Tomato

Solanum lycopersicum (so-LAY-num ly-koh-PER-see-kum)

Family: Solanaceae Unknown Herbaceous (3-15 ft)

Tomatoes are an edible, annual or herbaceous perennial warm-season vegetable in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The genus name, Solanum, is the Latin word solamen , which means "comforting or soothing." The species epithet means "wolf peach." Tomatoes were called "wolf peaches" when they came to Europe. This originated from a German legend that witches and sorcerers used the fruits in potions to turn themselves into werewolves. The word "tomato" originates from the Spanish word tomate , which was borrowed from the Nahuatl word tomatl. The French call the tomato the pomme d'amour or 'Love Apple,' because they believed it was an aphrodisiac. Tomatoes need full sun and prefer moist, loamy and slightly acidic soil with a pH of 5.8 to 6.8. Keep the soil consistently watered to avoid blossom end rot and splitting fruit. While they need decent nutrition, too much fertilizer, especially nitrogen, can lead to extensive leafy growth with little fruit production. They also prefer temperatures between 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The use of cages or staking the plants will keep the stems from breaking or drooping from the weight of the tomatoes. Tomatoes can be started by seed indoors 5 to 6 weeks before planting or bought as transplants. Plant outdoors after the risk of frost has passed, water plants well before transplanting, and choose a location where other nightshade-family plants have not been grown within the past 3 to 4 years. Plant as early as possible, as North Carolina's hot summers can cause blossoms to drop before setting fruit. Larger fruits like beefsteak tomatoes are harder to produce in NC for this reason. Space plants 18 to 24 inches apart. Tomatoes will grow extra roots on portions of the stem that are under the soil; remove the lower set of leaves and bury the lower portion of the stem 2 to 3 inches below the ground to increase root growth and plant vigor. Tomatoes can also be grown in containers at a minimum of 5 gallons and 1 to 2 feet deep, one plant per pot. Harvesting of fruits may occur 2 to 3 months after planting the seeds or up to 4 to 5 months, depending on the variety. They can be eaten fresh or frozen and canned for future use for making sauces, soups, or salsas, making them a garden favorite and the most popular homegrown vegetable. Although native to Peru, they have spread worldwide after the Spanish colonization. The fruits come in various colors, from yellow to red to purple, and in small to large sizes. Tomatoes are usually grown as an annual, but in frost-free climates, they are perennials. The plants can grow 1 to 10 feet tall and 1 to 4 feet wide. While the portion eaten is botanically a fruit, tomatoes are considered a vegetable due to their savory flavor. There are thousands of varieties and cultivars of tomatoes. They are commonly classified as determinate or indeterminate: ​​​​​​Determinate: bush-type, bears a full crop of fruit all at once, grows to a specific height, and is good for container planting. Indeterminate : vine-like, never tops off, and continues producing fruits until frost. Tomatoes are appropriate in any edible or pollinator garden. To get started, you may want to consider a container, patio plants or a small vegetable garden in your backyard. Quick ID Hints: Erect or ascending with light to dark green tender stems with sticky, dense hairs. Alternate, densely hairy green compound leaves, 4 to 10 inches long with 5 to 9 leaflets, each leaflet 3 inches long with serrated margins. Small, yellow, star-shaped, five-lobed flowers. The berry fruit is the tomato, varying in size, shape, and color depending on the variety or cultivar. Click here to see a calendar of planting schedules, time-to-harvest and recommended spacing. NC Extension has a publication on Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden . Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Tomatoes are susceptible to many pests, including stink bugs, cutworms, tomato hornworms, tobacco hornworms, aphids, cabbage looper, whiteflies, tomato fruit worms, flea beetles, red spider mites, slugs and Colorado potato beetle. Diseases include blights, blossom end-rot, verticillium wilt, fusarium wilt, tobacco mosaic virus, and bacterial and viral diseases; please refer to this useful resource for tomato diseases and their management . Cultivars can vary in their disease resistance. Many hybrids have been developed to improve disease resistance. Cracking of the tomato fruit can occur due to uneven watering or uneven moisture from weather conditions. More information on Solanum .

Source: NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox ↗ NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox, 73 attributes.