Grown, cooked & fact-checked by real gardeners
130+ in-depth guides on growing, cooking and understanding the world's most versatile garden fruit - no filler, just what works.
Our most recently published guides, kept accurate and up to date.
Gardening
Tomatoes are a beloved fruit that brings vibrant color, robust flavor, and numerous health benefits to a variety of dishes - drying them into powder is one of the easiest ways to keep that flavor…
Planting tips, plant care, pest control and troubleshooting guides for growing tomatoes from seed to harvest.
Recipes, prep techniques and kitchen know-how for turning fresh tomatoes into delicious dishes.
Are you tired of the same old condiments? Looking to add a fiery kick to your meals? Look…
To peel tomatoes, make an X-shaped incision, then freeze the tomato on a baking sheet for 2-3 hours…
As a professional chef, I am always on the lookout for new and innovative ways to use ingredients,…
Nutrition facts, myths, safety questions and fun trivia about everyone's favorite garden fruit.
Rabbits may eat tomato plants and their fruit given the chance. While ripe tomatoes aren't toxic to them, the leaves and stems are a different story…
No - dogs shouldn't eat tomato plants, since the leaves and stems contain solanine, a compound that can cause symptoms if enough is eaten…
Deer will happily eat tomato plants given the chance, along with a wide range of other garden vegetables. Fencing and deterrent sprays are the most reliable fixes…
Have you ever found yourself with a stubborn tomato stain that seems impossible to remove? Here's what actually works, from fresh spills to set-in stains…
Botanically, a tomato is a fruit - specifically a berry that develops from the flower of the tomato plant and contains seeds. In the kitchen, though, it's almost always treated as a vegetable because of its savory flavor.
A medium raw tomato is low in calories - roughly 20-25 calories for a typical 120g fruit, since tomatoes are about 94-95% water. Full breakdown by size and type in our calories guide.
Keep ripe tomatoes at room temperature, stem-side down and out of direct sunlight - refrigeration dulls their flavor and texture. We compare canning, freezing, drying and powder in how to preserve tomatoes.
Tomatoes generally need about 1-1.5 inches of water a week, delivered deeply and consistently, to help prevent blossom-end rot and split fruit. Full schedule in when to feed tomato plants.
Peeling removes the tough skin that can curl up and turn leathery once cooked - it matters most in smooth sauces and soups. Step-by-step method in how to peel a tomato.
Tomato seeds usually sprout in 5-10 days in warm conditions (70-80F / 21-27C), though it can take up to two weeks in cooler soil. Faster-germination tricks in how to germinate tomato seeds faster.
Tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C, potassium and vitamin K, and one of the richest dietary sources of lycopene. Details in tomato nutrition.
Rabbits and deer will both eat tomato foliage and fruit if given the chance. See do rabbits eat tomato plants and do deer eat tomato plants for deterrents that work.
A simple DIY cage or stake-and-tie frame keeps fruit off the soil and improves airflow. Build walkthrough in DIY tomato plant support frame.
Consistent watering, regular feeding, pruning suckers and good airflow all meaningfully increase yield. We list 13 tested hacks in 13 tomato gardening hacks.
