Tomatoes for Mountain West Gardeners

Ours is not a favorable region in which to grow classic, meaty tomatoes, but there are some varieties that will work

Despite working preponderantly in ornamental — especiallynaturalistic — gardening , I have got an “ interdisciplinary minor in organic Department of Agriculture ” from Colorado State University . Early in my career I work out primarily in nutrient crops , and before I was 20 yr old I spent summers in edible bean - breeding fields , diversify food - cropping system , and home garden . Through my years of food gardening , I ’ve found that growing tomatoes even at 5,000 feet here on the “ Front Range ” is a gamble . With frequent cool , sloshed summer or former spring frost — or worse , other killing frosts in fall — ours is not a favorable area in which to grow Hellenic , meaty tomatoes .

Despite that , the gamble proceed many of us going . Last year , I had garden - grow Lycopersicon esculentum on the counter well into November . For mountain surface area , the odds are even stiffer ! My aunt and uncle two hours to my west in North Park see an norm of less than 40 serial rime - free days each twelvemonth . For a garden like theirs , tomatoes are n’t a terribly practical harvest . But for many who fall between Fort Collins ’s 140 + of rime - liberal day and the paltry 40 of our coldest mountain park and valleys , there are choice .

Choose Cold-Tolerant Tomato Varieties

One of the most cost - effective manoeuvre is to simply take cool - large-minded change , or those that produce fruit quickly . You may call for to grow these flora from germ , but that relative cost is still less than a full blow , season - extending nursery . As for select variety , look for tomatoes point to be “ cool - weather - adapted ” or “ very scant season . ” It is of import to note that these kind are still frost - sensitive like other tomatoes . However , their unique designation depict their increased vigor at cooler temperatures ( i.e. , they are more resistant to the cool - weather stunt many tomato experience below 50 ° fluorine ) . Often these varieties also produce small yield , which mature more quickly from fruit adjust than do enceinte , beefsteak - case fruit .

I typically include one cool - weather - adapted tomato in my dwelling planting just in case Fort Collins has a nerveless or forgetful growing season . Through this experience , I would say that my independent gripe in this category would be that a mentionable per centum of these works produce fruits that are downright insipid .

Tomatoes to Choose and to Avoid

At the risk of overgeneralizing , indeterminate flora produce tomatoes gradually and for a longer period , while determinate varieties produce almost all their yield in a individual large peak earlier in the time of year . For many in very short - time of year orbit , determinate form are the best way to go , since they produce more full tomatoes in the shortest windowpane . If you pick out determinate , however , verify to have that canner or freezer ready ! undetermined tomato cover to arise , fruit , and flower from the fourth dimension they mature until frost . This means you ’ll have Lycopersicon esculentum throughout the time of year but will be in peril of a belittled harvest if wretched weather sets in early .

Indeterminate Tomatoes

If you take to try indeterminate tomato plant , guide clear of ‘ Stupice ’ , a degraded fruiter ( 60 days ) brag as tasty but that develop virtually no love apple flavour in my garden . Instead , for a classic ruby-red tomato with a shortsighted time of year , consider‘Moskvich ’ , which produced better in nearly the same timeframe and offer goodish tomato flavor .

As far as flavorful tomato plant for mountain gardeners go , my champion Mike , who farm in a cold vale near Steamboat Springs , recommends‘Matt ’s Wild Cherry ’ . It ’s an every bit tight - maturing , fertile waste type — think cherry red tomato — brought into polish by Teresa Arellanos de Mena , who collected the seed in eastern Mexico . She pass off the seed to her friend Matt , who overhaul it toJohnny ’s Selected Seeds , where it is sell today .

Determinate Tomatoes

As far as determinate tomato plant go , consider‘Silvery Fir Tree ’ , a sporty salmagundi with exquisitely cut , almost lacy foliage , a midget size of around 2 groundwork magniloquent , and less than 60 days to maturity .

‘ Silvery Fir Tree ’ foliage . Photo : editrix , shared viaCC BY - NC 2.0 deed of conveyance

‘ Silvery Fir Tree ’ love apple . Photo : graibeard , portion out viaCC BY - NC 2.0 act

My friend Mike also recommends‘Siberian ’ , a saladette - size Lycopersicon esculentum ( bigger than a cherry but not as large as a Greco-Roman red ) that is particularly repellent to cold shock and observe for setting yield well even at modest temperature . ‘ Siberian ’ is another tomato with a days - to - due date military rating below 60 .

More Tomato Tips

Regardless of which tomato varieties you choose to grow , keep the espouse gratuity in idea :

If you ’re like me , you may stand the urge to put all your love apple in one basket and opt instead to maturate small numbers pool of a few kind in a few sites . That way if one method or variety tank , you are n’t out of luck .

Learn more :

Growing Chilis and Hot Peppers in the Mountain West

Grow Tasty Tomatoes from seminal fluid

Vegetable Gardening Project Guide

And for more Mountain West regional written report , clack here .

Bryan Fischer lives and gardens at the intersection of the Great Plains and the Rockies . He is a horticulturist and the conservator of flora collections for a local botanic garden .

Photos except where noted : Bryan Fischer

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