Tomato Countdown

Summer can be divided into two parts – anticipation of tomatoes and arrival of tomatoes. Of all summer produce, Solanum lycopersicum reigns supreme. Unfortunately, tomatoes are not the easiest plants to grow – or at least to grow well. The secret to a vigorous tomato crop? Put at least 200 plants in the ground. Nobody like to hear this answer, but it is important to understand that tomatoes are prone to disease and disease spreads quickly. To complicate the situation, the tastiest tomatoes are often the most grotesque looking creatures. What may look like disease, often turns out to be perfectly normal.

My advice: Besides staking, watering and waiting this month, the best thing you can do in anticipation of the ripening fruit is know your plants and know what to look for. Here is an extremely brief guide to tomato terminology.

Determinate vs. Indeterminate – Determinate cultivars are bush tomatoes that produce a single flush all at once. (Think Roma varities.) Indeterminate tomatoes vine tall and produce again and again, slowly, until frost.

Cat facing – Although classified as a “disorder,” I rarely find that these telltale stitches and cavities along the bottom of the fruit indicate damage inside. Of course, inspect crevices for insects or mold, but closed seams are perfectly fine. Generally associated with heirloom varieties.

Tomato hornworm – These pudgy, green caterpillars will dessimate your plants. Remove immediately!

Curlytop – Strikes early – often before blossoms appear. Characterized by crinkled leaves that are rolled in on themselves. Pull the entire plant and discard. Otherwise, it will spread.

Mosaic virus – Affects leaves and fruit. If you see yellow spotting on leaves or fruit, pull and discard the plant. While Mosaic spotting does not kill the plant, it will drastically diminish the quality of the fruit and it spreads like rapid fire.

Blossom end rot – Look for sunken, black leathery patches on the bottom of fruit. I find this usually occurs during ripening or on the first few tomatoes. Unsightly, but not necessarily disastrous. Blossom end rot can be cut away and the rest of the fruit is generally fine.

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