Tomato is grown in almost every state, from the plains to the hills, and reaches the market as a fresh table vegetable and as a processing crop. Hybrid varieties are bred for firm fruit that travels well, plants that set fruit in heat, and tolerance to the leaf curl and wilt pressures that growers face in the field.
Growing notes
Tomato is raised in a nursery and transplanted at four to five weeks. It prefers well-drained soil, a steady supply of water and support for the vines in indeterminate types. Most regions sow for a winter crop; cooler districts add a summer crop.
- Transplant healthy seedlings at 25–30 days
- Stake or trellis indeterminate types
- Harvest at the breaker stage for distant markets