Plant....Tomatoes

Often times, friends ask when they should plant things, but too often they are asking too late in the season.  So I'm posting this to encourage you to plant tomatoes between now and mid-March.  I don't mean out in your garden, I mean inside, they are a hot weather plant, to be transplanted outside after the scare of frost is over.  Mid to late May would be a good time here in the Midwest, as for my Arizona friends, you could probably plant them outside mid-March to April.

This is only for those of you wanting to start them from seeds.  I love buying from Baker Creek, but their varieties can be intimidating. Did you know there are white, yellow, orange, green, black, purple, and striped tomatoes?  Neither did I until the catalog arrived.  I've found that I really enjoy sweeter tomatoes, and prefer pink tomatoes over red, which tend to be more acidic. My favorite are Pink Ozark and Royal Hill Billy.  If you are looking for a large red tomato that slices well then you are probably looking for Brandywine, but don't stop there.

If you plan on buying plants already started, then wait, and buy from your local farmers market in May, or local nurseries.  Support the people in your community that did the growing for you, avoid big box stores.  If you think that their prices are to high, then grow them from seed the next year and see how much attention you have to give them, then the price will seem just right.

Doesn't the very thought of garden grown tomatoes make your mouth water?