Plus garden to do’s for June & July
By L.A. JacksonThere are two kinds of tomato varieties: hybrid and non-hybrid. Hybrids like 'Early Girl', 'Better Boy' and 'Whopper' have been top choices with Carolina Country gardeners because of their vigor and productivity. However, many hybrids have come under fire from tomato purists for not having full flavor.
Non-hybrid tomatoes, which includes heirlooms such as the well-liked 'Cherokee Purple', 'German Johnson' and 'Mortgage Lifter', generally have great taste, but tend to be less resistant to many common tomato problems (although there are exceptions). Non-hybrids have another advantage: Their seeds can be saved to produce another crop next year.
Tomato varieties can also be either "indeterminate" or "determinate." Indeterminates are the tomatoes typically grown by most gardeners today. Once the plants start producing, they can bear tomatoes into the early fall, if kept healthy.
Determinate tomatoes develop almost all of their fruit over a short period of time. They also are normally restrained in height, which is desirable for small veggie patches and patio gardens. Popular determinate selections include the heirloom 'Marglobe' and the hybrid 'Celebrity'.
One more thing to look for in a tomato variety is resistance to four particular nasties that can mess up a 'mater patch: Fusarium wilt, verticillum wilt, nematodes and tobacco mosaic. Fortunately, there are varieties that resist some or all of these garden troubles. If the labels on the plants or seeds have the letters "F," "V," "N" and/or "T" on them, that means the varieties are less susceptible to these problems.
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