Tomato and Basil Care
Tomatoes and basil are “companion plants”—basil improves tomato growth and flavor, and repels mosquitoes and flies!
To give your tomato the best introduction to your outdoor garden, allow 2 to 3 more days of hardening off outside during the day, and bring inside at night.
Leave the tomato out at least one full day and night before planting in the ground.
When your tomato is ready for it’s new home, dig a hole deep enough to sink the tomato up to half of its height. Remove leaves that will be covered by soil. Additional roots will form on buried stem and provide stronger root system. Plant 3-4 feet apart.
Garden tip: Cover tomato with plastic cover or glass vase / aquarium at night until nighttime temperatures rise above 55 F. Tomatoes and basil like it toasty!
Space basil 12 inches apart and wait to plant outside until nighttime temperatures rise above 60 F. Basil thrives on full sun exposure.
ORCA GARDEN SALE TOMATOES
CHERRY TOMATOES
Yellow Pear Cherry-indeterminate; small, yellow pear-shaped tomatoes; 70-80 days to maturity
Large Red Cherry-indeterminate; small red fruits about 1˝ inches; 60 days to maturity
Garden Candy-indeterminate; a mixed bag, super sweet cherry sized tomatoes in red, orange, or yellow; 65 days to maturity
Super Sweet 100 hybrid-indeterminate; sweet, red, cherry sized tomatoes; 70 days to maturity
BEEFSTEAK AND SLICING TOMATOES
Big Beef-indeterminate; hybrid; 10-12oz large red fruits with old-time tomato flavor; 73 days to maturity
Big Boy-indeterminate; hybrid; huge, smooth, deep globe shaped fruits often weighing a pound or more; 78 days to maturity
Celebrity-determinate; hybrid; All American’s Selections winner 1984; multiple disease resistance; 70 days to maturity
Brandywine-indeterminate; heirloom; fruits are large, pink and thin skinned; 75-90 days to maturity
Peron Sprayless-indeterminate; highly disease resistant 7ft vines; 75-85 days to maturity
Martian Giant-indeterminate; perfect acid/sweet balance in fruits; needs trellising; 90-100 days to maturity
Caro Rich-indeterminate; low acid fruits with high amounts of Vitamin A; 75-80 days to maturity
Caspian Pink-indeterminate; heirloom; red-pink fruit average 10 oz when pruned; 80 days to maturity
German Queen- indeterminate; 4inch red slicer that is round with smooth skin; needs trellising; 55-70 days to maturity
PASTE TOMATOES
Viva Italia-determinate; hybrid; roma type tomato is sweet and disease resistant; 65 days to maturity
Oroma- another roma type tomato good for making sauce or eating fresh
OTHERS
Three Sisters-indeterminate; there are three forms of this tomato: large salad size, roma type, and pleated flattened type, plant extra and see what develops; 75-85 days to maturity
Red Calabash-indeterminate; flattened ribbed red tomatoes, 2-3 oz small fruits; 80-90 days to maturity
Tomato Terms:
Determinate-bushier and do not require staking or cages; plants grow to a particular height and do not continue to elongate
Indeterminate-vine-like; plants continue to elongate through the summer and need staking or cages to prevent from sprawling on ground