[dropcap]E[/dropcap]arly July gets me in the mood to plant fall tomatoes. Texas A&M’s Vegetable Garden Planting Guide advises gardeners to get their fall tomato transplants in the ground between July 7 and August 7. (Larger transplants in 1 gal. pots or larger can be planted as late as Sept.1.)
I prefer to plant determinate, heat-set tomatoes for fall. Varieties such as Bob Cat, Celebrity, and BHN 444 can crop in under 80 days, making them perfect for fall planting. Celebrity, an all-time backyard favorite, acts as a semi-indeterminate, producing longer if frosts come later than average.
July is also the perfect time to plant cherry type tomatoes – which have no problem setting fruit in the heat. My favorites are Sweet 100, Juliet and Sun Gold. Rarely do they make it to the kitchen!
