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About this episode
Did you know that the tomato is Ohio's official state fruit?
Or that tomato juice is our official state beverage?
Learn more about the tomato – which is one of the most popular Ohio summer garden crops. Garden-fresh tomatoes have great flavor, and tomatoes are fairly easy to grow in home gardens. However, just like your other garden crops, tomato growth can be affected by weather and a variety of other factors.
Tim McDermott, educator with OSU Extension, highlights some challenges that may be affecting your home garden tomatoes this summer (e.g., excess rainfall, high heat, humidity) and provides some tips to improve your crop this year. Learn more about this delicious summer veggie (technically a fruit!) that comes in a tremendous range of shapes, sizes, and colors! Tim’s observations and advice were recorded in a greenhouse at the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory on Ohio State’s main campus.
There's a lot going on with tomatoes in Ohio State's College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES).
GET THE FACTS!
We have several free fact sheets available on Ohioline to learn more about growing tomatoes in your own garden or greenhouse:
- Growing Tomatoes in the Home Garden
- Identification and Management of Soilborne Diseases of Tomato
- Hydroponic Nutrient Solution for Optimized Greenhouse Tomato Production
LEARN MORE!Â
2021 mirrors the weather we experienced in 2019. This Chow Line post about excess rainfall reviews Tim's previous advice which remains true today.
Watch this video on Growing Heirloom Plants. Learn more via this spring 2021 lawn and garden talk, hosted by OSU Extension in Mercer County.
Check out Buckeye Yard & Garden onLine (BYGL)Â for current information about Ohio growing conditions, pest, disease, and cultural problems.
CONNECT WITH OUR EXPERTS!
The Buckeye Environmental Horticulture Team provides education and resources to support the home yard and gardening public, as well as green industry professionals. Team members are local Extension educators who offer public programs (virtual and in-person) about a variety of gardening topics, help diagnose plant problems and offer solutions, support local Master Gardener Volunteers and Ohio Certified Volunteer Naturalists, and partner with other horticulture professionals and associations.
Ask a question of our Master Gardener Volunteers – a group of Ohio gardening enthusiasts who are extensively trained in horticulture, then volunteer their time to answer your yard and garden questions online, as well as help with educational programs and activities for Ohio residents through their local OSU Extension county office.