How to grow Tomatoes

Home Grown Tomatoes

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 Tomatoes are the most poplar garden crop in North America. Hundreds of varieties of tomatoes are available for the home gardener. They range widely in size, shape, color, plant type, disease resistance, and seasons of maturity. And they have a multitude of uses, from Salads to Sauces and even pickles & Jelly.  It is not really a vegetable - technically it's a fruit -now remember Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.

How to grow Tomatoes Starting from Planters

You can sow tomato seeds directly in the soil, But it is preferable to start them off early in sterile planters.

 If you are starting your plants from seeds yourself there are a few tips you may wish to adhere to.

1. Check the dates on the seed package, if more than three years old, don't waste your time. As tomato seeds age, their germination rate decreases.
2.  For the best chances of success, when starting from seed, either indoors or directly in the outdoor soil.  Acquire your  seeds from a reputable commercial source.
3.  For seed conditioning prior to planting , one technique is to soak the seeds in warm water at approximately  50 degrees C, for slightly less than 1/2 hour. Any hotter, or much longer could cook the seed .

Tomato Cages, Supports and Stakes

Be sure to give the seedlings room to expand. Close conditions will inhibit their growth. Transplant them to a larger pot as soon as they get several true leaves  [See Figure 1] , and if need be, move them into larger pots about two weeks after that.

Optimum temperature for growing tomatoes and for the fruit to set is  range of 70 to 80F (21 to 27C)

Blossom drop can occur in early spring when daytime temperatures are warm, but night temperatures fall below 55 degrees F . Blossom drop can also occur in summer months, when days are above 90 degrees F and night temperatures remain above above 75 degrees F, but is less common in a well maintained and watered garden.

You should plan on at least 2 feet Spacing between Tomato Plants  and another 2 feet  between rows to give you walking room amongst your tomato garden, and to provide each plant with ample sunshine and air circulation.  Plants to be caged are planted 30 to 36 inches apart.

Even if you have hardened them,  it is still advisable that you Transplant tomatoes on a cloudy, wind free day or wait until the later in the afternoon. Do not transplant them outdoors in direct summer sunlight.

How to grow Tomatoes

Watering

Watering is critical to the development of Tomatoes. Water slowly and deeply . Tomatoes require about an inch of water weekly slightly more in sandy soils. Inexpensive water timers are available .

Once the fruit begins to ripen, slightly decreasing the water will coax the plant to concentrate its sugars. Don’t decrease the water too much, or that the plants may wilt and become stressed or they could drop their blossoms and possibly their fruit.

At the peak of Summer I prefer to water every other day, however common sense observations will of course influence this. Dry hot weather  or heavy wet rainy conditions should influence how often you supply water.

Try not to water from above , although this is not always feasible. Watering from above will attract disease and pests to the plants. Watering tomato plants from above also promotes premature evaporation . Try not to splash dirt onto the plants as many plant diseases are from soil borne pathogens. This of course is minimized assuming your plants are properly pruned.

Mulch helps to keep water where it's needed and slows down the evaporation process.

Drip irrigation with an automatic timer provides regular and consistent watering. Drip Irrigation also allows water to penetrate deeper into the soil, increasing uptake by plant roots. Inexpensive Drip Irrigation systems are available