Tomato Plant Care
Tomato Plant Care, And A Bit Of History
Once thought by the Elizabethans, due to its bright red color, to be poisonous and inedible, the tomato originated in 700 AD around the Andes region of South America. The art of domestic tomato plant care and the true source of its early distribution across the world are a little bit sketchy, but there are two very likely sources. The first theory finds the Spanish conquistadors discovering the fruit in Central America and bringing it back to the European continent during the early 16th century. The second story lands the credit squarely on the shoulders of two Jesuit priests who traveled through Mexico and smuggled them home to Italy. Either way, the ripe red tomato has become a staple food source in nearly every culture and country over the past 600 years, and tomato plant care is as important now as it was in the beginning.
There are many varieties of tomato plants available today, and each is suited for very specific regional and environmental factors. Those who live in apartments are able to enjoy the fresh fruit given of the porch tomato, while those who live in heavily wooded areas can enjoy the product of the shade tomato. There are giant ones, yellow ones, grape varieties, salad tomatoes and the gallant Roma type. It used to be that the keys to great tomato plant care where based on full sun and high moisture factors, but with the hybrid generations comes a whole new set of rules and possibilities, even for those who are, well, gardening challenged.
Universally, even with all of the genetics and new varieties, there are no tomatoes which are resistant to frost. Proper tomato plant care will always include careful monitoring of weather reports which may indicate the need for covering your plants, or bringing them indoors if they are potted. If you find that you do need to protect your plants with plastic, it is important that you remember to remove the cover before the sun begins to heat the air trapped beneath it. The second worst fate to befall your beautiful tomato plants is the greenhouse effect which wilts and kills them if they covered for too long.
Another aspect of good tomato plant care is the raising of their beds. These fruit bushes need good dampness and moisture content, but the root systems are prone to drown and rot, so mounding the soil which intended for new tomato plants is a good method for controlling their water intake. Lastly, tomato plant care entails giving them something supportive to climb and lean on. As the fruit fattens and becomes more dense, the weight will break the stalk and your entire yield could be ruined.