PlantFiles: Tomato
Lycopersicon lycopersicum 'Better Boy'

I am getting tons of fruit, but have had numerous problems trying to grow this plant in an "earth box" container. First, I had blossom rot but was able to remedy that by adding some calcium. I'm having a difficult time regulating watering and have cracking in nearly all the tomatoes. I also now have an aphid infestation and most of the leaves are turning yellow, but I'm not sure why. Nonetheless, the tomatoes keep growing and the flavor is terrific.

This one is one of my winners. Production is great. Taste is great (acidic). Grows well in hot, humid climates.

Better Boy is one of the most reliable tomatoes for the home gardener. Those who have trouble growing it need to get their soil analyzed. It only cost $10-12 (At least here, anyway) and will open up a new world of success in the garden. After analysis, your county extension agent can suggest ways to remedy any deficiencies noted.

Blossom end rot can have two causes: a lack of calcium in the soil, and excessively dry soil. Tomatoes need lots of water, and when deprived, will draw water out if the fruit and back into the plant. Lack of calcium can be remedied by adding agricultural lime or bone meal to the soil in early spring.

One word is the remedy to many tomato problems: compost.
A compost tumbler can be made out of a plastic 55 gallon drum (free at some businesses who throw them away). Compost can be made in as little as 4-6 weeks with them. Add bone meal to the compost when it is almost finished the heating stage.

When planting any variety of tomatoes, dig a one foot deep hole and add 8" of compost, mix with soil to bring up to garden level and plant. Add more compost as the season progresses, either as a mulch or mixed into the top 4 inches of soil. Keep watered (once a week) and you will have more Better Boys than you can use.

I put in three plants for the first time this year. Despite a late spring and cool, wet summer in Omaha in 2008, they have thrived and produce more good-tasting fruit than we could keep up with.

I have been growing the Better Boy for several years with
good results. I have had fruit from 8 to 16 oz.. Another good
point is that it does not have a large core. I am also organic.

I grew the Better Boy and the Early Girl together in a tomato growing kit I got from Gardeners Supply Co. Both produced nice crops. Better Boy had nice flavor, and medium sized fruit. I would definitely grow this boy again.

I wanted to try a different verity of tomato along with my old stand-by Early Girl, so I planted 2 Better Boys. The plants are all growing in Self-watering systems I bought from Gardener's supply, all plants are in the same location and were watered and fertilized the same. All plants are growing about the same size. The problem is the Better Boy tomatos are having problems with blossom end rot. The Early Girls are showing no signs of this.

Next year on to a different verity + my olds stand by Early Girl.

This is my reliable production tomato. This year I grew one plant each of 11 different heirloom tomatoes plus four Better Boy plants. The heirlooms are fun and interesting, but I can count on Better Boy.

The compact Better Boy plants are easy to take care of, and give a reliable heavy yield. The tomatoes are red, round, unblemished, about the size of tennis balls, and have good flavor. I'll be planting some every year.

Hello, a friend gave me an extra better boy tomato so I planted it and at first it grew fine. Unfortunatly, all the flowers are just dying and falling off with no fruit. It is also developing a black and pruple dustlike substance on the leaves that does not wash off. All other tomatoes that continue to grow in my friends garden are thirving! Any help on the matter would be much appreciated.

I've never had any luck with the boys (better boy, big boy, best boy, etc) and I have grown more of them than anything else. I dont know if it is our weather or what. Last year we had about 450 better boys and at least half of those plants didnt yeild a single marketable tomato. I was disgusted to say the least.

However, I am hesitant to give this plant a negative rating because I know it preforms so well for many. Just not for me.

Keep in mind that we grow tomatoes on a plot that has been used for tomato farming for close to 100 years , thus disease and pests are rampant. It takes a tough plant to even survive to muturity which many of the "boys" arent able to do.

Although I'm an heirloom tomato grower, Better Boy is the one exception in my garden -- mainly because it's flavorful, disease-resistant and exceptionally prolific.

It's also low-maintenance, at least in the Indianapolis area. In fact, whenever I run into someone who wants to grow tomatoes, but doesn't have much time for gardening, I recommend Better Boy. As I explain it: "Put 'em in a sunny spot, keep 'em watered, and let God do the rest."

For years this was the only tomato my family grew, but the last several years the quality of the flavor just wasn't the same. They did make a nice yield and didn't have any disease or environmental problems.

I purchased this tomato plant from Lowes, I was not very impresed on the taste, I am not sure whether it had to do with weather conditions or not, but the taste was bland, I will probably grow it again from seed this next spring see if I see some change.

For a hybrid this is one of the best tasting I ever raised. I raise them because they are a mid-season crop and my heirlooms take a lot longer so I have something to munch while I wait for the heirlooms. Firm and sweet but I've never had real large ones ? All mine have been raised from seed(TGS) and are only medium sized ? As a matter of fact they are growing at this time and have been providing me with tomatos for months. They just don't quit !!!

I'm a novice gardener. I purchased four seedlings from a nursery; I planted two at the side of my house (poor soil but lots of sun) and two in a raised bed (great soil but not so much sun). The two at the side of the house are not doing well, but the two in the raised bed are monsters.

My family has been growing this variety for many years in south central Ohio with good to great results. 2002 was not the best year for tomatoes, but these did better than most of my normal sized varieties in size, yield and taste.

I always include some of this old reliable standby in my garden. They are "easy keepers" and require little attention other than reaping the rewards. Their taste is consistently good and with regular fertilizing you can always count on a good harvest.

Good flavor, large tomatoes and lots of them.

One of the best-known tomato varieties for a good reason. Fruits are very large, full of flavor and juice, disease resistance is excellent. Very good fruit-set.