Growing tomatoes in the South can be tough sledding. Between the heat, nematodes, insects, and diseases, it can be a struggle to get a good crop of fruit.
For the best success, start tomatoes early to get them established before the heat of summer sets in. In many areas, tomatoes seedlings are started indoors in January and set out in the garden in March and April.
Amend the soil with compost before planting and add any other fertilizers needed based on a soil test. If you have clay soil, consider building raised beds. These allow the soil to warm up and dry out faster in spring. Once your tomatoes are established, consider mulching the pathways between plants with pine straw or hay mulch. It will keep the soil moist and cool in summer.
The most important decision to make about growing tomatoes in the South is the variety. Often, planting the right variety means the difference between success and failure. Look for varieties adapted to southern growing conditions: they flower and set fruit in the heat, and they tolerate nematodes and damage from most of the major tomato diseases.
Here are some tried-and-true varieties for your garden this summer:
Floramerica - Developed at the University of Florida, this variety has tolerance to 15 different diseases. The 8- to 12-ounce scarlet fruits have a meaty texture, making them great for cooking and canning. This determinate plant produces fruit in 70 days from transplanting.
Heatwave - This determinate plant produces 7-ounce red fruits in 68 days. "Heatwave" loves the heat and can set fruit with temperatures as high as 97° F. It also tolerates many diseases.
Heinz 1439 - A great, red canning tomato on a determinate plant, this variety produces 6-ounce fruits 76 days from transplanting, and has good crack tolerance and wilt disease tolerance.
Spitfire -This determinate variety has the crimson gene that causes the interior of the fruits to have a bright red color. It produces 8- to 10-ounce fruits 68 days from transplanting and has good crack and disease tolerance.
Solar Set - Another product of University of Florida research, this determinate variety sets its 8- to 9-ounce red fruits in 90° F heat 70 days from transplant. It also has good wilt tolerance. Some consider it the best tasting of the heat-tolerant varieties.
Sunmaster - Sunmaster produces 8-ounce, red fruits on determinate plants in 72 days from transplant. It has the ability to set fruits during high temperatures, and also is tolerant of nematodes and wilt diseases.
Charlie Nardozzi is an award winning, nationally recognized garden writer, speaker, radio, and television personality. He has worked for more than 30 years bringing expert gardening information to home gardeners through radio, television, talks, tours, on-line, and the printed page. Charlie delights in making gardening information simple, easy, fun and accessible to everyone. He's the author of 6 books, has three radio shows in New England and a TV show. He leads Garden Tours around the world and consults with organizations and companies about gardening programs. See more about him at Gardening With Charlie.
