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Warm 01 Tomatoes

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Warm 01 Tomatoes

layout: base.njk title: "Tomatoes" plantName: "Solanum lycopersicum" category: "Warm Season Crops" description: "Growing guide for Tomatoes in West Virginia Zone 6b/7a" tags: planting-guide

Type: Annual
Family: Solanaceae (Nightshade)
Sun: Full sun (6-8+ hours)
Water: Moderate to High (1-2" per week)
Soil pH: 6.2-6.8
Hardiness: Annual (frost-tender)

📅 Planting Calendar (WV Zone 6b/7a)

Method Timing Notes
Start indoors February 15 - March 15 6-8 weeks before last frost, 1/4" deep, soil temp 70-80°F for germination
Direct sow Not recommended Too short a season for most varieties; use only early varieties if direct sowing after May 20
Transplant May 10 - May 25 After all frost danger, soil >60°F, harden off 7-10 days, plant deep (bury 2/3 of stem)
Days to maturity 55-85 days From transplant (varies by variety)
Harvest window July 1 - October 15 Peak harvest: late July through September

🌱 Expected Yield

  • Per plant: 10-20 lbs for indeterminate varieties; 5-10 lbs for determinate
  • Per 10' row: 30-50 lbs (3-4 plants)
  • Notes: Yield heavily influenced by variety, pruning, consistent watering, and disease pressure. Greenhouse or high tunnel production can extend season and increase yields 20-30%.

🌿 Growing Conditions

Soil

Rich, well-drained loam with high organic matter. Amend with 2-3" compost before planting. Tomatoes are heavy feeders and require consistent fertility. Raised beds warm faster in spring, allowing earlier planting.

Fertilizer

  • Pre-plant: Balanced 5-10-10 or compost-enriched soil
  • At transplant: Low-N fertilizer or bone meal in planting hole
  • Side-dress: 3-4 weeks after transplant with 5-10-10, then every 3-4 weeks
  • Avoid: Excess nitrogen (causes lush foliage, reduced fruiting)

Companions

  • Good: Basil (repels flies, improves flavor), carrots, celery, garlic, marigolds (nematode control), nasturtiums, parsley, asparagus
  • Avoid: Brassicas (cabbage, broccoli), corn (share pests), fennel, dill (attracts hornworms), potatoes (same diseases)

Pests

  • Hornworms: Hand-pick; use Bt or spinosad for severe infestations
  • Aphids: Blast with water; introduce ladybugs; use insecticidal soap
  • Flea beetles: Row covers until plants established
  • Cutworms: Collars around seedlings at transplant
  • Stink bugs: Hand-pick; use trap crops (sunflowers)
  • Leafminers: Remove affected leaves; beneficial wasps provide control

Diseases

  • Early/Late Blight: Prevent with copper sprays; rotate crops; stake for air circulation; remove infected leaves immediately
  • Fusarium/Verticillium Wilt: Plant resistant varieties (marked V, F, or VF); rotate 3+ years
  • Blossom End Rot: Calcium deficiency—ensure consistent watering and soil pH 6.5
  • Cracking: Inconsistent watering; mulch heavily and water regularly
  • Prevention: Never water foliage; water at soil level in morning; rotate annually

Support

  • Indeterminate: Tall cages (5-6'), stakes with twine weaving (Florida weave), or trellises
  • Determinate: Short cages or minimal staking
  • Spacing: 24-36" between plants; 36-48" between rows
  • Pruning: Remove suckers below first flower cluster; for indeterminate, prune to 1-2 main stems

🏺 Heirloom Varieties

'Cherokee Purple'

  • Source: Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds (rareseeds.com), Seed Savers Exchange (seedsavers.org)
  • Days: 80 days
  • Notes: Pre-1890 variety from Tennessee, possibly from Cherokee people. Dusky rose-purple color with green shoulders. Rich, smoky, complex flavor. 10-12 oz fruits. Indeterminate.

'Brandywine'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Southern Exposure Seed Exchange (southernexposure.com)
  • Days: 80-90 days
  • Notes: Dating to 1885, possibly the best-tasting heirloom. Deep pink-red, 1-2 lb fruits. Potato-leaf foliage. Exceptionally rich, sweet, old-fashioned tomato flavor. Multiple strains exist (Sudduth, Potter, etc.).

'Mortgage Lifter'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange
  • Days: 78 days
  • Notes: Developed 1930s by 'Radiator Charlie' Bylew in West Virginia. Sold plants to pay off mortgage. Pink-red, 1-2 lbs, meaty with few seeds. Excellent flavor. Indeterminate.

'Green Zebra'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Johnny's Selected Seeds (johnnyseeds.com)
  • Days: 62 days
  • Notes: Created 1980s by Tom Wagner. Green with yellow stripes, amber flesh. Tart, zesty, tangy flavor. 5-7 oz fruits. Indeterminate. Great for those with nightshade sensitivity.

'Black Krim'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Southern Exposure
  • Days: 65 days
  • Notes: From Crimea, Russia. Purple-black shoulders, red flesh. Salty, rich, complex flavor. 8-12 oz. Indeterminate. Performs well in heat.

'San Marzano'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange
  • Days: 78 days
  • Notes: True Italian paste tomato from San Marzano region near Naples. Red, 3-4" fruits, few seeds, thick flesh. Sweet, intense flavor. Indeterminate. Best for sauces and canning.

'Yellow Pear'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Baker Creek
  • Days: 70 days
  • Notes: Pre-1900 variety. Small yellow pear-shaped fruits. Mild, sweet, low-acid flavor. Prolific producer. Indeterminate. Great for snacking and salads.

'Amish Paste'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Southern Exposure
  • Days: 80 days
  • Notes: Amish heritage from Wisconsin. Red, 8-12 oz heart-shaped fruits. Meaty, sweet, few seeds. Excellent for sauce and paste. Indeterminate but grows compactly.

'Kellogg's Breakfast'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Seed Savers Exchange
  • Days: 80 days
  • Notes: Yellow beefsteak from West Virginia. Large 1-2 lb fruits. Buttery, sweet, low-acid flavor. Indeterminate. Named for being perfect breakfast tomato.

'Speckled Roman'

  • Source: Baker Creek, Southern Exposure
  • Days: 75 days
  • Notes: Roman paste type with yellow-red speckling. 4-6" fruits, meaty, few seeds. Sweet, tangy flavor. Indeterminate. Beautiful and productive.

'Dixie Golden Giant'

  • Source: Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
  • Days: 80 days
  • Notes: Golden-yellow beefsteak, 1-2 lbs. Sweet, mild, low-acid flavor. Indeterminate. Good for those with acid sensitivity.

'Arkansas Traveler'

  • Source: Seed Savers Exchange, Southern Exposure
  • Days: 65 days
  • Notes: Heat-tolerant heirloom from Arkansas. Pink-red, 6-8 oz. Excellent flavor even in hot weather. Indeterminate. Crack-resistant.

📜 Cultural History & Domestication

Domesticated: Tomatoes were domesticated in western South America, specifically the Andes region of modern-day Peru, Ecuador, and Bolivia. The earliest evidence suggests domestication occurred by 500 BCE, though wild populations existed long before.

Archaeological Evidence: The earliest archaeological remains of cultivated tomatoes have been found in coastal Peru dating to approximately 500 BCE. However, genetic evidence suggests the wild ancestor, Solanum pimpinellifolium, originated in the Andean highlands. The Aztecs had extensive tomato cultivation by 1000 CE, and the Nahuatl word xitomatl (from which we get "tomato") was in use.

Historical Record: Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés likely encountered tomatoes when he captured Tenochtitlan (Mexico City) in 1521. Seeds were brought back to Spain in the 1520s, where they were initially grown as ornamental curiosities. The first European written record appears in Pietro Andrea Mattioli's 1544 herbal, where he described tomatoes as "pomi d'oro" (golden apples) and noted they were eaten fried in oil.

Tomatoes spread slowly through Europe, initially feared as poisonous because they belong to the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The wealthy avoided them, but peasants in Spain, Italy, and Portugal began eating them by the late 16th century. The first cookbook recipe using tomatoes appeared in Naples in 1692.

Cultural Significance in the Americas: Tomatoes arrived in British North America in the 18th century. Thomas Jefferson grew tomatoes at Monticello in the 1780s and helped popularize them. The first American cookbook recipe appeared in 1812. By the 1830s, tomatoes were widely cultivated, though the "tomato poison myth" persisted in some regions. A famous 1820 incident in Salem, Massachusetts, where Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson allegedly ate tomatoes on courthouse steps to prove they weren't poisonous, is likely apocryphal but reflects the era's suspicion.

Tomatoes became central to American cuisine by the late 19th century. The development of canning (1840s-1860s) and the breeding of firm, shipping-tolerant varieties in the 20th century transformed tomatoes into a global commodity. Today, tomatoes are the world's most popular vegetable (botanically a fruit), with over 180 million tons produced annually.

Indigenous Uses: The Aztecs used tomatoes in sauces, particularly a precursor to modern salsa. They also attributed medicinal properties to tomatoes, using them to treat kidney and stomach ailments. The Cherokee people cultivated red and yellow varieties, and many heirloom varieties bear Cherokee names reflecting this heritage.

🌾 Seed Saving

Method: 1. Choose fully ripe fruit from healthy, vigorous plants 2. Cut tomato in half; squeeze seeds and gel into jar 3. Add small amount of water; ferment 2-4 days at room temperature 4. Stir daily; mold will form on top—this is normal 5. Fermentation kills seed-borne diseases and removes germination-inhibiting gel 6. When seeds sink and foam subsides, pour off pulp and floating seeds 7. Rinse viable seeds in fine-mesh strainer 8. Spread on paper plate or glass; dry 1-2 weeks in shaded, well-ventilated area 9. Store in paper envelope in cool, dry place

Isolation Distance: - Self-pollinating: Tomato flowers are primarily self-pollinating - Minimum: 10-20 feet between varieties to prevent crossing - For absolute purity: 50+ feet or cage individual flowers - Note: Some crossing can occur via wind or insects; isolation recommended for seed saving

Viability: 4-6 years under proper storage (cool, dry, dark). Germination rates decline after year 4.

Special Notes: - Label carefully—many varieties look similar as seeds - Save from multiple plants (minimum 5) to maintain genetic diversity - For heirlooms, select for desired traits (flavor, disease resistance, productivity) - Some varieties (like 'Green Zebra') are difficult to judge ripeness—learn to recognize when truly mature

📖 Sources Consulted

  1. Heirloom Gardener's Guide to Growing Tomatoes - William Woys Weaver (Rodale, 2019)
  2. The Tomato in America - Carolyn Jester (University Press of Virginia, 2001)
  3. Sustainable Vegetable Gardening - John Jeavons (Biointensive Research Center, 2018)
  4. Seed Savers Exchange Yearbook (2020-2025 editions)
  5. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds Catalog (2025)
  6. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange Catalog (2025)
  7. WVU Extension Service: Home Garden Tomatoes (2024)
  8. ATTRA Sustainable Agriculture: Tomatoes (NCAT, 2023)

Added to WV Planting Guide 26155 — The Loop Farmstead