Page: Introduction
1. In what region of North America do you garden?
answered question
2,005
skipped question
8
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Central/Midwest
26.4%
529
Gulf Coast
5.4%
109
Maritime Canada & New England
8.0%
160
Mid-Atlantic
17.3%
346
North Central & Rockies
8.1%
162
Pacific Northwest
9.1%
182
Southern Interior
15.0%
300
Southwest
8.0%
161
Alaska
0.1%
2
Hawaii
0.2%
4
Mexico
0.1%
3
Not in North America
2.3%
47
2. How extensively do you use organic methods in your garden?
answered question
1,991
skipped question
22
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Beyond organic/sustainable
12.6%
251
Totally organic
53.7%
1,069
Occasionally use chemicals
29.7%
592
Often use non-organic methods
4.0%
79
3. How much experience do you have growing tomatoes?
answered question
2,000
skipped question
13
Response
Percent
Response
Count
1 to 2 years
13.8%
275
3 to 5 years
20.2%
404
6 to 10 years
15.5%
310
10 to 20 years
18.3%
366
More than 20 years
31.0%
619
I don't grow a food garden.
1.3%
26
Page: Page 2
4. Over the years, about how many varieties of tomatoes have you grown?
answered question
1,939
skipped question
74
Response
Percent
Response
Count
1 to 5
28.5%
553
6 to 20
51.3%
995
21 to 50
13.7%
266
More than 50
6.4%
125
5. How many tomato
plants
do you grow in a typical year?
answered question
1,938
skipped question
75
Response
Percent
Response
Count
1 to 5
16.6%
322
6 to 20
51.7%
1,001
21 to 50
20.8%
404
More than 50
10.9%
211
6. How many tomato
varieties
do you grow in a typical year?
answered question
1,938
skipped question
75
Response
Percent
Response
Count
1 or 2
16.0%
311
3 to 5
52.4%
1,016
6 to 10
19.8%
384
More than 10
11.7%
227
7. Please rate the following tomato characteristics in terms of how important they are to you.
answered question
1,949
skipped question
64
Crucial
Very important
Somewhat important
Not important
No opinion
Rating
Average
Response
Count
High yields
10.7% (206)
45.1% (866)
37.5% (721)
6.4% (122)
0.3% (6)
2.60
1,921
Cold tolerance
9.8% (187)
23.7% (450)
30.0% (570)
34.9% (663)
1.6% (31)
2.09
1,901
Heat tolerance
19.2% (366)
33.7% (642)
28.4% (541)
17.8% (340)
0.8% (16)
2.55
1,905
Color
5.1% (97)
26.6% (502)
42.3% (800)
25.0% (472)
1.0% (19)
2.12
1,890
Disease resistance
24.5% (468)
47.0% (900)
23.8% (455)
4.4% (85)
0.3% (6)
2.92
1,914
Flavor
66.4% (1,282)
31.5% (609)
1.7% (33)
0.4% (7)
0.1% (1)
3.64
1,932
Fruit size
7.8% (149)
29.0% (555)
48.4% (927)
14.5% (277)
0.3% (6)
2.30
1,914
Growth habit
7.2% (139)
33.9% (650)
40.5% (777)
16.3% (313)
2.1% (41)
2.33
1,920
Open-pollinated
19.1% (368)
34.4% (664)
27.9% (538)
12.1% (233)
6.6% (127)
2.65
1,930
Page: Page 3
8. Of the tomato types listed below, please name up to three varieties you would recommend to other gardeners in your area. If you don’t grow a certain type of tomato or wish to name only one or two varieties, just leave the other spaces blank.
answered question
1,398
skipped question
615
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Cherry
67.0%
937
Slicers
76.0%
1,062
Paste/canning
61.3%
857
Saladette/pear
27.4%
383
Really big ones
46.4%
649
Non-reds
47.2%
660
Stuffing
8.0%
112
Other
17.3%
242
9. Comments:
answered question
415
skipped question
1,598
Response
Count
415
Page: Page 4
10. In your region, how challenging is it to grow a good crop of tomatoes?
answered question
1,688
skipped question
325
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Very easy
14.5%
245
Moderately easy
37.3%
630
About like other crops
24.7%
417
Moderately difficult
19.4%
328
Very difficult
4.0%
68
Additional comments (optional)
360
11. Do you grow your tomatoes from seed, or purchase them as seedlings?
answered question
1,691
skipped question
322
Response
Percent
Response
Count
All from seed
31.0%
524
Most from seed, some purchased seedlings
25.8%
436
Most purchased seedlings, a few from seed
24.2%
410
All purchased seedlings
19.0%
321
12. What is the primary reason you grow tomatoes?
answered question
1,687
skipped question
326
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Fresh tomatoes during the summer
25.6%
432
Grow enough to eat fresh and preserve
23.1%
390
Grow enough to eat fresh, preserve and share
43.8%
739
Grow enough to eat, preserve and sell
5.7%
96
Most of my tomatoes are grown to sell
1.8%
30
13. What fertilizers do you prefer for your tomatoes? (Check as many options as necessary.)
answered question
1,661
skipped question
352
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Compost
84.2%
1,399
Aged manure
50.6%
840
Grass clippings
34.0%
564
Blended organic products
31.8%
529
Kelp or blended sea products
19.7%
327
Plant meal (soy, cottonseed, alfalfa)
7.6%
126
Synthetic/chemical products
9.3%
154
Other (please specify)
297
Page: Page 5
14. In a good year when you have plenty of tomatoes, how do you preserve them? Check all that apply in your household.
answered question
1,570
skipped question
443
Response
Percent
Response
Count
Cool storage
19.2%
302
Can, waterbath
47.2%
741
Can, pressure canner
22.3%
350
Dry
28.5%
447
Freeze
55.4%
870
Other
8.9%
140
15. (Optional) Any tomato preservation tips you would like to share?
answered question
367
skipped question
1,646
Response
Count
367
16. (Optional) Do you have any tips to share for preventing or minimizing tomato diseases?
answered question
584
skipped question
1,429
Response
Count
584
17. Any additional comments?
answered question
304
skipped question
1,709
Response
Count
304
18. E-mail address
answered question
883
skipped question
1,130
Response
Count
883