Illustration by Michael Burmesch
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the one of the most versatile, multi-use fruits, and the plant is a popular choice for home gardeners. Growing a luscious bounty of these colorful nightshades takes some planning, patience and lots of sun, but the late summer payoff makes it worthwhile.
Mark Jorgensen co-owns Plant Land (6204 S. Howell Ave.) with his sister, Karen Matt. The garden center is known for their selection of tomatoes, which includes nearly 70 varieties of heirlooms. When choosing which tomatoes to plant, Jorgensen recommends that gardeners choose the right varieties for their yard conditions.
“Consider how much space you have. Whether planted in-ground or in raised beds, most tomatoes need to be at least two feet apart. Cherry tomatoes tend to get wild, so they need about three feet of space between each plant. All plants should be caged to keep growing plants off the ground,” he says.
Tomato cages are available at most hardware stores and garden centers. Tomato plants spaced too close together tend to grow taller and not yield as much fruit because bees cannot easily access the flowers to pollinate them. Taller plants also break easily. “People try to squeeze them a little closer together to get more in, but they’re going to regret it by the end of July,” Jorgensen notes.
Some tomatoes are good for fresh eating, while others are better for sauces and canning. Jorgensen recommends Roma varieties such as Martino’s Roma and San Marzano for canning. “Most people want those because they’re heavy producers with larger fruit and smaller, fewer seeds.”
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Fresh eating tomato varieties that do well in Wisconsin’s cooler climate include Cour Di Bue, a beefy tomato, and St. Pierre, a French heirloom variety with meaty flesh that’s good for salads and sandwiches. One of Jorgensen’s personal favorites is Black Krim, a medium sized tomato with an earthy taste. Black Krim also produces higher yields.
For small yards, Jorgensen recommends St. Pierre. “It’s easily tamed and grows well in a cage.” He also suggests Genovese, a flavorful smaller tomato; Cour Di Bue; Bonny Best, a good tomato or canning or fresh eating; and Atkinson, another space saver that does well in humid conditions. The German Lunchbox is a pink, plum-shaped, two-bite cherry tomato that typically doesn’t grow out of control. The plant also has higher yields and can produce late into the season.
Sun, Sun, Sun
Because tomato plants require full sun, Jorgensen emphasizes that gardeners should evaluate how much sun their yards receive. “Tomatoes need a minimum of five hours of direct sun. That could be just the morning and afternoon, but the more, the better—at least five to get the expected crop.”
For yards with partial shade, containers are a good choice. Plants can be placed in large pots with good drainage and be moved around the yard for maximum sun exposure.
Many gardeners welcome summer by planting during Memorial Day weekend, but that might not always be the best time to plant tomatoes. “Tomato plants will grow when it’s 70 degrees and sunny, but the root system does not grow until ground is consistently 55 degrees,” Jorgensen explains. “By the end of May, ground soil usually isn’t that warm.” He notes that with raised beds, the soil may be warmer.
The Old Farmer’s Almanac suggests warming ground soil with black landscaping plastic for a couple of weeks before planting.
Jorgensen advises to dig very deep holes, strip off the foliage from the plant nearly to the top and bury the entire stem. “The hairs on the stem turn into roots underground,” he says. “That also prevents suckers.” Suckers are small shoots and leaves that sprout from where a branch meets the stem. Suckers can draw energy from the plant, affecting its production.
Jorgensen also cautions against overwatering tomato plants. For the first two weeks after planting, he waters plants every day—approximately two gallons of water per plant, depending on the weather—which allows the roots to pull calcium from the soil. He then reduces watering to two to three times per week.
