Linda Branagan, Columbia Diane Brown, Westminster Drenda Collins, Clarksville Linda Decker, Highland

• Linda Branagan, Columbia Diane Brown, Westminster

• Drenda Collins, Clarksville Linda Decker, Highland

• Michelle Domangue, Columbia Aylene Kovensky Gard, Columbia

• Leslie Gilbert, Mt. Airy Corliss Glennon, Dayton

• Pat Greenwald, Sykesville Joyce Halasz, Ellicott City

• Jane Hayes, Clarksville Jerry Kissel, Ellicott City

• Paul Kojzar, Ellicott City Chris McComas, Woodbine

• Holly McFarland, Columbia Shelley McNeal, Clarksville

• Ron Newmister, Dayton Barbara Nibali, Ellicott City

• Rosemary Noble, Ellicott City Sylvia Rampini-Huestis, Columbia

• Jo Ann Russo, Sykesville Paul Rutter, Elkridge

• Carolyn Taggart, Columbia Louisa Rogoff Thompson, Columbia

• Barbara White, Ellicott City Jan Marie Williams-Nguyen, Columbia

• Lisa Wingate, Ellicott City

Member of the Solanum lycopersicum (nightshade) family

• Member of the Solanum lycopersicum (nightshade) family

• Other members: peppers, potatoes, tobacco, & eggplants

• Tomato leaves, stems, & green fruit contain a glycoalkaloid

Tomatoes flourish in (1) good, well-drained soil and require a (2) minimum of 8-10 hours of direct sunlight and (3) approximately an inch of water a week or 6 gallons/week.

• Tomatoes flourish in (1) good, well-drained soil and require a (2) minimum of 8-10 hours of direct sunlight and (3) approximately an inch of water a week or 6 gallons/week.

“Add compost, compost,

• “Add compost, compost,

• and more compost. I use

• leaves, grass clippings,

• and kitchen scraps to

• make it. I incorporate it

• into the garden bed after

• it has finished aging

• (3 to 6 months).”

Containers can solve problems, such as bad soil & high-rise living, but requirements for the plants remain the same

• Containers can solve problems, such as bad soil & high-rise living, but requirements for the plants remain the same

When soil temperature reaches 55 to 60 degrees

• When soil temperature reaches 55 to 60 degrees

• Here, usually mid-May to 1st week of June

• Can plant earlier if plants are protected

• If planted early, plants may grow slowly & be subject to insect & disease attacks

• But choice plant varieties may not be available then at retailers, so buy & hold

Chose small sturdy transplants, 5 to 6 weeks old, no taller than 6 inches

• Chose small sturdy transplants, 5 to 6 weeks old, no taller than 6 inches

• Plant on cloudy, wind-free day – or late afternoon

• Remove leaves except top-2-3 inches

• Dig shallow trench a little deeper than the root ball, lay tomato on its side turning up the top of the tomato

• Plastic mulch will warm soil, otherwise do not mulch with organic mulch until soil warms

• If May is cool, protect with milk jugs, bottom and lid removed

Videos

• Videos

• www.extension.umd.edu
• Click on Youtube button
• Search HGIC playlist for tomatoes

• Publications

• www.extension.umd.edu/hgic
• Click on “Information Library”, “Publications” and “Vegetable, Fruit and Herb Gardening”
• See HG 56 – IPM Series - Tomatoes

TOMATOES (* = hybrid variety)

• TOMATOES (* = hybrid variety)

• Red: Better Boy*, Big Beef*, Big Boy*, Celebrity*, Delicious, Early Girl*, Jet Star*, Mortgage Lifter, Park’s Whopper*, Red Pear, Rutgers, Stupice, Supersonic*

• Pink/purple: Cherokee Purple, Eva Purple Ball, German Johnson, Giant Belgian, Pink Brandywine, Pruden’s Purple

• Yellow: Golden Queen, Lemon Boy, Yellow Pear

• Paste: Amish Paste, Roma, San Marzano, San Remo, Super Italian, Viva Italia*

• Cherry: Gardener’s Delight, Sun Cherry, Sun Gold, Sweet 100*, Sweet Cherry, Sweet Million

Early: Early Girl* (* = hybrid variety)

• Early: Early Girl* (* = hybrid variety)

• Red cherry: Sweet 100*

• Orange cherry: Sun Gold*

• Small red: Juliet*

• Large red: Celebrity*, Better Boy*, & Supersteak*

• Heirloom: Brandywine

• Paste: San Marzano

• Small yellow: Yellow Plum/Pear

• Large orange: Kellogg’s Breakfast

Determinate (or bush or patio) varieties grow to the pre-determined height of the cultivar. Though plants may be short, they can produce fruit all summer. This type is great for containers and small gardens.

• Determinate (or bush or patio) varieties grow to the pre-determined height of the cultivar. Though plants may be short, they can produce fruit all summer. This type is great for containers and small gardens.

• Indeterminate varieties produce fruit at intervals along their ever-growing stems , with blooms and fruit in all stages of development – until frost kills the plant.

4 common problems:

• 4 common problems:

• Damping off

• Blossom-end rot

• Leaves die, beginning near soil

• “Bugs” attack

Generally it’s an early-season problem that “naturally goes away”

• Generally it’s an early-season problem that “naturally goes away”

• Remove affected fruit as soon as possible

• Add handful of ground limestone to planting soil

• Mulch to conserve moisture

• Drip irrigate deeply 1 to 2 gallons/plant per week

• Establish pH of 6.3 to 6.8 after soil test*

Mulch and drip irrigate to prevent soil splashing onto leaves

• Mulch and drip irrigate to prevent soil splashing onto leaves

• Prune lower 12”+ of leaves as plants grow

• If disease is severe, spray with a fixed copper fungicide to slow or stop disease

• No cultivars have genetic resistance, though some are more susceptible than others

• Ignore: Generally late season before plant adversely affected

• Rotate location of tomato patch

• Remove all debris after season

Aphids: Predators & parasites, such as lady beetles & small wasps, generally control. Or blast them off with your watering hose.

• Aphids: Predators & parasites, such as lady beetles & small wasps, generally control. Or blast them off with your watering hose.

• Whiteflies: Predators and parasites usually control. Or use insecticidal soap, pyrethrum, or a combination, as directed on the label.

• Hornworms: Hand pick and squish underfoot or drown in jar of soapy water. Or use them as fish bait.

• Warning: Toxic sprays that kill the “bad guys” generally kill the “good guys” too.

Look for short, stocky plants with dark-green leaves

• Look for short, stocky plants with dark-green leaves

• Avoid plants that evidence disease (yellow leaves) or damage (lack of water)

• Check label for resistance to diseases & pests (VFN…)

• Check label (or catalogs) to see if variety is determinate or indeterminate

• Shop when new plants have arrived, probably just before the weekend

Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC)

• Home and Garden Information Center (HGIC)

• 800-342-2507
• http://extension.umd.edu/hgic

• Grow-It-Eat-It website

• http://extension.umd.edu/growit

• Master Gardener state website

• http://extension.umd.edu/mg