The Tomato

One of my favorite vegetables to grow is the Tomato. They are easy to grow, and the rewards are almost endless. Here is just a little bit of information about tomatoes. For the how to's of growing them, check out our website: www.thegardenerspot.com

The tomato is botanically a fruit, but is considered a vegetable for culinary purposes.  Tomatoes are native to South America, but it is not known when it was first domesticated.  It was brought over to Europe during the colonization of the Americas and was first used in Spain and spread from there.  In Italy it was initially used as a table decoration before being used in food.  It was so easily grown in the Mediterranean climate that it was quickly adapted into their cuisines.  

It took much longer for the British and their American colonies to accept it as food.  They initially thought of it as poisonous.   Although it is a perennial plant in warm climates, it is grown as an annual in the cooler climates.

It is now one of the most commonly grown vegetables in home gardeners.  The reasons for this are obvious, the taste is so amazing when picked right off the vine, they are fairly easy to grow, and they are heavy producers.  The tomato is a good choice to include in your garden.