Tomato

The tomato is a tender, heat-loving plant that needs a long, frost-free season and full sun. Because it cannot stand frost, nearly every gardener starts it indoors and transplants it out once the weather has settled.

Water evenly, or pay for it

The two most common tomato disappointments both trace back to uneven soil moisture. Blossom-end rot — the sunken brown patch on the bottom of the fruit — is not a disease but a calcium-uptake problem that shows up when soil moisture swings between wet and dry. Growth cracks appear when fruit grows too fast, typically after heavy rain following a dry spell. The fix for both is the same: water consistently, about an inch a week, and mulch to buffer the soil against drying out.

Determinate vs. indeterminate

Determinate ("bush") types stay compact, set most of their fruit over a short window, and need little support. Indeterminate ("vining") types keep growing and fruiting all season until frost, and need a stake or cage to hold them up. Knowing which you have tells you how much room and support to give it.

Rotate the bed

Tomatoes share soil-borne diseases with their relatives. Avoid planting them where tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplant, or tomatillos have grown in the past three to four years.

Harvest

Pick when the fruit reaches full size and color for the variety. Vine-ripened flavor is the whole point — but fruit will also finish ripening indoors if frost threatens.