Heirloom Tomatoes: Beginner Tips and Varieties

Heirloom tomatoes are an annual plant that has not been crossbred or hybridized for at least 40 years.

These are open-pollinated, which means that the seeds will produce plants identical to the parent plant.

Moreover, growing heirloom tomatoes will save seeds, and you can also get them from farmers’ markets, or grocery stores.

This means that you can grow the same tomatoes next year as well.

Like a number of hybrids, heirloom variety can be easy to grow. These plants are fast-growing when you plant them in spring.

However, they will need 60 to 80 days or more to produce ripe fruit.

It is important to note that these types are different from other types of a tomato plants, the hybrid.

Hybrids are a combination of two cultivators. Experts deliberately cross-pollinate them for purposes like disease-resistant variety, increase in yield, or uniform shape.

Furthermore, keep in mind that tomato plants are toxic to pets like cats and dogs.

Keep on reading to learn more about Heirloom Tomatoes.

Quick Facts about Heirloom Tomatoes

Hybrid tomatoes do not come in the same array of colors and shapes as heirlooms like cherokee purple.

However, there are certain varieties that are available as superior quality to store-bought produce.

Some quick facts about heirloom tomatoes are:

Learn more about Fertilizing your Tomato Plants here.

Planting Heirloom Tomato Plants

To plant heirloom tomato plants, keep in mind the following:

When to Plant

If you want to plant tomatoes, the best time to do so is during spring, after the threat of frost passes, by transplanting seedlings or small plants from a garden center.

If you live in an area with a long growing season, you may have success in direct seeding heirloom tomatoes in the garden.

However, it is important that you start them early enough.

Selecting a Planting Site

Hybrid and heirloom tomatoes share the same needs when it comes to selecting a planting site.

Choose any sunny site with good, well-draining soil.

However, make sure to avoid planting tomatoes in a spot where are already grew the plants in the same family like peppers or eggplants.

This is because tomato plants can easily catch any disease already in the same soil.

Spacing, Depth, and Support

Depending on whether there are early or main season varieties, you should make sure to space your heirloom tomatoes between 2 to 3 feet apart.

The soil should reach the first set of leaves, setting deeply like this will strengthen the support of these tall-growing plants.

Moreover, heirloom tomatoes may need tall cages and a trellis system as the plant can become larger and more robust.

Heirloom Tomato Plant Care

Plant care consists of the following:

Light

When it comes to light, heirloom tomatoes are one of the hungriest plants along with plants like sunflowers or corn.

Moreover, they will need full, direct, unfiltered sunlight all day long.

It is important to pay attention to any shadows cast by neighboring trees or buildings when you plant your patch.

Soil

It is important to note that healthy soil is crucial for thriving heirloom tomato plants.

They will yield the greatest harvest in rich, slightly acidic, i.e. with pH 6.0 to 6.8, loamy soil that allows the roots to penetrate deeply.

However, if your soil is heavy clay, make sure to use raised beds or container culture.

Add compost, leaf mold, or manure up to fifty percent to blend with the native garden soil.

Other Requirments

Other requirements for your plant are:

Water

Keeping your tomatoes well-watered is a must, especially once they set fruit.

Watering deeply will help to encourage a deep root system. Assuming you did a good job when preparing the soil, make sure that the drainage should be excellent.

Make sure to keep an eye on the moisture level and never let your plant dry out.

Allowing the soil to vacillate between moist and dry will cuase problems in fruit development including cracking, and blossom end rot.

Therefore, you can use drip irrigation to further limit airborne diseases like blight.

Temperature and Humidity

Heirloom tomatoes tend to need warm temperatures to grow.

Planting them too early will not give early fruits, therefore, wait until night temperatures are at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit before planting outdoors.

While humid conditions do not often bother heirloom tomatoes.

Fertilizer

Heirloom temperatures are heavy feeders and will need regular fertilization to bloom and fruit.

Furthermore, organic and chemical-balanced all-purpose fertilizers are both acceptable and a matter of your preference.

Heirloom Tomato Varieties

There are hundreds of varieties of heirloom tomatoes and the cultivator names are as colorful as the fruits themselves.

Brandywine: This one is a gateway variety of a number of new to heirloom tomato gardening.

Moreover, the giant pinkish-red ruffled fruits, tender skin, and juicy complex flavor may also remind you of Willy Wonka chewing gum.

They have sweet, tangy, and spicy, followed by a savory, and umami flavors, all in one magnificent bite.

