Ah, tomatoes. The plump, juicy orbs of summertime. The base of every good marinara sauce. The bane of every green thumb’s existence. But where did these delicious fruits come from? And why are they so darn finicky to grow?

First, let’s travel back in time to the 16th century. Tomatoes, native to South America, were first brought to Europe by the conquistadors. But, alas, they were not immediately embraced with open arms. In fact, they were considered poisonous and were only used as decoration. It wasn’t until the late 1700s that tomatoes began to be used in cooking, and even then, they were only eaten by the upper classes.

Fast forward to the 1800s, and tomatoes had finally made their way to America. But, as with any new arrival, they faced some challenges. One popular myth at the time was that tomatoes were in fact part of the nightshade family, and therefore deadly. As a result, many people grew them with a healthy dose of skepticism.

But, as it turns out, tomatoes are not only safe to eat, they’re downright delicious. And so, the tomato slowly but surely won the hearts of Americans. By the turn of the 20th century, it had become a staple in gardens and kitchens across the country.

But just because tomatoes have been around for a while, doesn’t mean they’re easy to grow. Oh no, far from it. Tomatoes are notoriously finicky plants. They need just the right amount of sun, just the right amount of water, and just the right amount of love (ok, maybe not love, but a little TLC never hurt anyone). And don’t even get us started on pests and diseases. It’s enough to make a person want to swear off tomatoes forever.

But, despite all the challenges, we continue to grow them. Why? Because there’s nothing quite like a vine-ripened, sun-warmed tomato straight off the plant. So, to all you green thumbs out there, we salute you. May your tomatoes be plump, juicy, and free of pests.

Happy gardening, and happy eating!