Hybrids
versus Heirlooms (and the truth about GMOs)
Where to find the best tomato plants in the Piedmont
Triad
For many people, a tomato is a tomato. As long as it meets
the three criteria—ripe, round and red—they're happy to place a slice on their
favorite sandwich and enjoy. But did you know that Mitchell’s Nursery sells a
wide variety of tomato plants? Each has its own benefits. No type is
necessarily better. It simply comes
down to what the grower is seeking in their crops.
Hybrid Tomatoes
Hybrid tomatoes are the type you’re most likely to find at
your local supermarket—although it should be noted that the hybrids you grow in
your garden might have a richer flavor than the ones at your nearby store.
Hybrids have been crossbred with other tomatoes to have positive
characteristics. While savory in their own right, hybrid tomatoes are really
bred to resist pests and diseases. They also have a firmer flesh and thicker
skin—this is needed when they’re being harvested by machines, so they remain whole instead of becoming sauce in the
process. Some people prefer that firmness while slicing tomatoes—plus, the
thick skin contains the juice inside better. If you’re in the mood for a bite-sized treat,
we also sell cherry tomato plants.
Hybrid tomato
seeds come from cross pollination between two different varieties of tomatoes,
which can occur from bees or by hand. If you were to save the seeds from a
hybrid tomato and plant them the following year, the tomato plants will differ
from the parent plant. In commercial seed operations, they take much care to
keep the different varieties separated, so one variety won’t get pollen from
the wrong plant. Commercial seed producers will take pollen by hand from the
flowers of selected plants and then add it to other plants—similarly to how
bees do. This can bring natural disease resistance from one plant to another
that already has good flavor or large fruit.
When you look
at the tag on a hybrid tomato plant, you’ll notice the info often begins with
initials. Those letters represent the diseases that the plant has been bred to
resist. Here is a helpful list:
V = Verticillum Wilt
F or FF = Fusarium Wilt
N = Nematodes
T = Tobacco Mosaic Virus
A = Alternaria Leaf Spot
Heirloom
Tomatoes
By contrast,
heirloom tomatoes have been grown without crossbreeding for at least 40 years.
If you take the seeds from an heirloom tomato, carefully store them, and
then plant them in the spring, their tomatoes will taste just like the previous
year’s crop. Another characteristic of heirloom tomatoes is their
open-pollination, as pollen is distributed naturally through such items as wind
and bees. Again, this differs from commercial hybrids, which are pollinated by
hand to ensure the correct combination of traits. If you invest in heirlooms,
you might wish to purchase a quality repellant, since they don’t have the
natural repellant of hybrids. Heirloom plants also typically produce less fruit
than other varieties—but their tomatoes are usually large, and the taste is
phenomenal!
Mitchell’s Nursery has an awesome assortment of heirloom
plants, including German Johnson, Mr. Stripey, Cherokee Purple, Rutgers,
Marglobe, Big Boy, Jubilee, Black Krim, Brandywine, and Mortgage Lifter. All of
them produce robust sandwich-slicers.
GMOs
A common question nowadays: Which tomatoes contain
genetically modified organisms (GMOs)? The answer is, none of them! Some of you
might recall the Flavr Savr tomato, which was lab engineered to have a longer
shelf life in the 1990s. While the Flavr Savr saved flavor, it didn’t save
cost. Their production was too expensive and the demand too little. Scientists
are continuing to allegedly improve the tomato, as well as find other uses for
it—including making them carriers for edible vaccines. However, as of this
writing, there are no genetically modified tomatoes available commercially.
Determinate vs.
Indeterminate
Maybe you want your tomato plant to reach a certain
height—or maybe you’re aiming to set a Guinness World Record for longest vine.
Either way, we’ve got you covered! Determinate varieties are exactly what their
name suggests. Their characteristics are already determined. They’ll stop
growing at a certain. Most of their fruit matures within a few months,
appearing at the end of their branches. Determinate tomato plants are popular
with folks who want most of their tomatoes at once, such as for canning or
making sauce.
Perhaps you prefer to put your plant in the soil and let it
grow without limit. Indeterminate varieties continue to grow and produce
tomatoes all throughout the season. This is why they need extra-tall supports
of at least 5 feet. If you don’t
prune them, no harm done—just know that they could eventually take up a lot of
space.
Homegrown vs.
Supermarket
Of course, there’s the big question: Why grow your own
tomatoes when you can drive down the road and purchase them at a supermarket?
Fresh garden-to-table produce often provide more nutrients than the fruits and
veggies at your local supermarket. Plus, supermarket produce can be picked
green and grown in varieties that ship better but don’t necessarily taste
better. That’s not to discount our friends at large retailers. If you need a
tomato or two for that potluck dish due yesterday, their tomatoes will do fine!
But, there is something so satisfying about biting into a plump, juicy,
delicious tomato that you grew yourself.
Why do homegrown and farmers market
tomatoes have more flavor? For more info on the difference between homegrown
and supermarket tomatoes, click here.
Conclusion
So, which tomato plants are right for you? They all share at
least one thing in common: deliciousness. Either will taste great on your
sandwich or salad. With the right care, any of them will produce fruit sure to please
you and those you serve. Come see us at Mitchell’s Nursery & Greenhouse in
King, NC. Consider us your local tomato plant provider. We’ll be glad to show
you our plants and help you decide which ones best suit your goals.
For more information about our tomato plants and other
resources to meet your gardening and landscape needs, visit www.mitchellsnursery.com.
