The Many Advantages of Heirloom Tomatoes

There are many types of tomato available for anyone interested in vegetable gardening, but only certain types of tomato can be known as an heirloom tomato. To be considered an heirloom variety, the seed must have been available for fifty years or more and the tomato variety must have a history or folklore as well. Heirloom tomatoes are considered to have a much greater flavor than the usual store bought tomato, and are a welcome addition to any vegetable garden.

When it comes to home grown vegetables, growing tomatoes comes at the top of the list for popularity. Heirloom varieties are the same to grow as ‘regular’ tomatoes, and suffer from many of the same diseases as their ‘regular’ cousins such as tomato blight.

Compared to other tomatoes, heirloom varieties give higher yield for space than any other vegetable variety, and they can grow in very small spaces. Heirloom varieties are especially high in anti-oxidants and vitamins, making them a healthy as well as tasty alternative to grow.

Tips for Growing Tomatoes

As with the rest of the garden, mulching is very important for tomatoes, especially heirloom varieties that thrive in the constant moisture conditions provided by mulch. These tomatoes can be grown from seed, either by planting directly into the garden bed or first growing as seedlings then transplanting.

Another way to grow these tomatoes is to poke shoots cut off existing tomato plants into soil. It is important with tomatoes to make sure that they are spaced well enough apart to give each plant room to grow.

You could try growing them around other plants to reduce weeds, but be aware that many types of tomato disease, such as blight, is caused by inadequate evaporation from overhead watering, so make sure they have enough room.

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