These little grape tomatoes have all the heat and support they need to become juicy and delicious morsels of summer in a few weeks.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When you think about vegetable gardening, what is the first plant that comes to mind? The answer for most people is probably tomatoes. (Even though, as my kids are fond of pointing out, tomatoes are technically a fruit.)

There are a few tricks to growing tomatoes, especially in Northeast Ohio, where our relatively cold and short summers are not ideal. Tomato plants like a lot of heat and sun and require nutrient-rich soil. So, give your tomatoes the sunniest spot you have, keep the soil as warm as possible, and add a lot of compost for natural fertilizer. Tomatoes can be grown in raised beds, containers, and even hanging baskets, all of which are aboveground so the soil stays warmer. I have grown my tomato plants near brick and concrete walls, which absorb heat during the day and keep the tomatoes warmer at night. However, these tricks make the soil dry out more quickly, so be sure to have a reliable way of watering frequently.

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