The results are in, and our winner, randomly chosen from the 74 visitors who shared their experiences on the 2010 Tomato Roundup post, is MidAR, who gardens near Little Rock, Arkansas. Congratulations, MidAR; you’ll soon be receiving a copy of Cooking from the Garden.

Like so many of us, MidAR is an experienced and dedicated gardener. As she says, “I love cooking! We started gardening here 15 years ago with a couple of raised beds and kept enlarging the garden, which now consists of 14 raised beds enclosed with fencing to keep the deer and bunnies from devouring the plants. Herbs include rosemary, parsley, cilantro, oregano, sage, basil, chives and thyme. Our favorite crops are tomatoes and jalapeno peppers. We also grow okra, onions, cucumbers, zucchini and yellow squash, green beans, sugar snap peas, turnip greens, lettuce and spinach annually. We also have some blackberries.”

Where did tomatoes fare best?
Not everyone who responded posted their location, but from those who did, you can see what kind of season it was. Tomato growers in New England rebounded from a blight-ridden, cold and wet 2009 in a big way, as hot, dry weather made for ideal tomato-growing conditions. On the West Coast, where cool conditions prevailed, growers were not so blessed. In the Midwest, the weather was hot and wet, with mixed results for growers. In the Southeast, hot, dry weather brought decidedly mixed results.

Which tomato varieties were star performers?
Among small varieties, Sweet 100, Sun Gold, and Juliet get high marks. Among the larger varieties, Carmello, Better Boy, and Celebrity performed well for most growers. Taste, of course, is a personal matter, and what pleases one person may not appeal to another.

The best tomatoes for next year’s garden?
So many varieties, so little space. With close to 800 types to choose from, a gardener has some difficult decisions to make. I generally go with about 3/4 tried and true and use the rest of the space to audition varieties that catch my eye in the seed catalogs.

More on growing tomatoes…

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Gardener's Log Book from NYBG

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

This weatherproof five-year log book includes the following features: · Sturdy waterproof cover to protect pages from rain and muddy soil · Lined pages and gridded paper for plotting beds · Five years of 12-month bloom and harvest grids for recording what you planted and when · Authoritative appendices on composting, pruning, pest and disease control, and container gardening · Useful reminders by season on fertilizing, mulching, and transplanting · Space for listing your favorite sources and suppliers.

Buy at Amazon

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

The New Organic Grower, 3rd Edition: A Master's Manual of Tools and Techniques for the Home and Market Gardener, 30th Anniversary Edition

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Since its original publication in 1989, The New Organic Grower has been one of the most important farming books available, with pioneer Eliot Coleman leading the charge in the organic movement in the United States. Now fully illustrated and updated, this 30th Anniversary Edition is a must-have for any agricultural library.

Buy at Amazon