Solanum lycopersicum

March is here and tomato growing is in full swing at the nursery!

We thought it’d be a great opportunity to write about all things tomatoes – what we’re growing, favorite varieties, and how to care for them!

One of the newest tomato varieties that we’re offering this year is Lemon Boy. Lemon Boy hybrid is very eye-catching with its bright yellow color and will add a nice pop of color to your garden. This indeterminate variety is one of the highest yielding of the yellow tomato types. The deep globe fruit is slightly tangy, but also sweet and mild with a meaty texture. To top it off, it also has superb disease resistance for high adaptability! The vines grow tall, so staking and caging is needed to support the plant and keep the fruit off the ground.

Lemon Boy Tomato in a 4.5" round

Another favorite variety is Champion II, which is an indeterminate grower. It has the same great flavor as the original Champion, but with much-improved disease resistance! Champion II is a high-yielding plant that produces smooth, meaty, medium-sized fruits all summer long. They make a perfect slicing tomato and are great in sandwiches, burgers, and salads. Stakes and cages are also recommended for this variety.

If you want tasty tomatoes that also serve as a charming visual piece in your garden, try Patio tomatoes! They’re a bushy determinate variety that looks great in a hanging planter or smaller container. This dwarf variety grows to just 2ft in height and does not require any staking or caging, but may get droopy when loaded with fruit. Despite their small size, Patio tomatoes are very productive and produce medium-sized, firm and flavorful fruits over an 8-week harvest period. They are widely adapted and resistant to many diseases!

It is best to plant tomatoes after frost danger is past and the soil has warmed. Tomatoes do best in full sun and thrive with regular watering, just make sure they are in well-draining soil. Many tomato plants will benefit from training, which means applying a support to your plant so that the branches do not bend and fruits do not grow on the ground.

We’re growing tomatoes in 6-packs and 4.5” rounds.

For more information about our full list of tomato varieties, check out the included attachment. We will also be doing a tomato clinic with Farm Supply in San Luis Obispo on Saturday, March 12th from 9-11am. Please join us if in person or via zoom if you would like to learn more about tomatoes!