The best reason for learning how to plant tomatoes is that vine-ripened tomatoes taste better than the commercial varieties found in supermarkets. And with over 300 varieties to choose from, there is a tomato for every taste and purpose.
When you are learning how to plant tomatoes it is important to first determine which variety should you plant? It depends how much space you have, the amount of sun that space receives daily (six hours is ideal), when you want your tomatoes – early, mid, or late season, and what you will use them for: salads, sandwiches, canning, or cooking.
Seed catalogs and seedling tags provide descriptions of each variety. Characteristics to look for include: Indeterminate or determinate
Indeterminate plants grow and produce fruit until the first frost and are larger than determinate plants, which grow to a specific length. Indeterminate plants must be staked. Their abundant foliage protects fruit from sun scalding and temperature extremes. It also lets fruit ripen more slowly, producing sweeter tomatoes.