Tom LeRoy-Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
Tom LeRoy-Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
Tom LeRoy-Everything You Ever Wanted to Know
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and Some <strong>You</strong> Didn’t Didn t<br />
By Thomas R. <strong>LeRoy</strong><br />
Montgomery County Extension Agent – Horticulture<br />
t-leroy@tamu.edu
Where do <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es come from?<br />
Western coast of South America America, present present-day day Peru Peru.<br />
Eight species of <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es still grow wild in the Andes<br />
Mountains.<br />
Cultivated <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es have been classified in<strong>to</strong> five<br />
botanical varieties.<br />
The <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> was an important crop among New<br />
World Indians by the 15th century.<br />
Aztecs called it “Xi<strong>to</strong>matl” Xi<strong>to</strong>matl . Early Aztec writings<br />
mentioned dishes comprised of peppers, salt and<br />
<strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es. Could be the original salsa recipe!
Central American tribes called it “<strong>Tom</strong>ati”<br />
The <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> made its way across the Atlantic shortly<br />
after Cortez conquered the Aztecs in 1521.<br />
The earliest mention of <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> in European<br />
literature was found in Italy in 1544 1544. <strong>Tom</strong>a<strong>to</strong>es, <strong>Tom</strong>a<strong>to</strong>es<br />
described as pomi d’oro (Golden Apple) were eaten<br />
with oil, , salt and pepper. p pp This means, , yellow y<br />
varieties may have been the first <strong>to</strong> reach the Old<br />
World.<br />
Red varieties were introduced <strong>to</strong> Italy by two<br />
Catholic priests many years later (exact date not<br />
known) known).
<strong>Tom</strong>a<strong>to</strong>es became widely cultivated over the next<br />
several decades in Spain, Italy and France where it<br />
was called pomme d’amour d amour (Love Apple) Apple). It might<br />
have been used as an early aphrodisiac.<br />
German folklore –witches used members of the<br />
nightshade i h h d family f il <strong>to</strong> summons werewolves l (a (<br />
practice known at lycanthropy). The common<br />
German name for <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es translates <strong>to</strong> “Wolf<br />
Peach”.<br />
The scientific name for <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> is Lycopersicon<br />
esculentum which means “edible edible wolf peach peach” .<br />
English writings as early as 1578 referred <strong>to</strong> the<br />
<strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> as an ornamental.
Pl Plants t were brought b ht BACK t <strong>to</strong> th the AAmericas i b by<br />
colonists early on, as ornamentals from Britain.<br />
Northern European p cultures associated the <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong><br />
with poisonous members of the nightshade family,<br />
specifically henbane, mandrake and deadly<br />
nightshade which resemble their edible cousin cousin.<br />
In 1596, one English author refers <strong>to</strong> “love apples as<br />
being eaten abroad”, but having “a rank and<br />
stinking savour.”<br />
The first cook book <strong>to</strong> mention <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es was<br />
published in Naples Naples, Italy in 1692. 1692<br />
In 1752, English cooks used <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es sparingly <strong>to</strong><br />
flavor soups.
In 1781 Thomas Jefferson brought <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es <strong>to</strong> his<br />
table, along with French fries. He is given credit, by<br />
many many, for popularizing <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> use in North<br />
American culture.<br />
New N Orleans cuisine is reported p <strong>to</strong> have<br />
incorporated <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es by 1812.<br />
Col. Robert Gibbon Johnson supposedly put all<br />
doubts about <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es <strong>to</strong> rest in 1820 when he ate a<br />
bushel of <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es on the Bos<strong>to</strong>n courthouse steps.<br />
Thousands are reported <strong>to</strong> have turned out <strong>to</strong> watch<br />
the poor man die.<br />
“HE DIDN’T!”
The United States Congress passed the Tariff Act of<br />
1883 requiring a 10% tax on all imported vegetables.<br />
A <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> importer decided <strong>to</strong> challenge the Act on<br />
botanical grounds that <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> was technically a fruit<br />
not t a vegetable tbl and d th therefore f should h ld be b exempt. t<br />
In 1893 the case Nix vs. Hedden, 149 U.S. 304, came<br />
bf before th the Supreme S Court. C t<br />
The court ruled that although <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong>es were<br />
considered the “fruit fruit of the vine” vine they are generally<br />
eaten cooked or raw and served during the “principal<br />
part of the repast repast” and therefore a vegetable “not not like<br />
fruits generally, as desert.”
Receives 8 + hours of sunlight sunlight.<br />
Soil has good internal and<br />
external drainage.<br />
Free from competition from other<br />
large plants, buildings, etc.<br />
N Near a source of f water. t<br />
Visible!
