This comprehensive guide from Virginia Cooperative Extension provides gardeners with practical, research‑based information on successfully growing tomatoes in home gardens. It explains ideal environmental conditions, planting methods, maintenance practices, fertilization schedules, and common cultural challenges. The publication also outlines different tomato plant types—determinate, indeterminate, dwarf, cherry, beefsteak, paste, and heirloom varieties—helping gardeners choose the right tomato for their needs. In addition, it covers troubleshooting tips for poor fruit set, environmental stress, pests, diseases, and storage recommendations. A detailed section on heirloom tomatoes highlights their flavor advantages and popular varieties. Designed for beginners and experienced gardeners alike, the guide supports productive, disease‑resistant, high‑yield tomato gardening throughout Virginia’s growing season.

Farmscaping is a holistic ecologically-based approach to pest management that emphasizes the arrangement or configuration of plants that promote biological pest management by attracting and sustaining beneficial organisms. Ideal farmscape plantings provide habitat for beneficial insects, suppress weeds, and grow in close proximity to the cash crop without competing for light, water and nutrients. Research has shown that maintaining high levels of species diversity is a key characteristic of a proper functioning agroecosystem. Unfortunately, intensive farming operations including growing large monocultures, regular cultivation, and excessive use of insecticides often leads to a dramatic reduction in arthropod diversity, especially natural enemies that often keep many pest insects below damaging levels. Farmscaping is a technique designed to add diversity back to the system and minimize disturbance leading to increases in natural enemy populations by providing insectary plants as food and shelter resources.