Tomatoes

FAQ's for Tomatoes

Q1. Should I be pruning off the lower branches of my tomato plants? How far off of the ground should the lower branches be?

Q2. Is there such a thing as nematode-resistant tomato plants?

Q3. I recently purchased and planted five of your plants in pots. I can see the top of the pots when I water them. Do the pots dissolve? Can the plants become root bound and not survive?

Q4. Is it true that pinching off the flowers on the tomato plant helps it to produce more fruit?

Q5. I just planted my tomatoes and found out that is is too early. Should I put a can over them at night even though it doesn’t frost, to protect them?

Q6. I recently purchased a Better Bush hybrid tomato plant. Since planting it a few weeks ago, I’ve noticed tiny green "bumps" growing on the main stem. The bumps are very hard, are uniform in height (about 1/16 inch tall) and are about the size of lead in a wooden pencil. Some of the "bumps" are in clusters and some appear to be in a single line of maybe 5 or 6 to the line. They are only on the main stem. They look like little warts. I have never before seen this. Do I have a diseased plant or what?

Q7. Is it a good idea to always stake my tomatoes?

Q8. Can I plant one tomato plant in a five gallon bucket on my patio?

Q9. Can two Better Bush tomatoes be grown in a whiskey barrel?

Q10. What do the letters VFFN stand for in the names of your tomatoes?

Q11. A display of your tomato plants said to plant them deep: 80 percent of the plant underground. Is that really a good practice?

Q12. What causes tomatoes to turn black on the bottom?

Q13. Can I plant grape tomatoes in a deck planter? Do they need staking? How large does the plant get? How large a pot do I need?

Q14. I have two Bonnie Better Bush tomato plants. How much pruning should I do and when, in order to maximize fruit yield and keep the plants stable and healthy?

Q15. Do I have to replant the tomato plant every year or does it come back when the time is right?

Q16. Living in Arizona I have concerns about where to plant my Big Beef tomatoes. The tag says full sun, but in Arizona with temperatures reaching over the 100 degree mark is that going to be an issue with this plant?

Q17. What is meant by “maturity is reached in __ days”? Is that when you can harvest? Is this from the time the plant bears fruit or when the seed germinates?

Q18. I have planted some Early Girl, Better Boy, and Sweet 100 cherry tomatoes. I need to know how tall the plants will grow. I want to put cages around them, but I don’t know what size cage I should get. Can you help me out and tell me how high each of those varieties will grow?

Q19. When the plant says full sun, what exactly does that mean? I read somewhere that full sun is sun from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., is that right?

Get Bonnie's Newsletter

Get tips and advice on how to best grow your Bonnie vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Find Bonnie vegetables, herbs, and flowers in your neighborhood!

Bonnie Plants delivery truck
Use our dealer locator
to find a store near you.

Find Frost Dates

Find out when the last frost is in your area.

See color-coded maps for first and last frosts in your area.

What's Your Garden Zone?

What's your garden zone?

Learn about USDA plant hardiness zones.