Sometimes when growing plants, you have to seek out the sun, and for Kathy Young, it was in her bathroom.

Flooded with sunshine, it provided the perfect light for the tomato seeds she planted in a container during the colder months. When they sprouted, the St. Joseph resident transferred them to individual Styrofoam coffee cups.

“They started growing so fast that I didn’t know what to do with them,” she says. “I was giving them away.”

Like strawberries, homegrown tomatoes also are a warm weather staple. People look forward to growing, picking and eating them.

Ms. Young says she usually buys a few tomato plants to grow outside, but decided to try the seeds this year. Becky Schweizer of Schweizer Orchards says the orchard grows six to 10 different varieties of tomatoes and also is growing several different test varieties.

“We always plant the old standbys and a new one of two,” she says.

There’s a multitude of tomato varieties to choose from, everything from beefsteak and Better Girl and Better Boy to cherry and grape tomatoes.

“They’re like candy, easy to pop in your mouth,” Ms. Schweizer says of the cherry tomatoes.

There’s even heirloom tomatoes, which Ms. Schweizer says some people claim taste better than tomatoes grown today. The tomatoes are more flat and bumpy, not really the round shape most of us are familiar with.

Tomatoes are ripe when red, say the experts. However, they also can be ripened once they are picked. According to the Florida Tomato Committee, tomatoes can be placed in a paper bag to ripen. The committee also warns against putting unripe tomatoes in the refrigerator because the cold will prevent them from ripening.

You probably already can guess that besides tasting good, tomatoes also are good for you. They are antioxidant rich and play a role in helping maintain cardiovascular health. But as healthy as they are, most people probably don’t consider that when they eat tomatoes.

They eat them for the taste.

Sliced is probably one of the most popular ways to enjoy fresh tomatoes, Ms. Schweizer says. Of course, tomatoes also are used in salsa or tomato sauce. Ms. Young says it’s a tradition that she, her sister and her mom gather to make salsa. Her sister also cans tomatoes.

The Florida Tomato Committee says to try using tomato slices in place of bread to make a tasty and pretty tomato sandwich. The group also suggests marinating the tomatoes in salad dressing for a little extra zip.

To roast tomatoes, the Florida Tomato Committee offers these tips: Arrange halves or sliced tomatoes in a single layer on a rack on a baking sheet. Lightly brush with seasoned oil or salad dressing. Roast at 450 degrees until tomatoes soften or shrink, about 20 to 30 minutes. For more tips on how to pan-fry, stuff, broil or grill tomatoes and for recipes, log on to www.floridatomatoes.org.

And even though tomato growing season will end around here, you can have tomatoes into the fall, although they probably won’t taste as good as the summer ones you grew. Ms. Young picks some green tomatoes, wraps them in newspaper and stores then in the box in her basement (another cool place would work).

“And you’ll have tomatoes for Thanksgiving,” she says.

With their versatility, it will then be up to you to decide how to use them.

Lifestyles reporter Cathy Woolridge can be reached at cathyw@npgco.com

Tomato Niçoise

“sandwich”

2 large, fully ripened fresh tomatoes

2 cans solid white tuna in water, drained

1/4 cup sliced pitted black olives (preferably imported)

2 teaspoons capers

1/4 cup prepared oil and vinegar dressing, divided

4 lettuce leaves

4 red onion slices

8 ounces green beans, cooked

2 hard-cooked eggs, quartered lengthwise

Cut four slices from the center of each tomato. In a medium-sized bowl, gently combine tuna, olives, capers and 2 tablespoons of the dressing. On each of four plates, layer a tomato slice, a lettuce leaf, an onion slice and 1/4 of the tuna mixture; top with the remaining tomato slices. Arrange green beans and egg wedges on each plate, dividing evenly; drizzle with remaining dressing. Yield: 4 servings.

— Florida Tomato Committee

Grilled chicken with

Greek-flavored fresh tomato salad

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon dried oregano or dill

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound fully ripened fresh tomatoes, coarsely chopped

1 large green bell pepper, coarsely chopped

1 large cucumber, peeled and coarsely chopped

4 boneless chicken breast halves

In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tomatoes, bell pepper and cucumber with half of the olive oil mixture. In a large re-sealable plastic bag, place chicken breast halves and the remaining half of the marinade; seal bag; turn to coat chicken completely with marinade. Cover and marinate the tomato mixture and the chicken for 15 minutes or, refrigerated, up to 24 hours. Just before serving, preheat grill or broiler. Grill chicken breast halves until golden on both sides and cooks through, about seven minutes, brushing occasionally with the marinade. Remove chicken to a cutting board; let rest five minutes; cut in thick slices. Spoon fresh tomato salad onto serving plates; arrange chicken slices on top. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice, if desired. Yield: 4 servings

— Florida Tomato Committee