What a whopper of a tomato! Our Beefsteak tomato is an open-pollinated variety that produces enormous, juicy red tomatoes bursting with flavor. Nothing says summer like homegrown tomatoes. These are large, vining plants (indeterminate) and definitely need a cage or other support. Water and fertilize well so the fruits can reach a pound or more. Be sure to leave them on the vine until they are nice and red and give just a bit under the gentle pressure of your thumb.

Tomatoes are actually tender perennials that can’t take frost. Because most of us in the United States get frost each winter, we grow them as annuals. Perennial plants grown as annuals, like tomatoes, are an odd lot. They don’t like stress (who does?). As seedlings, they can rot at the base of the stem (damping off) when soilborne pathogens thrive in unfavorable growing conditions. Transplanted too early into a cold garden, they can go into a kind of hibernation that can be difficult to wake up from. Transplanted too late, they may have gotten so used to their containers that they don’t want to make a new home in new surroundings, which can make them act like dwarf varieties instead of the monsters most of them are.

Tomatoes should be transplanted into the garden after all danger of frost has passed, nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50–55°F, and the soil has reached at least 60°F, preferably 65°F. Prolonged exposure to cold can stunt young plants and delay growth. In areas with cool springs, choose a sunny, sheltered location with well-drained soil. Raised beds heat up more quickly, and lightweight row covers can protect young plants from chilly nights. Wait until the ground is warm before applying organic mulches, such as straw or shredded leaves, which can otherwise delay soil warming. A little patience in spring encourages stronger plants and better harvests.

Before transplanting, gradually acclimate your tomato plants to their new surroundings. Even plants grown outdoors under shade cloth need time to adjust to full sun. Start with a few hours of morning sunlight each day, gradually increasing their exposure over about a week. Protect them from strong winds and chilly nights during this transition. Check moisture frequently, since small containers can dry out quickly. A little extra care now can prevent sunburned leaves and transplant shock later.

Unlike many vegetables, tomatoes can develop roots along their buried stems. When transplanting, remove the lower leaves and set the plant deeper than it grew in its container, leaving several sets of leaves above ground. These additional roots help support vigorous growth and improve the plant’s ability to take up water and nutrients. In cold spring areas, where deeper soil may still be chilly, the stem can be planted at an angle in a shallow trench instead.

Tomatoes can develop roots that extend five feet deep—that means five feet straight down into the soil (how is your soil?). They also develop extensive networks of smaller, fibrous roots that spread outward in search of water and nutrients. Well-drained soil with plenty of organic matter encourages healthy root development, which is essential for vigorous plants and abundant fruit.

Tomatoes are fussy about their water, too. With roots reaching both deep and wide, consistent watering is essential. Since tomatoes are about 95 percent water, they need a steady supply of moisture, but the soil should never become so wet that the roots cannot get air. Water deeply at the base of the plant whenever possible, keeping the foliage dry to help reduce disease problems.

Water stress can cause numerous maladies, including blossom-end rot, which occurs when insufficient calcium reaches the developing fruit. Water is essential for transporting calcium throughout the plant. Tomatoes grow quickly (they have a lot to do in a short time), so even a brief period of water stress can seem like decades to the plant. The resulting dry spell can leave you with ugly, unusable fruit.

Fertilize with an organic all-purpose fertilizer at planting and, as the plants begin flowering, switch to an organic vegetable fertilizer formulated for fruiting crops. Space plants about three to four feet apart in full sun. If flowers form on very small or struggling plants, removing them can encourage the plants to put more energy into developing foliage before setting fruit. Abundant foliage helps the plant produce food and provides shade for the fruit when the sun is scorching hot.

Tomatoes love warmth, but extreme heat can interfere with fruit production. When daytime temperatures regularly exceed 90–95°F, especially when nights remain warm, flowers may drop without setting fruit. Once temperatures moderate, flowering and fruit production usually resume.

Not usually bothered by too many pests, tomatoes do have one foe that can take down a whole plant if not stopped. That formidable insect is the massive tomato hornworm, the caterpillar of a large sphinx moth. This huge moth can have a wingspan of up to five inches, but since it flies at night, we normally see its caterpillar feeding on a tomato plant. The first sign that this creature has chosen your plants is the disappearance of leaves, sometimes leaving only the leaf ribs behind. There will also be tiny black “logs” on the rest of the plant. These were your tomato leaves at one time.

We’ve found that large tomato cages made from concrete reinforcing wire, with openings at least four inches wide, work well for supporting our plants and helping us manage hornworms. Make them about four feet tall and three to four feet wide. We like to three pieces of rebar to the outside bottom of the cage for staking. Keep an eye on foliage that grows through the wire. Moths can lay eggs just outside the cage allowing the worms to eat their way inside the cage to all those yummy leaves. Hand-picking and destroying the caterpillars is effective if you consistently monitor your plants. For young caterpillars, an organic control containing Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (Btk) can also be effective when used according to label directions.

PLEASE NOTE THAT TOMATOES MAY BE TOPPED TO ENCOURAGE BUSHINESS