There are red ones, green ones, blue, black, and pink ones. They're useful in everything from ketchup to salsa, spaghetti sauce, and chili. While I have met a few who don't like them, the majority of home gardens grow them.

But how?

Like any other plant, tomatoes have preferences. The conditions they're grown in matter, and intended use matters in selection. There are pages upon pages of varieties in the average seed catalog to choose from, and that can feel overwhelming! Ditto the gardening center: there are shelves upon shelves upon shelves of tomatoes. In this article, I'll discuss what you need to know to be able to choose well and grow a bountiful harvest of beautiful tomato treasure. 

Here's an update on my indoor tomato project

First, an update on my indoor grow operation. I wrote about it here. The end result wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. The determinant Tiny Tim did produce a few handfuls, enough to go with salad but nowhere near enough to preserve. The indeterminant Dancing with Smurfs hasn't even produced that much and is now waiting to go outdoors to see if that helps.

Remember: I used both heat mats and grow lights to mitigate winter conditions. I also used an electric toothbrush to pollinate the flowers, and I fertilized them since neither seed starting nor potting mix really has enough nutrients for serious fruit production. The Tiny Tim has died off at this point.