Tomatoes

Tomato Varieties

Heirloom Tomatoes
- Black Krim – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 80
- Brandywine – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 78
- Cherokee Purple – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 85
- Jubilee – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 80
- Mr. Stripey – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 80
- Old German – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 90
- Orange Oxheart – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 80
- Striped German – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 80
- Yellow Pear – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 75;
Small Fruit Tomatoes
- Red Grape – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: FNT; Days to Maturity – 60
- Roma – Determinate (Open Pollinated), Disease Resistance: VFNA; Days to Maturity – 70
- Sweet 100 – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: VFNT; Days to Maturity – 60 to 70
Medium Fruit Tomatoes
- Early Girl – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: VFF; Days to Maturity – 55
- Health Kick – Determinate, Disease Resistance: VFFA; Days to Maturity – 72
- Jet Star – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: VF; Days to Maturity – 72
Pink Medium Fruit Tomato
- Traveler 76 – Indeterminate; Days to Maturity – 76
Large Fruit Tomatoes
- Better Boy – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: VFNA; Days to Maturity – 72
- Celebrity – Determinate, Disease Resistance: VFFNTA; Days to Maturity – 70
- Lemon Boy – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: VFN; Days to Maturity – 72
- Parks Whopper – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: VFFNT; Days to Maturity – 65
Giant Beefsteak Tomato
- Beefmaster – Indeterminate, Disease Resistance: VFNA; Days to Maturity – 72

Growing Tomatoes – click here to go to our complete How To Grow Tomatoes page

Determinate

As applied to tomatoes, determinate refers to the growing habit of plants that are bushy, whose fruit ripen over a 3 to 4 week period, and generally do not need staking. Caging is usually recommended.

Indeterminate

Indeterminate tomatoes continue to grow, set fruit, and ripen continuously until a frost arrives. Also known as vining types, they require staking or other support.

Common Insect Problems

Tomato Horn Worms – large 2-3” green worms with white stripes and a horn protruding from the top their back end. (No really) They eat the leaves and young stems and can devour a single plant in one night. They are very difficult to see especially when they are small. You can pick the off or use a biological pesticide like Dipel, Bt or Thuricide. (Click here for a picture)
Tomato Fruit Worms – these very common pests are moth larvae that eat their way into the tomatoes. Once the larvae has made it inside the fruit, it is too late. To prevent infestation, apply an insecticide once a week. These are also the same worms that attack your corn a.k.a. corn worms. (Picture)
Stink Bugs – attack tomatoes and leave small, cloudy spots under the skin. (Picture)
Library of Insect Pests of Tomatoes

Common Disease Problems

Because tomatoes are susceptible to diseases, viruses and insects, some varieties have been bred or hybridized to be resistant to certain pests. Resistance to these pests is usually listed on the plant label using the following abbreviations: