Some Basics Regarding Tomato Planting

Now is the time to go over some of the basics regarding our tomato planting. Some of these basics can help us achieve success in producing a plentiful tomato crop.

One of the basics for tomato planting is to choose a sunny area of our garden that will receive at least seven hours a day of the sun unless you live in a hot climate zone. In these zones you may want to limit your plants to only a half-day of sun. We want to work abundant quantities of an organic material into the soil; if the soil tends to have alkaline, a valuable organic addition would be to add pre-moistened peat moss. While working the soil we should add a time-release or general vegetable fertilizer but always follow the instructions on the label as to the amount used. Thoroughly water the soil and give it at least 2 days for settling before planting. This is one good way to grow great tomato plants.

When we transplant young plants in the garden we should do so in late afternoon so they have the cool of the evening to recover from the shock of being transplanted. When we remove the plants from their container we want to leave an equal amount of root system and soil on every plant. The holes for planting need to be 2 to 3 feet apart and deeper than the original container. The tomatoes will do better if planted deeper; we also want to remove all the lower leaves from the stem and sink the plant to within 2 to 3 inches from the foliage at the top portion of the plant. The entire section that is buried will develop its own roots and therefore strengthening the plant. During this transplanting stage we need to water gently with a watering can that will sprinkle the water. The first five days after this transplanting they will need to be watered in this fashion once a day.

We will have cleaner tomatoes and save space if we support our plants. The best time to place the stakes or cages is right after the planting process; this will help to avoid annoying the roots later as they grow larger.

When our plants have become established, water them deeply on a weekly basis. If we experience an extended heat spell all of the plants will need much more irrigation. Once the tomato plants start to set fruit, it pays to give them a liquid fertilizer feeding on a monthly basis but always follow the directions on the label.

If we spread some black plastic mulch between the tomato plants we can eliminate a lot of weeding and it will speed up the growth of the tomatoes. We do need to remember to put slits in the plastic so the water can drain through. You can control the ugly tomato worms by using any product that contains Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt); this is a biological control that will not harm any of the beneficial insects. We want to spray this on every ten days and follow the instructions on the label.

When we grow tomato plants in a container of any kind they will need more frequent watering than the plants growing in the garden. This should be done several times during the week especially when the weather is warm. We need to make sure the soil is moist but not soggy. The containers we choose should be large about the size of a half-barrel and make sure it has drainage holes in the bottom. We can then fill the container with an organic potting soil and add a time-release fertilizer to that soil. These are some good basics for our tomato plant care and for growing great tomatoes.