Resources for the propagation, harvesting, safe handling, drying, preserving, and recipes containing tomatoes.

Growing & Harvesting

Growing tomatoes in the home garden may present many challenges: Insects, diseases, water stress, heat stress, nutrients, soil, humans, pets, other pests all affect plant growth. Once successful, many options are available for processing a harvest. See the publications listed below for more information relating to the most common issues and suggested solutions.

Circular 457: Home Vegetable Gardening in New Mexico.
General information for growing vegetables in home gardens in New Mexico. Covers these eight considerations:
1. Know your climate.
2. Plan before you plant.
3. Prepare the soil.
4. Fertilize for optimal crop production.
5. Plant your garden.
6. Water properly to improve yields.
7. Control pests.
8. Harvest at the correct time.

Circular 457-B: Growing Zones, Recommended Crop Varieties, & Planting & Harvesting Information for Home Vegetable Gardens in NM includes a map showing New Mexico growing zones. May 2014.

Presentation: Guidelines for Growing Terrific Tomatoes Comprehensive overview of the tomato's history, varieties, cultivars, diseases, soil improvement, fertilization, management, and harvest to develop a home gardening strategy. 2014.

Webpage: Choosing Tomato Varieties Consider the pros and cons of Bush-type (determinate) and Vining (indeterminate) varieties. From "Growing tomatoes in home gardens" page by University of Minnesota Extension.

Book: Down to Earth. A Gardener's Guide to the Albuquerque Area
Knowledge and personal experiences of many Albuquerque gardeners. 486 pages. Answers to commonly asked questions. Includes month-by-month, zone-specific garden maintenance and troubleshooting advice.

To purchase a copy, visit the Albuquerque Garden Center at 10120 Lomas NE or one of these Vendors. Garden Center HOURS: Monday-Friday 9:30 AM - 2:30 PM.

Diagnosing Problems

Pests

July 2002: What s Killing My Tomatoes? Tomato hornworm is often the biggest tomato pest but the hardest to see. The five-inch, green worm is relatively plump and blends well with foliage. July 2002 Issue, from the Southwest Yard & Garden Series

More Pests Resources
* Tomato Hornworm
* Leaf Hopper
* Psyllids
* Aphids
* Flea Beetles
* White Fly

Diseases

Article: Tomato Diseases - Leaf Spots
"Extension Plant Pathology" - News You Can Use. Color newsletter detailing Early Blight and Phoma Rot diseases. By NMSU.

Guide H-106: Curly Top Virus Causes, Hosts, Symptoms, Transmission, Disease Conditions, and Disease Management. Reissued May 2006.

Photo courtesy of John Garlisch

More Diseases Resources
* Curly Top Virus
* Alternaria Early Leaf Blight
* Fusarium/Verticillium Wilt
* Phytophtora Blight/Root Rot
* Mosiac Virus (Tomato, Tobacco, & Cucumber)
* Alfalfa Mosaic Virus
* Guide H-242: Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus

Conditions

Guide A-231: Blossom End Rot
Causal Agent, Hosts, Symptoms, Conditions For Disease, and Management. Revised February 2013.

More Conditions Resources
* Herbicide Damage
* Leaf Scorch
* Phosphorous Deficiency
* Blossom End Rot/Calcium Deficiency (Lack of Water)

Preserving & Recipes

Guide E-306: Preserving Tomatoes At Home Revised November 2014.

Guide E-323: Salsa Recipes for Canning
Revised August 2015.

Book: Recipes - Albuquerque Tomato Fiesta 10th Edition (2019), sponsored by Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardener Program. Available at the Albuquerque Garden Center Book Store, 10120 Lomas NE. HOURS: Monday-Friday 9:30 AM-2:30 PM. Supplies are limited; may be reprinted.