Tomatoes in the Mobile and Gulf Coast Region

Tomato plants to order for pick up on Saturday, February 27th 9 am to noon!

Varieties of heirloom and new tomato plants selected by Bill Finch - proven true and tested in our climate, and full of flavor! 

Tomato Plants

• Grow them in sun - 6-8 hours a day is a must!
• They need good rich composted soil with a pH from 6.2 to 6.8 - and a time release or organic fertilizer helps them through the season
• Applying a  2-4 inch layer of mulch in April, after the soil has warmed up, will help keep down weeds and keep the soil evenly moist.
• The number of days given is the average time between planting out and the maturing of the first fruit. 
• Determinate - The plants reach a certain height and then stop growing. The majority of their fruit matures within a few weeks of each other. Great for those who like to can, make sauce, or freeze their crops. 
• Indeterminate - These plants continue to grow and produce tomatoes throughout the season. They need support (mostly 5ft +) They throw out a lot of shoots, and some like to prune those for optimum-size fruit, or to train them on trellises, but pruning the side shoots is not essential. 
• There are some varieties that are semi-determinate because they are somewhere in between - they are best if supported. 
• Heirloom tomatoes have been around for a while, and are not hybrids
• Hybrid tomatoes are crosses of different varieties, and offer better disease resistance, higher yield and other improvements. 
• Follow all advice given by Bill Finch in the Mobile Press, Online, and on the radio!!