How to grow tomatoes

March 26, 2010 by admin
Filed under Gardening Tips, Vegetable

One of the tastiest pleasures for gardeners is a ripe tomato, picked at the height of flavor. Eaten by itself with a touch of salt or pepper, added to a garden fresh salad, or placed between layers of bacon and fresh bread in a BLT, this versatile favorite is one of the true delights of summer. There are dozens of tasty varieties to try, and all of them need just about the same requirements. Growing delicious, nutritious tomatoes isn’t all that hard if you follow these basic guidelines.

First of all, choose a growing spot that features plenty of sun. When it comes to tomatoes, the more sun the better. Unless you live in a climate in which summer temps regularly climb into the 90’s, you tomato plants will do just fine if you keep them well watered. On the other end of the spectrum, if you spring and summer temperatures are on the cool side, consider surrounding the plants with black plastic that will concentrate heat and enhance growth. Perforate the material so water can flow through into the soil. Another option is to plant the tomatoes alongside a brick wall that faces the sun. It will absorb lots of heat and radiate it out to the plants long after the sun has bid adieu.

Secondly, the dirt on tomatoes is that they can thrive at any middle of the road pH level soil as long as the soil is nutrient-rich. Therefore, adding a 3-4 inch layer of compost around your plants, and watering through this layer, is essential to healthy plants. Only mix the compost into the top layer of soil if it is rocky or excessively sandy. Otherwise, spreading it on top is the right method.

Thirdly, give your tomato plants proper spacing, which depends on your planting style. Staked plants should have 2 to 3 feet of space between and around them. The distances for un-staked plants should be 4-5 feet on all sides. It is also recommended that plants of the same variety tomato NOT be planted side by side, so that if disease occurs or pests infest, there is less likelihood the problems will spread.

Beyond these basics, keep these tips in mind as you grow juicy tomatoes:
• Warm the soil ahead of time by covering the ground with black plastic for 2 weeks before setting out your tomato plants. Giving them a start in warm soil will get root development off to a great beginning.

• When you put in the tomatoes, plant them deep enough so that the first ring of leaves is buried. For most plants, this would be a bad idea, but tomatoes have the ability to grow roots out of their stems, and planting with this method gives them the chance to develop a healthier root structure that can absorb more water and nutrients. When coupled with sun, this spells more and larger fruits!

• Wait to mulch until the air temperatures warm up, if at all. Mulching cools the soil because it locks in moisture. You want warm soil for optimal growth, so only mulch if you live in a region where air temperatures hit high 80’s F or above. Otherwise, plan to water more often, and put up with the inconvenience by envisioning a tasty slab of tomato on a soon-to-be-enjoyed sandwich!

• Prune and pinch suckers that develop, especially in the crotch of two stems. Also, pinch off one out of every six branches. The results will be more plant energy invested in producing big, juicy tomatoes, and less spent on simply adding more stems and branches.

• Plant a good mix of determinate and indeterminate type varieties. Determinate varieties tend to produce a large amount of tomatoes that ripen at once. This is perfect when you plan to can them or make a large batch of sauce or salsa. Indeterminate varieties produce fruits that ripen a few at a time, which is great when you want to have newly fresh tomatoes for the longest period of time.