Books on How to Grow Tomatoes

Ideal for the novice vegetable gardener, tomatoes are a highly productive plant that can grow in a multitude of ways in large spaces and small. While the care and planting is often the key to a delicious, home-grown tomato, seeking out books offering tips and tricks on cultivating, plant and seed selection, soil and harvesting often makes the difference between good tomatoes and great ones.

Mike McGrath, the former editor-in-chief of "Organic Gardening" and the author of "You Bet Your Garden Guide to Growing Great Tomatoes: How to Grow Great Tasting Tomatoes in Any Backyard Garden or Container," provides tips on seed selection, growing medium and how to grow tomatoes vertically for the best yield.

If you are looking for an all-inclusive, step-by-step guide, "The Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes," by Cherie Everhart should more than meet your needs. This 288-page book provides information that ranges from watering to using tomato cages, and just about everything in between. The book also offers information about selecting plants, choosing containers and when to harvest home-grown tomatoes for the best taste.

Permaculture is defined as using a mix of plants and livestock to create a self-sustaining ecosystem to produce earth-friendly crops. Christopher Shein, the author of "The Vegetable Gardener's Guide to Permaculture," explains how to grow not only tomatoes, but also numerous other garden vegetables. He touches on companion planting, spacing, growing vertically and why permaculture planting is preferable to other types of home gardening.

Linda Woodrow, the author of "The Permaculture Home Garden," takes it one step further by explaining how to start, maintain and harvest tomatoes in a home permaculture garden in smaller spaces, including container gardening.

While not everyone has access to garden space, Elizabeth Danielson, the author of "Growing Tomatoes in Containers – A Simple Guide for a Bountiful Harvest," explains that you don't need garden space to have a garden. Danielson provides practical advice for growing tomatoes in containers and covers everything from the type of container to use, to soil selection and sun exposure.

Another resource full of practical advice is "Tomato Container Gardening: The Easy Way to Grow Tomatoes in a Small Space," by James Paris. Paris explains that containers make perfect, easy-to-manage mini-gardens that are ideal for growing tomatoes and other garden vegetables. Paris also provides plans on how to make your own containers.

Because tomatoes are a popular home garden plant, it's important to know what makes a good vegetable bed partner. Understanding the science of companion planting can make all the difference in a successful or not so successful garden. Louise Riotte, the author of "Carrots Love Tomatoes: Secrets of Companion Planting for Successful Gardening," offers a complete reference guide on what to plant with your tomatoes and why. Another book with information on ways to naturally protect your tomatoes and other garden vegetables from pests and disease through companion planting is "Great Garden Companions: A Companion-Planting System for a Beautiful, Chemical-Free Vegetable Garden," by Sally Jean Cunningham.