I’ve grown some herbs in the past but would like to add vegetables to my garden. My favorite would be tomatoes. Are they hard to grow? RG

Who doesn’t like tomatoes? Even my granddaughters like tomatoes and we all know that nothing tastes better than a home-grown tomato. Tomatoes are not necessarily hard to grow even though some call them the prima donnas (not pre-madonnas) of the garden. In spite of that, most of us love growing fresh tomatoes in our gardens. Here are some things you should know as you begin your adventure.

First up you are going to need to decide what type of tomato you would like to grow. Tomatoes can be separated into two groups - determinate and indeterminate. Determinate tomatoes tend to be bushier and produce a single crop pretty much all at once. These are good if you are wanting to do some canning or make sauce or salsa. A good example of a determinate tomato would be a Roma tomato.

Indeterminate tomatoes are those which can produce throughout the growing season. These would be good if you always want a tomato available for sandwiches, salads, or burgers. Indeterminate tomatoes are more viney and will need a tomato cage of some type of support to grow properly. Really, you don’t have to pick. Growing some of each will give you plenty to share with friends and neighbors.

Next, you’ll need to decide between heirloom and hybrid tomatoes. Heirloom varieties are the ones that have remained the same for many years, oftentimes getting handed down from generation to generation of gardeners. Hybrids are those that have been cross bred with other tomatoes to perhaps increase production or provide increased resistance to disease. Hybrids are not GMOs; they are just the result of crossing two different tomatoes in hopes of getting a better one.

If you plan on saving tomato seeds from this year to plant next year, you should go with heirloom tomatoes. Seeds from heirloom tomatoes will produce the same kind of tomato plant. With hybrids, since they are a mix of two different types of tomato, you can never be quite sure what type of tomato will grow from their seeds. You might get one the same as the previous year, or they could revert to their parent plants if you will.

When deciding how many tomato plants to plant, think about 3 to 5 plants per person if you are wanting fresh fruit all season. If you are wanting to can your tomatoes or use them for sauce, 5 to 10 plants per person is a good place to start. It all depends on how many tomatoes you want. I have a friend who grows about 80 tomato plants each year just for their personal use. I like tomatoes, but my family couldn’t make use of that many tomatoes, but you be you.

Your tomatoes should be spaced between 2 and 3 feet apart. Look at the information that says how big your plants will get and judge accordingly. It’s better to have them spaced too far apart than too close together though. Good air circulation can help minimize disease.

Now that you’ve made all those decisions, you’ll need a good location for your plants. Tomatoes like the sun so for optimal growth and production, you’ll need about 8 to 10 hours of sun each day. If you don’t have a location that gets this much sun, you can still grow tomatoes, your plants just won’t be those big, bushy plants we love to see. It’s also not a bad idea to locate them in a place where they are protected from that late afternoon hot sun, but not a requirement.

You can grow tomatoes in a container but be sure the container has drain holes in the bottom and fill them with a good quality garden soil. Since soil makes such a difference in how your plants will grow, try not to skimp on soil.

Tomatoes will do best when you provide them some fertilizer. To start, sprinkle about a tablespoon of 10-20-10 when planting. When the first fruits appear to be about 1/3 grown, plan on adding another 2 tablespoons per plant. Add 2 tablespoons about 2 weeks after the first fruits ripen, and then once again about a month later. Water thoroughly after adding fertilizer.

When growing indeterminate tomatoes, you are going to need to provide them with some type of support. Most of us are familiar with the traditional tomato cages but you can also stake them. On our website we have a video that goes int the variety of ways to stake a tomato plant. Just look under the Lawn and Garden Help tab in the tomato section (www.tulsamastergardeners.org.)

I’ve heard it said that tomato plants are “heavy drinkers” which is a funny way of saying they are going to need some water and if you don’t give them the appropriate amount of water you’ll know it. Also, keeping them appropriately hydrated will help protect them against disease since stressed plants are more susceptible to disease.

Following these tips will put you on your way to enjoying beautiful, home-grown tomatoes all season long, unless you planted a determinate variety and they you’ll have an abundance of tomatoes to enjoy all at once. See you in the garden!

You can get answers to all your gardening questions by calling the Tulsa Master Gardeners Help Line at 918-746-3701, dropping by our Diagnostic Center at 4116 E. 15th Street, or by emailing us at mg@tulsamastergardeners.org. Photo: OK State Ag. Communications