Year of the Heirloom Tomato

• HGIC Tomato Videos
• Maryland Grows Tomato Articles
• Growing Tomatoes
• Key to Common Problems of Tomatoes
• Growing Vegetables in Containers
• Make and Plant a Bucket Garden
• Is This Tomato Ready to Harvest?

Tomato Grafting

• Does it Pay to Graft Tomatoes... University of Maryland Extension
• Techniques for Tomato Grafting Purdue Extension 

Tomato Seed Saving

• Saving Tomato Seeds- An Illustrated Guide Southern Exposure Seed Exchange
• Grow and Save Tomato Seeds Seed Savers Exchange 

• It’s ok to plant tomatoes in the same spot if that’s your best/only spot. Otherwise, rotate your vegetable crops to different garden locations.
• Having troubles with wilt diseases that live in the soil, such as Fusarium wilt? Grow your tomato plants in containers in a mixture of compost and soilless potting media, OR try grafted tomato plants- they have resistance to these diseases.
• Don’t rush starting seeds or plant them too early in your garden. Start seeds indoors 5-6 weeks before planting after all danger of frost (around the 2nd to 3rd week of May in Central Maryland).
• Don’t crowd tomato plants. Most cultivars need 18-24 in. between plants and 4-5 ft. between rows, depending on how they are pruned and supported.
• Be prepared to cover plants with paper bags, tarps or blankets if frost is predicted after plants are in the ground.

In 2024, Master Gardeners (MGs) around the state will be growing heirloom cultivars in demonstration gardens (including the MG Learning Garden at State Fair) and other community green spaces. Data collected on these cultivars by MGs will be shared with the public at the end of the year.

If your county is participating in the Master Gardener heirloom tomato trials, you will be sent a survey at the end of the growing season. There is a collection form available to help you gather that information throughout the season. 

Please share your heirloom tomato photos to our Google Photo album!

• What are Heirloom Tomatoes? Mississippi State University Extension
• Heirloom Tomatoes: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly University of Florida
• How to Grow a Better Tomato: The Case Against Heirloom Tomatoes Scientific American
• Craig Lehouillier- heirloom tomato expert and breeder
• Grow an Heirloom Tomato This Year! University of Maryland Extension, Maryland Grows Blog 

Most vegetable seed companies sell heirlooms. These companies have a large selection.

• Southern Exposure Seed Exchange- https://www.southernexposure.com/
• Seed Savers Exchange- https://seedsavers.org/
• Victory Seed Company- https://victoryseeds.com/
• Rare Seeds- https://www.rareseeds.com/
• Two Seeds in a Pod- https://twoseedsinapod.com/product-category/appalachian-seeds/
• TomatoFest- https://www.tomatofest.com/
• Tomato Growers Supply Company- https://tomatogrowers.com/
• Totally Tomatoes- https://www.totallytomato.com/
• UJAMAA- https://ujamaaseeds.com/
• Fellow gardeners who save seed!

Some favorite heirlooms tomatoes of UME faculty, staff, and Master Gardener Volunteers:

Oxheart, Mortgage Lifter, Brandywine, Mr. Stripey, Green Zebra, Igleheart Yellow Cherry, Destler, Hillbilly, Black Strawberry Cherry, Costoluto Genovese, Homer Fike, Yellow Pear, Golden Jubilee, Black Krim, Eva Purple Ball, Wapsipinicon Peach, German Pink, Grandpa Henry’s Italian Paste, Cherokee Purple

• Carroll Count Annual Tomato Festival- August 17th from 8:00 AM- 1:00 PM at the Carroll County Farmers Market in Westminster 
• Tomato Tasting- August 17th from 10:00 AM- 1:00 PM at the Baltimore County Agriculture Center (1114 Shawan Road, Cockeysville, MD 21030).