University of California - Davis / Tips

The tomato is the most popular vegetable in today’s home gardens, but it was not always so popular. Native to South America, the tomato was introduced by early explorers to Europe, where it became known as the “Apple of Love’’ in France and Italy. Thomas Jefferson raised tomatoes for his guests in 1781. However, it was not generally cultivated in the United States until 1835 because, until then, it was widely believed to be poisonous.

University of Arizona - Tucson / Tips

Tomatoes are most commonly transplanted rather than direct-seeded into the garden. You can grow your own transplants by starting the seed indoors. One advantage of growing your own transplants is the wider selection of cultivars available as seed through garden centers and mail-order houses. However, most homes do not provide good growing conditions for production of healthy transplants.

Ohio State / Tips

Tomatoes need 1 to 1-1/2 inches of water per week to maintain plant health and good quality fruit. Applying a mulch will help conserve soil moisture by preventing evaporation and will help prevent extremes in the moisture supply.