Tomato Varieties for Louisiana
By: Katie Leigh
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Growing tomatoes in Louisiana can be a difficult task because of the extremely warm temperatures the state experiences during the spring and summer. It's important to choose tomato varieties that can withstand both heat and dry spells. There are several types that grow very well in Louisiana, despite these issues.
Indeterminate Varieties
Indeterminate varieties of tomatoes, once planted, will grow and produce fruit until they're killed by frost. Because of the fairly long growing season in Louisiana, these plants can give off bushels of fruit if they withstand the heat. The best indeterminate varieties of tomatoes for Louisiana include Big Beef, Pink Girl and Monte Carlo. All of these cultivars are sturdy as long as they are watered daily, but they will require quite a bit of room to grow--the vines of indeterminate varieties tend to spread.
Growing tomatoes in Louisiana can be a difficult task because of the extremely warm temperatures the state experiences during the spring and summer.
Because of the fairly long growing season in Louisiana, these plants can give off bushels of fruit if they withstand the heat.
Determinate Varieties
Determinate varieties of tomato plants produce a limited amount of fruit and reach a fixed, compact height. They are useful in Louisiana because the long growing season allows the grower to plant more than one round (one in spring, and a second in mid-summer). Determinate tomatoes that grow well in Louisiana include Celebrity, Olympic and Spitfire.
Heat-Tolerant Varieties
There are certain types of tomatoes that were designed to have a heat-set genetic makeup, meaning they are extraordinarily tolerant of heat and dry spells. These tomatoes are generally the best to grow in Louisiana, but seedlings are usually only available at specialty nurseries and garden centers. This group includes Sun Leaper, Florida 91 and Solar Set.
Cherry Varieties
Cherry varieties are also an excellent choice for Louisiana. They tend to produce fruit quickly, before the hottest months of the summer kick in, but also stand up to high temperatures nicely and are productive regardless of the heat as long as they're watered regularly. Some recommended varieties of cherry tomatoes for Louisiana include Super Sweet 100, Sweet Chelsea and Cherry Grande.
Determinate varieties of tomato plants produce a limited amount of fruit and reach a fixed, compact height.
These tomatoes are generally the best to grow in Louisiana, but seedlings are usually only available at specialty nurseries and garden centers.
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