Heirloom tomatoes are among the beloved plants for many farmers because they command a premium price and attract buyers who are looking for the flavor of tomatoes from years gone by. The cultivation and care of heirloom tomato varieties can be challenging, as they frequently call for more manual labor and result in lower yields than current tomato types but it is possible with following crucial instructions and tips. The most significant risk factor associated with the cultivation of heirloom tomato varieties is disease. The majority of traditional types have very little resistance to disease, in contrast to current hybrids, which have typically been designed to have disease resistance bred into them. As a consequence of this, the amount of time that heirlooms are able to produce food may be shorter than that of disease-resistant types. Because the leaves are what convert the sun's rays into sugars and other flavor compounds, if they lose a substantial amount of foliage to a disease, the fruit will not taste as nice as it could. For this reason, disease prevention is of the utmost importance in the commercial cultivation of heirloom tomatoes. 
In this article, we will provide you with ten recommendations for ways in which you can increase the profitability of growing heirloom tomato varieties on your farm.
- Acquire the Skill of Grafting
In order to achieve the best outcomes, graft heirlooms. The use of grafted plants, with the heirloom variety grafted onto a robust, disease-resistant rootstock, is the single most effective cultural strategy for growing heirloom tomato varieties. This is because grafting allows for greater genetic diversity. It is possible for grafted heirlooms to provide yields that are 30–50% higher than those produced by nongrafted heirlooms. Grafting decreases the likelihood of illnesses transmitted through the soil, and many cultivators believe that it also leads to an increase in overall vigor that assists the plants in resisting foliar infections. Check out our Fundamentals of Tomato Grafting Webinar Resources, which is a collection of information that can help you learn more about this valuable practice. This collection of resources includes video tutorials, technical sheets, and a slide deck. 
- Be a Shield and Provide Support
Be sure to preserve and care for your family relics. When planted in high tunnels, where their foliage is able to remain dry, heirloom tomatoes produce the best results. The presence of moisture is favorable for the growth of a wide variety of tomato diseases, including late blight, leaf mold, Botrytis, and Alternaria. Because the majority of heirlooms produce large, vigorous plants, they need for a sturdy trellising system and a tall tunnel to grow in. The majority of greenhouse and high-tunnel tomato plants are pruned to a single leader and trained to a string that may be lowered later in the growing season. This ensures that the fruits can be picked from the ground without any difficulty. However, grafted heirlooms have the ability to be trained to a double leader, which means that far fewer plants are needed (making grafting more cost-effective). In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to cut all of the suckers, with the exception of the one that is located just below the initial flower cluster. This shoot will eventually develop into a secondary main stem. 
You can find additional information by reading the post that we've written on trellising and crop support systems for tomatoes.
- Make Sure You Prune Properly
Make sure to give your treasures the proper pruning. Because the majority of heirloom tomato varieties are very aggressive growers, they do require more frequent pruning. Pruning, which is often referred to as "suckering," is essential because it allows for improved air circulation, which in turn assists in the prevention of foliar diseases. The production of larger fruit at the top of the plant is another benefit that can be achieved through pruning. Watch Johnny's videos on How to Prune Greenhouse Tomatoes or Pruning Indeterminate Types in the Field for explicit instructions on how to prune tomatoes. The pruning and trellising equipment that we provide for vine crops make crop upkeep more hygienic and efficient.
- Make full use of space
Heirlooms to be spaced out for proper air circulation. One further technique to improve air circulation and, as a result, limit the prevalence of disease is to plant tomato rows with larger alleyways in between each row. 
One foot should be left between tomato plants, and there should be four feet in between rows. This is the normal spacing requirement. When planting heirlooms, increasing the distance between them in any or both directions will promote air circulation.
- Make sure you grow on mulch.
The application of mulch results in higher crop yields. Tomatoes should be planted on mulch in the field not only to reduce soil splash but also to warm soil, maintain soil moisture, and prevent weeds; these are all beneficial to marketable yields. There are a few different types of mulch that are suggested for use in tomato cultivation, including Black Solar Mulch, SRM Red Mulch, and Bio360 Biodegradable Mulch.
- Set Up the Drip Lines
Irrigation and fertilization should be done using drip lines. Drip irrigation is superior to overhead watering in situations when you want the foliage to remain dry. In addition, foliar feeding is not as effective as fertigation, which is the process of fertilizing during irrigation and is done through drip lines. 
- Avoid Contracting Illness
In regions where there is a high incidence of tomato diseases, it is absolutely necessary to implement a disease preventive program. Acquire the knowledge necessary to spot and avoid sickness. Before planting the transplants in their new locations. The active component is a fungus that is good to plants, develops on plant roots, and protects plants from diseases that affect root systems. Once they have been planted, tomatoes should be checked on a regular basis for any indication of illness; this is simple to accomplish with heirloom varieties because you will prune them frequently. Learn to recognize common tomato diseases if you aren't already familiar with how to do so. Read our article, "An Overview of Tomato Pest, Disease, and Physiological Disorders," to get a better understanding of the difficulties associated with cultivating healthy tomatoes. Vegetable MD Online, which is offered by Cornell University, features a Tomato Disease Identification Key that will assist you in learning the signs of diseases, as well as how to differentiate between environmental and nutrient-related causes of disease. 
After the condition has been recognized, you can consult Johnny's Pest & Disease Chart to locate a therapy that is advised for the disease.
- Be Selective in Your Choice of Varieties
Take care in the selection of your heirlooms. When selecting heirloom types of plants to cultivate, adopt a methodical approach. Conduct experiments with a wide selection of kinds and preserve data so you can identify the ones that work best in your environment. Use our Heirloom Tomato Variety Comparison Chart if you need a quick reference on color, days-to-maturity, size, or texture of the various heirloom tomato varieties. In the section titled "All About Tomatoes," we present an overview of the primary factors for selection. In his essay titled "How to Choose Tomato Varieties," Andrew Mefferd, a former tomato trial technician for Johnny's and the editor of Growing for Market, provides additional guidance on heirlooms and other types of tomato varieties.