How to Grow Tomatoes & Best Tomato Varieties for Ohio Gardens

Tomatoes are some of the most fun and rewarding plants you can grow in your garden.  For gardeners in central Ohio, the arrival of tomato season is a highlight of summer gardening.  Here is some of our advice for growing tomatoes in Ohio and some of the best types of tomatoes for Ohio gardens.

But first, why should you grow tomatoes in your garden?

Why You Should Grow Tomatoes

Growing your own tomatoes offers a level of flavor and variety you won't find at the grocery store. Beyond the superior taste, tomatoes are incredibly prolific. A few well-tended plants can provide enough harvest for fresh salads, homemade salsas, and even canning for the winter.

Luckily, tomatoes are perfectly suited for Ohio’s soils.  Thus, growing tomatoes is a rewarding choice for both beginners and seasoned green thumbs. You also get to control what goes into your food and know exactly where your food comes from.

How to Plant Tomatoes

When planting tomatoes in your vegetable garden, wait until the danger of frost has passed. This is typically after Mother’s Day for Ohio gardeners or around April 25th.

When you are ready to plant, choose a spot that receives at least six to eight hours of full sun. Tomatoes are unique because they can grow roots along their entire stem. So, dig a deep hole and bury the plant so that only the top few sets of leaves are above the ground to create a strong root system. 

Space your plants at least 24 to 36 inches apart to allow for sufficient airflow. Good spacing is your best defense against the heavy humidity we experience in central Ohio. 

Install cages or stakes at the time of planting to avoid damaging roots later and to give the plant structure for when heavy tomatoes start growing and weighing down the plant’s branches.

Soil and Fertilizing Requirements

Tomatoes are heavy feeders, meaning they need lots of nutrients to produce fruit.  To ensure that your tomatoes are getting enough nutrition, start with well-draining soil enriched with compost or aged manure. Central Ohio soil can be heavy with clay, so adding organic matter is essential for drainage and root expansion.  Consider adding a calcium soil amendment to prevent blossom end rot on the tomatoes.

Use a balanced fertilizer at planting time. You can switch to a formula higher in phosphorus once the plants begin to flower. Avoid over-using nitrogen late in the season as too much nitrogen will give you a beautiful, lush green plant but very few tomatoes. 

How to Water Tomatoes

Tomatoes are thirsty plants!  Water them daily and even twice a day during the hottest parts of summer.  Try to water in the early morning so that the plant has enough water throughout the day. 

Try to keep your soil consistently moist so as not to cause disturbances in the growth of the tomatoes.  If you have thick tomato skin or splits in your tomatoes, then you likely are watering your tomatoes unevenly.

Also, ensure that your soil has good drainage so that your tomato plant isn’t getting soggy feet, which can cause fungus and mold.

Avoid getting water on the plant’s leaves to discourage mold, mildew, and fungus from growing on the plant.  For more watering guidance, check out our post on watering tips.

How to Prune Tomatoes

Pruning your tomato plant helps the plant focus its energy on growing fruit rather than excess foliage. Focus on removing suckers, which are small shoots that grow in the "V" space between the main stem and a leaf branch.

For indeterminate varieties, keep the plant to one or two main stems to make it easier to stake the plant and ensure ample air circulation. 

Always use clean shears and prune on a dry day to prevent bacteria from spreading. In addition to removing suckers, prune away any leaves that touch the ground. This helps to prevent soil-borne diseases from splashing up onto the plant during heavy Ohio spring rainstorms.

How to Harvest Tomatoes

For the best flavor, leave your tomatoes on the vine until they are fully colored and slightly soft.

In the late summer, harvest green fruit if a frost is predicted and let them ripen on a sunny windowsill indoors.  Consider letting the green fruit sit in a bath of vinegar and water (50% vinegar and 50% water) for five minutes and rinsing them before letting them air dry on the counter to reduce mold, fungus, and bacteria that can cause the tomatoes to rot before they are ripe.

Once harvested, avoid putting tomatoes in the refrigerator. Keeping them at room temperature preserves that perfect, homegrown texture and aroma. 

If you have a massive harvest, try picking them when they are "blushing" or about half-colored. They will finish ripening on your counter with less risk of being eaten by local birds or squirrels.

Types of Tomatoes for Ohio Gardens

So, what varieties of tomatoes are best for Ohio gardens?

First, you need to know that central Ohio falls into USDA hardiness zone 6a.  This means that we have a generous growing season, but we have to be mindful of late spring frosts.  Thus, when you get your tomatoes from a local garden center (such as Timbuk Farms) or start them from seed, watch the nightly temperatures for when you may need to bring your new tomato plants inside to protect them from freezing.

When choosing tomato varieties, consider these local favorites:

Celebrity

The celebrity tomato variety is a dependable hybrid that resists many common Ohio soil diseases. It is a great choice if you want a low-maintenance, "set it and forget it" plant.

Jet Star

Jet Star tomatoes are famous for having low acid with  high-yield harvests. They were actually developed in the midwest, so these tomatoes are made to withstand our specific climate shifts.

Cherokee Purple

This stunning heirloom tomato thrives in Ohio’s summer heat and offers a complex, smoky flavor. It handles the humidity of July and August remarkably well.  Plus, the fruit itself is interesting and beautiful.  We recommend Cherokee Purple for anyone looking to try something new in their garden or in their cooking.

Sun Gold

These prolific and fast-growing cherry tomatoes are like garden candy. They usually start ripening earlier than larger varieties and keep producing right up until the first frost.  Also, these tomatoes are golden when they are ripe, so they’ll bring more color to your garden.

Roma

Romas are great tomatoes for making sauces or for canning.  They have meaty walls with little water content, which means you don’t have to boil them as long to concentrate that yummy tomato flavor. 

Visit Timbuk Farms for Tomato Plants

Timbuk Farms specializes in Ohio gardening, and our central Ohio garden center has thousands of healthy tomato plants as well as other vegetable plants, flowers, annuals, perennials, tropicals, houseplants, gardening supplies, and more.  Our friendly and knowledgeable would love to help you create your ideal garden, whether that be a tomato plant paradise, a place to grow your own food consistently, a garden oasis, or whatever else you can imagine!