Big Girl Tomatoes

Big girl tomatoes are indeterminate. In order to fully appreciate what that means, you have to know the difference between determinate tomatoes and indeterminate. Neither one is better than the other is, simply different.

The determinate tomatoes grow clusters of flowers at the end of the branches and stop the growth of the plant. These types of plants tend to produce tomatoes earlier than the indeterminate ones but the tomatoes all ripen at the same time and then the seasons finished.

Indeterminate plants have more foliage, grow taller and take a little longer to give you some tomatoes but once they start appearing, the plants continue until the end of the season so there’s no need to plant successive plantings. You’ll have enough for the whole season and some to let ripen in the house for winter.

Disease Resistant

The big girl is crack-resistant and resistant to fusarium and verticillium. Fusarium causes the leaves to turn brown and wilt and verticillium causes the leaves to die and drop. It stunts the plant, which produces only smaller fruit. Both are fungus found in the soil and the big girl gives you one less problem to worry about.

The Tomato

The fruit is large and attractive. One reason most people like the tomato, aside from the longer season of production, is for it’s old fashioned taste. The big girl tomato has the rich flavorful quality that grandma tasted when she plucked her tomatoes from the vine. The biggest difference is that the plant is stouter and more resistant to diseases. The tomatoes may get larger than a pound but often that’s their size.

You don’t grow big girls any different from other tomatoes but you can create a longer growing season, for not only this plant but also any tomato in your garden. In order to extend the season, you have to plant early. Frost prevents most people from doing this. You can avoid the frost and have the first tomatoes of the season with a simple trick.

During the winter, collect gallon plastic milk jugs from your friends and neighbors. Cut off the bottom of the jugs. Plant your tomatoes a few weeks earlier and set the jug on top of the plant. This forms a miniature greenhouse and protects your big girl tomato plants from the elements. Simply remove the lids for a hot day and replace them when frost threatens.

Planting Instructions

Plant the big girls tomatoes three feet from each other since these girls like to grow. You also need adequate space for a walkway. Put plenty of water with added fertilizer into the hole for the tomato.

Keep the tomatoes evenly watered and put a heavy cage or stake to support the plant as it grows. The smaller ringed cages often don’t offer enough support for these continuously growing heavier plants and fruits. If you use these, support the cage with an extra stake at the sides.

Cease fertilizing the big girl tomatoes plant in mid July. You’ll find that your tomato crop produces whoppers that have no green shoulder like some tomatoes. Seven plants should be more than enough to satisfy the needs for a family of four.

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