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As most home gardners know, tomatoes are strictly warm weather plants, either sowed in pots in early spring, or planted directly into the soil after all danger of frost has past.

Native to South America, tomatoes were once thought by early American colonists to be poisonous. It wasn't until the early 19th century that the first brave souls had the gumption to try a tomato. Today, they've become a major part of the American diet.

Low in calories and high in vitamin C, the tomato can be tossed in salads, stuffed with tuna or cottage cheese, sliced over a triple-decker cheeseburger, or chopped up into any main dish to add just that extra bit of color and flavor.

The large Beefsteak tomato is probably the most prized variety, followed by the Cherry tomato for windowsills or small backyard gardens, and the Plum tomato especially used in Italian sauces.

In relation to the abudant crops they generally produce, tomato plants generally require very little space in the home garden. Full sun is best, along with well-drained slightly-acid soil - and lots of water, especially during the height of the summer.

Keep hungry tomato plants well-fed with a complete fertilzer, such as 5-10-10 or 5-20-20, worked into the ground before the initial planting, with an additional feeding of a nitrogen fertilizer as fruit begins to set.

Staking the plants is important since top-heavy, fruit laden tomato plants tend to tip over as they grow. Keeping them upright also lessens the chance of disease or insect pests.

The most common tomato troubleshooting techniques usually involve fighting off aphids, white fly or spider mites during peak season, along with chemical treatments in the battle against Fusarium wilt, Verticillium wilt, blossom end rot or nematodes.

On the Web - How to plant & grow tomatoes :

Growing Tomatoes - Clear fact sheet with tips on selecting, growing, fertilizing, plus more on troubleshooting for tomato plants that won't bloom, advice on treating common pests and diseases including tomato hornworm and blossom end rot.

Growing Tomatoes for Home Use - Expert advice on soil preparation, sowing, transplanting and cultivating plus tips on caging and staking, from the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.

Power Tomatoes - here's how to grow more and better tomatoes - USDA guide detailing a non-traditional way to grow and harvest home garden tomatoes: in raised beds using organic mulch. Includes a complete downloadable brochure available in PDF format.

Using a Grow Bag - BBC garden guide with tips for growing tomatoes directly from a bag of soil, with step-by-step instructions for transplanting, care & fertilizing, staking.

Apartment Grown Tomatoes - Balconies, rooftops and windowsills are the focus here, with advice on the best varieties for growing tomatoes in big city or urban areas, including tips on pots, containers and materials, suggested reading and related links.

Tomato Diseases & Pests - Excellent intro to the topic with facts & information on the most common problems encountered by tomato growers including blossom end rot, fusarium and verticillim wilt, with links to related resources.

Growing Tomatoes - University of Connecticut guide with special focus on diseases and pests commonly found in the tomato garden including white fly, tomato hornworm caterpillars, aphids, spider mites and more, with a chart illustrating suggested treatments.

Ask the Plant Doctors - Diagnosing Tomato Problems - Helpful Q&A with expert answers to problems in the tomato garden including leaf spots and other fungus diseases, pruning advice, and links to further information, from Cornell University.

also see feature stories -> Growing Upside Down Tomatoes

Ten Mistakes to Avoid When Growing Tomatoes

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