Heirloom Tomato

Tomatoes are warm-season vegetables in the nightshade family, grown for their fruits. Heirloom tomatoes are older open-pollinated varieties. Plants are usually grown as annuals, though they can live longer in frost-free climates. They reach about 1 to 10 feet (30 to 305 cm) tall and 1 to 4 feet (30 to 122 cm) wide. Heirloom types are more susceptible to disease, but seed saved from them grows plants similar to the parent, and most heirloom cultivars have little to no disease resistance.

Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost date in your area. Sow about 1/8 inch (0.3 cm) deep and keep the soil moist but not wet. Seeds germinate in 6 to 12 days when the soil is at the optimum 75 to 90 °F (24 to 32 °C).

Plant outdoors only after the risk of frost has passed, since light frost readily kills plants. Give them full sun, at least 6 hours of direct sunlight a day, in moist, loamy, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.8 to 6.8. Space plants 18 to 24 inches (46 to 61 cm) apart.

Tomato stems grow extra roots where they are buried, so bury the lower stem 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) deep. Tomato plants can be set deep to build a bigger root system. Most heirloom cultivars grow as indeterminate vines, which need staking, caging, or trellising.

Water regularly to keep the growing media evenly moist. Keeping the soil consistently watered helps avoid blossom end rot and split fruit. Too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen, leads to lots of leafy growth and little fruit. Cages or stakes keep stems from breaking or drooping under the weight of the fruit. Avoid overhead watering, because splashed water spreads fungal spores and wet leaves favor disease.

For containers, plan on at least 5 gallons (19 L) and 1 to 2 feet (30 to 61 cm) deep, with one plant per pot. Another suggestion is at least 4 gallons (15 L) for standard types. Container plants dry out quickly from sun and wind and need frequent watering.

Tomatoes are prone to many pests, including hornworms, aphids, whiteflies, and Colorado potato beetles. Diseases include blights, blossom end rot, and wilts. Cultivars differ in disease resistance, and many hybrids were bred for it. Fusarium and Verticillium wilts can persist in the soil for many years and cannot be effectively controlled with fungicides. Mulch helps reduce the splashing of early blight spores from the soil onto the leaves.

Depending on the cultivar, it takes 52 to 90 days to reach the first harvest. Let fruit ripen fully on the plant. Pick when the whole fruit is one uniform color, and ripe fruit feels slightly soft.

Ripe tomatoes keep 4 to 7 days at room temperature (70 °F, or 21 °C) or in the refrigerator, but cold can reduce flavor and cause a mealy texture. Keep tomato fruit between 55 and 70 °F (13 and 21 °C). Green fruit can be stored at 50 to 70 °F (10 to 21 °C) for one to three weeks.

The page lists the plant as a problem for cats, dogs, and horses but gives no toxicity level for them. For people, the fruit is the edible part. Don’t eat large amounts of the leaves or stems.