Norann Oleson, Editorial Director of Food Gardening Network

Welcome to the really wonderful world of growing your own tomatoes!

According to the National Gardening Association, 86% of American households grow tomatoes—vastly outpacing the next most-popular home-grown food item, cucumbers, at 47%.

Tomatoes are so popular, and yet so easy to grow. That’s why we’ve prepared this all-in-one guide for you about growing, harvesting, and eating—with some easy-to-prepare and tasty recipes—your own home-grown tomatoes.

In this collection’s Introduction, you’ll first learn some history and basics about tomatoes—to get you ready for growing your own. Then, in the Feature Articles, you’ll get specifics about tomato gardening—from types of plants and soil preparation to watering, weeding, and controlling and preventing disease.

If you’re already an advanced tomato and food gardener, some of this may be refresher content for you. But, stick with it, because you’re certain to learn something new, especially when it comes to the history of tomatoes and the recipes!

In Plant Profiles, you’ll learn about six popular varieties of tomatoes, so you’ll have specific details about the characteristics and best uses for particular varieties of tomatoes.

While there are thousands of varieties of tomatoes (estimates put the number at over 7,000), we’ve chosen these six tomato plant profiles because these are some of the most commonly grown. If you’d like us to include another tomato variety that appeals to you, please let me know by commenting below.

We are, after all, a network of food gardeners—for and by fellow food gardeners—who want to enjoy all the benefits of growing our own delicious food at home!

One of the things that makes Food Gardening Network unique is the assortment of super easy and delicious Recipes, so that you can enjoy the fruits of your gardening labor. Tomatoes are no exception!

These tomato recipes include uses for salads, soups, and sauces. You will be sure to delight everyone at your table when you prepare tomatoes any of these ways, and these dishes will become staples in your household. Enjoy your tomato harvest with these tasty recipes, and your family and friends will appreciate all of your tomato gardening efforts!

Next, you’ll learn Nutrition Facts about Tomatoes to find out exactly which nutrients are found in tomatoes—and to what degree—and the most common compounds. Home Remedies & Health Benefits of Tomatoes will help you learn about how key nutrients in tomatoes can help prevent some diseases, such as heart disease and some forms of cancer. You’ll also learn all about other benefits and uses for tomatoes, besides just enjoying their garden-fresh deliciousness.

To help you explore the wonderful world of tomatoes even further, we’ve included a Resources section that is complementary to this collection. We aim to give you everything you need to grow, harvest, and eat delicious tomatoes, but feel free to take a deeper dive into these additional resources by visiting the links provided.

Finally, you’ll find a brief Glossary at the end of this collection in case you need a fuller explanation of any key terms and concepts.

Now, go and be the best tomato grower you can be!