Guides

How tomatoes work

The why-and-how-it-works companion to the growing notes. Each guide traces its claims to the research, and is honest about where a popular rule of thumb falls apart.

• How to Prune Tomatoes (and When Not To)Pruning a tomato is mostly about which suckers to pull, and whether to pull them at all depends on the type. Here is what to remove, what to leave, and what it costs you.
• Is a Tomato a Fruit? The 1893 Supreme Court AnswerBotanically a tomato is a fruit, but in 1893 the Supreme Court ruled it a vegetable. The story of Nix v. Hedden, and why a tariff settled the question.
• What Color Does and Doesn't Tell You About Tomato FlavorThe idea that a tomato's color predicts its flavor is half true. Here is what pigment really tells you about taste, and the one storage rule that beats it.