A LOOK AT THREE TOMATO VARIETIES IN A HOME GARDEN AND FRUIT PRODUCTION

Sisk, C.1
1County Agent, University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture, Walnut Ridge, AR, 72476

Abstract:

Tomatoes are a staple of the current day home garden. They are used in multiple facets from slicing for consumption- garden to table, canned, and frozen. The homeowner has 20+ options when it comes to varieties of tomatoes to plant. The plants can come as Determinate that produces fruit all at one time and Indeterminate that produces continuously throughout the season. The fruit size and amount of fruit produced also needs to be looked at when choosing a plant type. If the homeowner is wishing to can for salsa, they may not be able to utilize a mass fruiting at one time and fruit may be wasted. Should the homeowner be looking to just have a slicer for consumption as it comes off the plant again a mass fruiting may prove undesirable. However, should a homeowner be looking for a tomato that carries a sweetness or taste desirable in sauces they need to research before choosing a variety. Once a variety or multiple varieties are chosen a strict schedule of fungicide needs to start quickly to stay ahead of the potential disease's tomatoes are prone too. Also, a stringent Insecticide schedule before flowering helps to avoid unwanted pests in the garden that can damage/prohibit good fruit production. With a look at three varieties in a homeowner garden, the differences in production and size can be observed firsthand by the homeowner before looking at a future production. To keep records for the fruit production each variety was picked separately, the fruit was then counted and weighed. The homeowner was able to see and taste which would be a future plant desired and see varieties they may not wish to use again due to low production and taste.

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