones is that it makes your tomato plant moveable and the growing process more flexible. If necessary the tomato plant can be moved in doors or a warmer spot in the event of a cold or wet spell of weather.

In the event that you don't have a balcony, a sunroom will work just as well. A sunroom has advantages and if you turn it into a tomato garden you can enjoy fresh and tasty tomatoes throughout the year. Isn't that much better than buying tasteless tomatoes from a store?

Basic Needs for Growing Tomatoes
Soil

The type of soil that the tomato plant should be started in is very important. The soil will provide the root system with air needed to ensure that the rest of the plant flourishes. To enable the optimum amount of air to be provided, the soil needs to be loose and should be easily reduced to small particles when touched. This type of loamy soil will also allow excellent drainage around the plant.

Water

There needs to be a balance between much water is given to the tomato plant. Too much water is as bad as too little. Excess water will result in the plant effectively drowning, while not enough water will mean that tomatoes are not produced as the plant wilts up to water shortages.

Nutrients

Tomato plants do not need that much nutrients to thrive. Nutrients though do need to be there when the plants needs them. The easiest way of providing the necessary nutrients is though a fertilizer, either in packaged form or from a bottle. Fertilizer does normally come with instructions on how to use, and for best results it is best to follow these instructions.

Maintaining the Tomato Plant

To get the best yields from the tomato plant it is important to keep a close eye on each plant throughout the growing season.

There are some tips listed below to get the best from your tomato plant-

Sunlight

While it is possible to grow a tomato plant in an environment where there is only 6 hours of sunlight. For best results though it is good practice to provide a site that achieves at least 8 hours of continuous sunlight. To a tomato plant sunlight is all important. The tomato plant will use the light to undertake photosynthesis, and will also allow the plant to produce its own food.

Temperature

In general the majority of tomato plants require an overnight temperature between 55degrees F and 75degrees F for optimum growth. There are some plants that can grow in cooler temperatures, whilst other varieties will need a warmer night. It is therefore important that instructions are followed when growing from seed or plant.

Protection

The root system and leaves of the tomato plant will need a great deal of protection. There are many things that can be detrimental to the plant, including; excessive hot or cold temperatures, strong winds, animals and birds, pests, disease and weeds. Disease is actually one of the least important areas for protection. If all the other dangers are protected against, the tomato plant should be able to look after itself.

Small time growers and tomato enthusiasts know that the only way to get a tasteful tomato is to grow it themselves. True fans of the tomatoes will use store brought tomatoes just to make a food dish look good, not to actually eat. To grow tomatoes though you first need to buy the right tomato seeds, of which there are hundreds of different types.

Tomatoes can be big or small; vary in color from red to yellow, and purple to orange. Different shapes can also be achieved from the perfect sphere, to flat or egg shaped tomatoes.

It is also important to know that tomato seeds can be either hybrid tomatoes or heirloom varieties.

What are Hybrid Tomatoes

These tomatoes are used by the commercial grower. Created as a result of the crossing of two different tomato varieties, they can be produced to be resistant to disease, perfectly spherical in shape, and resistant to bruising. All attributes needed for store display, where the consumer expects a big red tomato for sale even the middle of winter. Little work has been done in the development of hybrid tomato that is full of flavor.

It should be noted that a hybrid tomato will only last for one growing season. If the seeds from the hybrid are planted, the tomato grown will not be the same as the parent plant.

For the gardener heirloom tomatoes are the best option, the same high yields are possible with much better taste than the hybrid types.

What are Heirloom Tomatoes

The small time growers' favorite tomato, the varieties of tasty tomatoes available are boundless. The heirloom tomatoes are where the grower can expect the colorful varieties, each type formed by development over long periods of time, often by individual growers.

As each Heirloom tomato has its own characteristics, it means that each variety requires differing conditions in which to grow. It is therefore beneficial to choose your Heirloom variety based on where it will be grown. Heirlooms also tend to need more care and attention, as they have not been developed to be non-bruise or disease resistant. Take the care though and the results will be well worth it, a tomato can be grown that is full of flavor and is a color and size to please anyone.

One benefit of heirloom tomatoes is that planting seeds from the plant will result in the same plant being grown the following year, unlike hybrid varieties. This give heirloom tomatoes the appealing quality of being able to save seeds from year to year and not having to rebuy tomato seeds for each new growing season. Indeed, many popular heirloom tomato varieties have been passed down for generations.