Select Recommended Varieties.<br />
Plant at the Right g Time.<br />
Proper Soil Preparation and Fertilization.<br />
Control Weeds, , Diseases and Insects.<br />
Adequate Soil Moisture.<br />
Harvest at the Right Time .
Fruit-set is affected by<br />
night temperature.<br />
Night temperatures<br />
below 50 F delays the<br />
time from pollination <strong>to</strong><br />
fertilization causing<br />
flower drop.<br />
Night temperatures<br />
above mid 70’s disrupts<br />
pollen shed causing<br />
flower drop on large<br />
fruited varieties.
GREEN -Stage<br />
1 <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong> is<br />
completely light<br />
<strong>to</strong> dark green<br />
BREAKER -<br />
Stage 2 “break”<br />
in color from<br />
green, <strong>to</strong><br />
tannish-yellow,<br />
pink or red (less<br />
than 10%)<br />
TURNING -<br />
Stage 3 -10% but<br />
not t more th than<br />
30% shows a<br />
change in color<br />
PINK -Stage 4 -<br />
more than 30%<br />
but not more<br />
than 60% shows<br />
pink p or red color<br />
LIGHT RED -<br />
Stage 5 -more<br />
than 60%, not<br />
more than 90%,<br />
shows pinkish or<br />
red color<br />
RED -Stage 6 -<br />
more than 90%<br />
of f th the surface f i is<br />
red. In color
Determinate<br />
Floriamerica<br />
Mountian<br />
Delight<br />
Bush Celebrity<br />
Bush Early Girl<br />
Carnival<br />
Jackpot<br />
Solar Set<br />
BHN 444<br />
Heatwave<br />
Semi<br />
Celebrity<br />
Heartland<br />
SuperTasty<br />
Indeterminate<br />
Beefmaster<br />
Super<br />
Fantastic<br />
Champion<br />
Dona<br />
Early E EEarly l Girl Gi l<br />
Brandywine<br />
First First Lady<br />
Better Boy<br />
Big g<br />
Beef
ASC SC -Alternaria te a a<br />
V - Verticillium Ve t c u Wiltt<br />
<br />
Stem Canker<br />
BSp - Bacterial Speck<br />
V1 - Verticillium Wilt,<br />
race 1<br />
<br />
<br />
F - Fusarium Wilt<br />
F1 - Fusarium Wilt<br />
race1<br />
<br />
<br />
V2 - Verticillium Wilt,<br />
race 2<br />
TMV - <strong>Tom</strong>a<strong>to</strong><br />
F2 - Fusarium Wilt<br />
race2<br />
Mosaic Virus<br />
St - Stemphylium<br />
N - Nema<strong>to</strong>des<br />
(gray leaf spot)
Champion, highest<br />
producer ever in our<br />
trials at 73 lbs./plant<br />
Average production on<br />
modern hybrids is 40-50<br />
lbs./plant. p<br />
Average home gardener<br />
produces less than 10<br />
lbs./plant.
Benefits of Row<br />
Cover Cover.<br />
2 <strong>to</strong> 4 F of Frost<br />
Protection.<br />
Wind Protection.<br />
Keeps Out Insects.<br />
Allows 85 <strong>to</strong> 90%<br />
Light Penetration.<br />
U Up <strong>to</strong> t 30% I Increase<br />
in Production.
Stink Bug g<br />
Endosulfan<br />
Cyfluthrin<br />
<strong>Tom</strong>a<strong>to</strong><br />
Hornworm<br />
Early y Blight g<br />
Sevin<br />
Bifenthrin<br />
Bt (Bacillus<br />
Permethrin<br />
thuringiensis)<br />
Spinosid<br />
Insecticidal Soap<br />
Pyrethrum<br />
Neem Oil<br />
Chlorothalonil<br />
Maneb<br />
Copper produ<br />
cts<br />
Bacillus subtilis<br />
(Kodiak)<br />
Potassium<br />
bicarbonate<br />
(Firststep)
Bush Celebrity (61)<br />
y( )<br />
Solar Set (53)<br />
Dona (53)<br />
( )<br />
Carnival (54)<br />
Heatwave (50)<br />
Early Girl (50)<br />
Champion<br />
Celebrity
Juliet (57)<br />
Baxter’s Baxter s Early<br />
Bush<br />
Sweet Chelsea<br />
Yellow Pear
Select Proper<br />
Varieties.<br />
Sterile Potting g<br />
Media.<br />
Sterile Containers.<br />
High Light<br />
Intensity for 14-16<br />
hours.<br />
Regular<br />
Applications of<br />
Soluble Fertilizer