Did you know that tomatoes are the most commonly grown vegetable in the United States? OK, it’s really a fruit, a berry, according to it’s technical structure, but tomatoes are tasty treats with very versatile uses. And they are essential to any organic garden. They are good for you, too! Researchers have found that organic tomatoes have almost double the concentration of two types of flavonoids – quercetin and kaempferol – which are considered to be healthful plant compounds with potent antioxidant activity in comparison to conventionally grown tomatoes.

Space is an important consideration when planting tomatoes. “Determinates” that grow to a determined point and stop are bushier and more compact. In most cases, they ripen earlier. “Indeterminates” tend to ripen later. They grow longer vines and take up more space. They’ll need to be supported, too.  Tomato cages are popular, but other methods like trellising or bamboo tripods might look nicer. When planting, try to keep tomatoes about 2 to 3 feet away from each other. If you plant in rows, it’s recommended that you plant each row 3 feet apart, with the plants in the rows separated by a foot  or so. Planting should wait until temperatures rise above 50 degrees on a consistent basis. The tomato fruit won’t begin to show until overnight temperatures average above 55 degrees.

It’s hard to believe that when the tomato was discovered in Europe, it was considered poisonous! In fact, Europeans didn’t even eat tomatoes until nearly 100 years after we started dining on them in the United States.