A Beginner’s Guide to Growing Organic Tomatoes

As experienced gardeners, Marisa and I have learned a thing or two about the joys and challenges of growing tomatoes. If you’re new to gardening and eager to cultivate these delicious fruits, let us guide you through this basic “Tomatoes 101” post.

Tomato Varieties

First, let’s talk about tomato varieties. There are two main types: determinate and indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes are compact plants that grow to a certain height, produce fruit all at once, and then taper off. They’re great for container gardening or smaller spaces.

Indeterminate tomatoes, on the other hand, are vining plants that continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the season. They require staking or caging for support but offer a continuous harvest. We mostly grow indeterminant varieties. And most years we have plants at least 7-8 feet tall that produce until the first hard frost kills them.

“Open Pollinated” VS Hybrid Tomatoes

Now, let’s delve into the wonderful world of “open-pollinated” and hybrid tomatoes. Open-pollinated varieties are pollinated naturally by insects, birds, wind, humans, or other natural means. This allows for genetic diversity and adaptation over time, as plants can cross-pollinate and produce offspring with unique characteristics. Saving seeds from open-pollinated tomatoes ensures that you can grow the same variety year after year, maintaining its traits and flavors.

On the other hand, hybrid tomatoes result from controlled crossbreeding of different varieties to produce plants with specific traits, such as disease resistance or uniform size. (This is NOT the same thing as a GMO crop!)

While “open-pollinated” varieties boast unmatched flavor, hybrids offer reliability and consistency. We usually have a small number of hybrid tomatoes in the garden that we grow for specific purposes. And even in the tough years when heirlooms don’t produce well, you can almost always get a harvest from the hybrids.

Growing Heirloom Tomatoes

Understanding the term “heirloom” is important for any tomato grower. People treasure heirloom tomatoes for their rich history, unique flavors, and diverse shapes and colors. They are passed down through many generations. Most heirloom varieties are at least 50 years old. Heirloom tomatoes are often preserved for their exceptional taste and adaptability. We love growing heirloom tomatoes!

Organic Tomato Growing

Now, let’s talk about the benefits of organic growing for tomatoes. Organic gardening emphasizes using natural and sustainable practices to nurture healthy plants and soil. Growers using organic practices protect the environment and promote biodiversity by avoiding synthetic pesticides and fertilizers.

Organic soil amendments, such as compost and mulch, enrich the soil with essential nutrients and improve its structure, leading to healthier plants and tastier tomatoes. Additionally, organic gardening encourages beneficial insects and microorganisms that help control pests and diseases naturally.

Don’t confuse actual organic gardening with the USDA’s definition of “organic.” If you missed my post about that, you’ll find it HERE

More Posts Coming On Growing Tomatoes!

We’ll have more posts coming about selecting tomato varieties, how to start from seeds, or choosing good plants from the nursery. We’ll cover soil preparation, how to plant them correctly, watering, pruning, and more!

Thanks for reading!

Doc