Black Krim: This originated from Krim, Russia.

These quickly gained a wide following with their sweet, robust flavor, and handsome maroon fruits.

Aunt Ruby’s German Green Tomatoes: These stay green until you harvest them.

This may fool hungry squirrels but not your tastebuds. Furthermore, these large beefsteak varieties are a perfect blend of sweet and tangy flavors.

Learn more about Tomatoes in Pots- An Overview here.

Heirloom Tomato vs. Hybrid Tomato

Heirloom tomatoes and hybrid tomatoes look just the same. However, heirlooms may be less symmetrical or spherical than hybrids.

Moreover, they also have the same growth requirements.

But it is important to note that you cannot save the seeds from hybrids and expect them to grow true to type.

Hence, you will have to check your plant or seed packet labels if you wish to save seeds.

Harvesting and Pruning Heirloom Tomatoes

Just before the color of the tomato begins to peak, you can pick them.

Leaving them on the vine for too long can encourage cracking.

Moreover, tomatoes that stay green upon ripping can be a little tricky to judge, often, the color shifts from flat mint green to bright chartreuse or streaky green.

The fruit will also soften as they approach its peak.

It is important to note that pruning heirloom tomatoes can:

• increase plant productivity
• improve air circulation in the garden,
• provide cuttings for propagation

Furthermore, you will need to remove suckers at the plant base to direct energy to produce fewer but larger fruits.

Prune side shoots that appear between the stem and branches. Heirlooms grow quite large and will need staking for support.

By reducing the number of fruiting branches down to four or five with pruning, your plants will be manageable and individual fruits will be larger.

Growing the Plant in Pots

In case you have space limitations or prefer a plant that you can move around to take advantage of the best-growing environments, consider growing your tomatoes in a pot.

Use a large 12 to 16-inch pot for younger plants or an extra-large 24-inch pot for taller plants.

You will need the large size pits so you can nestle the plant in a deep hole to encourage sturdy, healthy root systems.

Moreover, heirloom tomatoes that grow in containers will need more frequent watering and fertilization than those growing in the ground.

This is because the soil in the pots tends to dry out fast especially as tomatoes need between 6 to 8 hours of sun a day.

So make sure to check for water needs daily. Fertilize every 2 weeks with an all-purpose 10-10-10 fertilizer.

For the amount to use, read the product label instructions.

Propagating Heirloom Tomato

Tomato cuttings root readily while taking the following steps with the longer suckers that you prune:

• choose suckers that are at least 6 inches long, and cut them using a clean garden snipper
• remove the lower leaves of the sucker, but leaves two leaves at the top
• plant one end of the sucker in either a small pot of rich potting soil or root it in a small glass of water, make sure to replace the water if it becomes cloudy or dirty
• water the small pot of soil regularly if it is dry to the touch
• place the cuttings in bright, but indirect sunlight, as these will not tolerate full sun yet
• the suckers will form roots within a week or two, as soon as the roots are secure, transplant the plant to its permanent home

Growing Plants from Seeds

It is important to note that heirloom tomatoes are easy to grow from seed and it is a great way to get a jump start on the season.

For this, make sure to use moist, sterile potting mix soil, and sprinkle a few seeds so they are about 1/4 inch deep into the dirt.

Cover the seeds with the mix so they are secure in the soil.

Pit the pot in a warm spot with bright, indirect light, or you can also place them under grow lights.

Germination tends to take place in about a week if the temperature is between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

Potting and Repotting

Young tomato plants can start out in 1-gallon or larger pots, however, if you see that plant is getting too tall for the containers, it is time for repotting it into a larger pot.

For best results, make sure to use large plastic or fiberglass pots with drainage holes as they will not dry out as quickly as other materials.

Moreover, to avoid repotting, place a taller, supported tomato plant in a 5-gallon bucket with added drainage holes on the bottom.

Use premium soil when potting and repotting tomatoes.

Common Pests and Plant Diseases

One of the important things to note about these plants is that pests and disease resistance tends to vary between types of heirloom tomatoes.

Typical pests that tomatoes tend to attract are tomato hornworms, aphids, and flea beetles.

Moreover, heirloom tomatoes are prone to fungal diseases and bacterial infections.

Therefore, it is best to keep the foliage dry and off the ground by caging to avoid leaf disease.

While humid weather can also cause early and late blight, you can spot the leaves of the plant beginning to turn yellow.