Tomatoes are one of the most widely grown vegetables in the world. Americans consume over 12 million tons of tomatoes annually; that's an average of 18 pounds of fresh tomatoes and 70 pounds of processed tomatoes per person. Tomatoes are loaded with vitamin C and E and minerals that are very good for you.
Tomatoes are planted by an estimated 85% of home gardeners each year. Tomatoes are so popular because they are relatively easy to grow and can be grown anywhere. Fresh tomatoes have a delicious flavor and can be easily preserved for out-of-season use.
Tomatoes are actually a tropical fruit (botanically speaking). Tomatoes are thought to have originated in South America, in what is now Peru, Bolivia, northern Chile and Ecuador. Wild tomatoes can still be found in this area, including eight different species of tomatoes in Peru.
Tomatoes were first used in North America as a medicine. By the mid-18th century, tomatoes were cultivated from seed in the Carolinas, and by the late 1700s the migrating farmers took tomato seeds north and west. Thomas Jefferson introduced tomatoes to his table in 1781. By the early 19th century tomato seeds were planted widely and tomatoes were common in cooking.
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Articles & Papers
The Farm & Garden library contains the following articles and papers on the subject of tomatoes:
- Growing Tomatoes by Farm & Garden
- Bury Your Tomatoes by Gregg Banse
- Causes of Poor Tomato Fruit Set by Gregg Banse
- Livingston Tomatoes by K.D. Spurling
- Tomato Varieties by: Gregg Banse
- Tomato Variety Selection for Commercial Growers by: ATTRA
- Tomatoes and Crop Rotation by: ATTRA
- Search for more
Forum Discussions
The Farm & Garden Forums are a great resource for getting answers to your questions about how to start, grow, water, harvest, and prepare tomatoes. Here are a few select discussions:
- tending tomatoes by bcolohan
- tomato help for a greenhorn.... by Neil
- What Heirlooms are You growing? by ohiorganic
- Tomato Seedlings by aquinna
- Tomato Soup Recipes by susandonb
- More Tomato Recipes by garliclady
- Starting tomatoes indoors by gon698
- OP tomatoes & cross pollination by garliclady
- Forcing Tomatoes To Ripen by Market Farmer
- Patio Tomatoes For the NY Firescape Gardener by aderocks
- all discussions involving tomatoes
Tomato Seeds
Good quality tomato seeds are very important to a successful harvest. Here are a few sources of tomato seeds for you to get started with.
Tools, Equipment, and Supplies
Sometimes the right tool or the right gadget can make your task much easier and your time in the garden more productive. Here's a list of tools and equipment suppliers that may have what you're looking for.
- Gardener's Supply Company
- Thompson & Morgan
- GEMPLER'S Online Store
- Gardening tools from Amazon
- Irrigation supplies from Amazon
- Seeders from Amazon
- Garden Carts from Amazon
- Row covers from Amazon
- Greenhouses from Amazon
Books
Here are some books we found that might help you with your tomatoes.
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