All About Tomatoes

For example, if you're looking for a tasty yellow tomato, try Golden Boy, which is very mild and flavorful. Or for a distinctive Italian flavor, try growing Romas; they're great for bruschetta, and they are excellent paste tomatoes as well.

For the biggest variety of tomatoes, the first step is to order seeds and start them indoors six to eight weeks before planting outside. Or you can pick up tomato transplants at a garden center to plant outside. Just be sure to wait until all threats of frost have passed before you dig in.

There are many different ways to plant a tomato. Years ago, host Rebecca Kolls's grandfather showed her his technique: dig two holes, and put the tomato plant in one hole. In the other hole, sprinkle in some fertilizer. This way the fertilizer won't be in direct contact with the roots and burn them.

Here's another planting technique especially for those tall leggy transplants. Pinch off all the lower leaves, leaving the ones on top. Lay the plant horizontally in a small trench rather than a hole. Cover it up with soil and slowly bend the top part up, leaving it exposed. Then place a stake next to the stem for additional support.

Tomato transplants are tasty treats to a lot of critters in the garden, so here are a couple of ideas on how you can keep them out. First, for the hairy four-legged variety like rabbits, construct a simple circle out of chicken wire and insert it over the tomato plant; the wire will protect the plant while it's young.

Cutworm is another garden pest that wraps around young stems and saws them down. To prevent this, cut off the top and bottom of a tuna can, place it over the top of the plant and sink it down about an inch deep.

And there are a couple other tomato tidbits to help prevent diseases like tomato blight. It's best to rotate your crops every season. If you want to give your young tomatoes a jumpstart, surround them with water walls. These plastic pockets of water act as mini-greenhouses, insulating the plant and helping it grow more quickly.

As your tomatoes grow, they need to be staked so they won't sit on the soil. A simple tomato cage is helpful, and don't forget to add a stake to secure the whole cage and the tomato plant. Tie up some of the branches.

The best part about growing tomatoes is eating them, but how do you know when to harvest? Well, if the tomato is red you can pick it; the red ones are ready to be eaten right away. Tomatoes that appear yellow to red can be picked as well. Put those on the countertop to ripen. And if you want the best tasting tomatoes, don't put them in the refrigerator--just leave them on the counter.

If you grow heirloom tomatoes, harvesting is a little different because the tomato won't necessarily look like the red hybrids. In fact, some heirloom tomatoes, Brandywine for example, are actually a little green when they are ripe. And the nice thing about heirloom tomatoes is if you want to grow them next year, you can actually save the seeds and grow the same plant. A couple of years ago, Rebecca was at Seed Savers Exchange in Decorah, Iowa, and they showed her how.

To begin, squeeze the tomato seeds into a container and let them ferment for two to three days or until a layer of foam appears on the top. Don't be put off if they look like a science project; that's okay. Then wash and strain the seeds and put them into a coffee filter to drain. Let the seeds dry for a few weeks and then store them in an envelope in an airtight container. Next season you can plant them and produce another bounty of plump, juicy tomatoes.