Tomatomania! – Part 1

When you think of the tomato what comes to mind could very well be “I could sure go for a BLT,” or “Why is Pico de Gallo the best thing about my burrito?” But it typically isn’t “Man, tomatoes sure do have versatility, don’t they?” But that’s exactly why we love tomatoes so much – besides being the main ingredient in ketchup.

Apart from French Vanilla ice cream, the tomato can make virtually anything taste better. It’s like adding salt, only less bad for you. And with the variety of dishes we incorporate tomatoes in, they never get boring. We lovingly take the tomato for granted time and time again, coming back to our little red friends to devour them in mass quantities. Diced, sliced, smashed, smeared, seared, souped, sauced, roasted or baked, we’ll take tomatoes any which way. When that’s doesn’t cut it, we drink it; either with our breakfast when you’re too cool for apple juice or as your bartender’s go-to elixir after an all-night bender. (Compliments of that same bloody bartender.)

And here’s an added fun fact about tomatoes, just in case you select ‘Botany’ during your next trivia night. Tomatoes are, technically, a fruit. Or berry, moreover, of the nightshade Solanum Lycopersicum (tomato plant). It is however considered a vegetable for culinary purposes. So take the trusty tomato with a sprinkle of semantics and their tasty adaptability and have them be part of your garden of delights.

We love tomatoes so much and believe that they are such a great addition to any garden that we have hand-selected five of our favorite types of tomatoes just for you.

1. Better Boy Tomatoes – One of the most commonly grown backyard tomatoes, the Better Boy is known for its full flavor. The fruit grows on a borderless plant, growing to about 12 ounces, typically ripening in 72 days. Due to the high yield of tomatoes, it is recommended that Better Boy varieties be sturdily staked in the garden.

2. Cherry Tomatoes – We all know that person who will bite into a tomato the way most of us bite into an apple. For those who like to eat tomatoes off the vine, we suggest the Cherry Tomato. Produced in clusters (usually red, sometimes yellow, or even black in color) on high yielding semi-indeterminate vines, these plants stay more compact but continue to produce over a long season and will grow great in containers.

Check back soon for the rest of our favorite tomatoes list!

Don’t forget to get our Organic Potting Mix as well as our Slow Release Fertilizer to help kickstart some growth!