Epic Tomatoes

Epic Tomatoes offers practical guidance for growing heirloom and hybrid tomatoes at home. The book draws from LeHoullier's experience as a tomato expert and seed saver who has grown over 1,200 tomato varieties. The text covers seed starting, cultivation methods, disease prevention, and harvest techniques. LeHoullier includes profiles of 200+ tomato varieties with specific growing instructions and uses for each type. Step-by-step processes for saving seeds and developing new tomato varieties are outlined with clear instructions and photos. The book details methods for both small garden plots and container growing. This guide serves as both a reference manual and a celebration of tomato diversity, encouraging readers to explore beyond standard commercial varieties. The underlying message promotes seed saving and the preservation of heirloom vegetables as living history.

Readers describe Epic Tomatoes as a comprehensive guide that balances practical growing advice with detailed tomato variety descriptions. Home gardeners appreciate the step-by-step growing instructions, seed-saving techniques, and troubleshooting sections. Likes: - Clear photos and illustrations - Personal stories from LeHoullier's gardening experience - Specific variety recommendations for different climates - Disease prevention and pest control information Dislikes: - Too much focus on heirloom varieties for some readers - Limited content on container growing - Some found the history sections too lengthy - A few readers wanted more details on grafting techniques Ratings: Amazon: 4.7/5 (1,200+ reviews) Goodreads: 4.4/5 (250+ ratings) Reader Quote: "The disease identification photos saved my tomato crop. Worth it for that section alone." - Amazon reviewer "Excellent reference but could use more info for urban gardeners" - Goodreads reviewer

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🍅 Craig LeHoullier has personally grown more than 1,200 varieties of tomatoes and is the gardener who named and introduced the famous Cherokee Purple heirloom tomato. 🌱 The book features detailed profiles of 200+ tomato varieties, complete with growing tips and flavor characteristics for each one. 🧬 The author was instrumental in launching the Dwarf Tomato Project, which created new tomato varieties specifically suited for container and small-space gardening. 📚 "Epic Tomatoes" won the Garden Writers Association 2015 Gold Award for Best Book in the Technical/Reference category. 🌿 LeHoullier maintains a seed collection of nearly 5,000 tomato varieties, many of which are rare heirlooms he has helped preserve from extinction.