Heirloom Tomatoes

True heirloom tomatoes are tomatoes that have not been genetically altered in any way. They are tomatoes that have grown from the seeds of the original species that have been grown and seeds collected for 50 to 100 years. They are best grown organically and are open-pollinated, which means that they grow from seeds that are capable of producing seeds that will reproduce just like the mother plant. Hybrid plants are not capable of this type of reproduction.

Heirloom tomatoes are the best type to tomato for selective picking. Get your seed from a reputable company. The package should be marked as heritage tomato seeds. Start germinating your seeds indoors, in temperate zones as early as March. Other areas it should be six to eight weeks before you plan on moving them to your garden. Plant the seeds in sterile soil about one-eighth of an inch deep and keep the soil moist until the seedlings emerge. Make sure the seedlings get plenty of sunlight or use a fluorescent light. Once leaves appear, transplant seedlings into larger pots.

Your seedlings will need to be kept warm, gradually introducing them to a colder environment as they grow, but never below 40 degrees. Once they have adapted to a colder environment, they are ready to plant outdoors in well-fertilized soil, set the transplant deep, up to their first true leaves using a starter fertilizer in the planting hole. As your heirloom tomatoes grow, stake or use tomato cages to train your plants. Keep them weeded regularly and water the soil deeply around the base of the plant to keep from getting water on the leaves. With heirloom tomatoes, you can save some seeds from this years plants to plant next year.