Interesting Facts About Tomatoes

• Once called love apples and were thought to be poisonous

• Tomatoes are native to the coastal highlands of western South America. The early American colonists brought them to America but most people still viewed them with suspicion. Thomas Jefferson mentions planting them in 1809 but they weren’t widely cultivated until after 1830 when tomatoes started popping up in American cookbooks and gardening manuals. America has had a love affair with tomatoes ever since.

• Is it a fruit or vegetable? In 1887, the US Supreme Court ruled that tomatoes were vegetables even though they are specialized reproductive structures that contain seeds. They said “Botanically speaking tomatoes are the fruit of a vine, just as are cucumbers, squashes, beans and peas. But in the common knowledge of the people…all these are vegetables , which are grown in kitchen gardens, and…are usually served at dinner in, with or after the soup, fish or meats…and not like fruits generally as dessert.”

•In 1984 12.5 million tomato seeds (Rutgers California Supreme), were sent into space where they circled the earth for 6 years aboard a satellite, until the crew of the Columbia retrieved them. Back on earth they were distributed to more than 3 million school children, 64,000 teachers and others around the world. When planted, no significant differences were found between them and their terrestrial counterparts. Although there were no worrisome mutations, there were however, casualties. Dear Nasa, wrote one participant, My name is Matt. I am in grade 2. I really enjoy growing my plants. Here are my results. My earth seed did not grow. My space seed grew but it fell off my desk. It died.

Choosing Varieties

When reading seed packets, remember that the days to maturity are from the time you transplant into the garden and is affected by many variables including weather, temperature, microclimates and care of plants. Our growing season is around 120 days, from June through August although last year I had tomatoes through October. Our weather is anything but predictable! For a predictable harvest choose early and main season tomatoes that range for 55 to 78 days. I also grow some that need a much longer season such as 90 days just because they taste so good, it’s worth the risk. I particularly like the Amana Orange and Pineapple heirlooms. Look for multiple disease resistance.

Terms

• Indeterminates ripen fruits at a staggered rate and grow continuously throughout the season. The largest recorded cherry tomato grew to be 28 feet tall and 53 feet, 6 inches wide.

• Determinate: Ripen over a period of 4 to 6 weeks. They’re good for patio containers and small space gardeners, or if you plan on preserving them, since you get a large harvest at the same time.

• Hybrid: These tomatoes are made from crossing two varieties, saving seed is not a good idea; next year the plant will resemble one of the parents or maybe something entirely inedible.

• Open pollinated: These are tomatoes whose parents are of the same variety as themselves. You can save seed and they will come true. All heirlooms are OP and have been saved for generations because of superior qualities.