|
|
|
|
Before we get into the five steps here is a tip on how to know what to grow. You may also want to look for varieties that are disease-resistant or tolerant, especially if your garden space does not allow you to rotate crops. Look for variety names followed by the initials V, F, N, T, and A. They stand for resistance or tolerance to the most common tomato problems: verticillium wilt (V), fusarium wilt (F), nematodes (N), tobacco mosaic (T), and alternaria (A). Stretch your tomato harvest season by planting varieties with staggered maturity dates. For example, you might plant at least one early, mid-season, and late season tomato in your garden. Early season tomatoes are those that take 50 to 65 days from transplanting to harvest. Midseason varieties need 65 to 79 days and late season varieties take 80 days or longer. For full enjoyment, grow a number of tomato selections to use in different ways. Besides good tomatoes for slicing and sandwiches, consider a cherry type for salads, a Roma type for canning or making paste, and a yellow, pink, orange, or gold tomato to add bright color to salads and platters.
Step 1: Preparing Garden Soil Two of the most basic needs of tomatoes are 6 to 10 hours of sun daily and rich, well drained soil that's loose and friable. To improve soil that is either too heavy or too light, add generous amounts of organic matter - such as compost, peat moss, or ground leaves. Spread a 2 inch thick layer of organic matter and work it 6 inches deep into the soil. Tomatoes prefer a soil pH of 6.0 to 7.0. Use a soil test to determine your
garden's pH and adjust it if necessary. To help prevent blossom-end rot, also
add calcium if it is deficient in the soil. Then give transplants a good start
by working in a pre-planting application of fertilizer. Step 2: Transplanting Water your transplants just before planting to help the root ball stay intact. Space staked or trellised tomatoes 1 to 2 feet apart in rows 3 feet apart. Leave 3 feet between caged tomatoes and 4 feet for plants to grow unsupported. Set plants deeply in the soil to encourage root formation along the buried stem; additional roots take up more water and nutrients for healthier growth. Do not remove any leaves. At planting time, install a collar on each transplant to protect against cutworms. Make collars by wrapping the stem with newspapers or by slipping a styrofoam or paper cup with bottom removed over the plant. Sink collars an inch into the soil and leave 1 to 2 inches showing above the ground. Add a mulch to help maintain uniform soil moisture, reduce weeds and soil compaction, and keep tomato fruit clean. Black plastic used early in the season warms soil a few degrees while organic mulches reduce soil temperatures in summer and contribute to soil richness as they decompose. Install the support of your choice at planting time to avoid disturbing tender root systems later. Wire cages, 4 to 6 foot wooden stakes, and trellises of string or wire all work well. Step 3: Watering What tomatoes need is a continuous and uniform supply of water. Excessive water can not plant roots while too little halts fruit production. Avoid letting soil dry out and then soaking as this can cause blossom drop, fruit cracking, and contributes to blossom-end rot. Encourage deep, healthy root systems by waterings that trickle down 8 to 10 inches into the soil. Water early in the day and water the ground, not foliage, to prevent disease problems. The frequency of watering depends on many factors - stage of growth, temperature and humidity, light intensity, wind, and soil type. Step 4: Fertilizing Tomatoes need ample fertilizer to produce vigorous vines and abundant fruit. The nutrients should be constantly available to the plants. Feeding begins before transplanting time with a starter solution of liquid fertilizer. Prepare it according to label recommendations for starter solutions. Once plants become established in the garden, begin side-dressing plants and repeat applications every 4 weeks thought out the growing season. Use a complete fertilizer with a 1-1-1, 1-2-2, or 1-2-1 ratio (10-10-10, 5-10-10, and 5-10-5 are examples of fertilizers with these ratios). Or use a formulation especially designed for tomatoes. Apply in the amounts listed on the fertilizer bag label, but do not overfeed. Too much fertilizer, especially with nitrogen, results in abundant vine growth but not much fruit and can contribute to blossom end rot. Step 5: Culture Determinate tomato plants have vines that make little or no growth once fruit is set. Harvest time is short as all the fruit develops at about the same time. Determinate varieties can grow without support or with a shout stake or cage and pruning is usually not necessary. Indeterminate vines keep producing leaves and stem even after fruit set; vines often grow until killed by frost. Tomatoes in all stages of development may be on the vine at once and harvest may last several months. Indeterminate plants need the support of a stake, trellis or wire cage. Pests of one kind or another often are attracted to the luxuriant growth of healthy tomato plants. It is wise to inspect plants frequently to spot problems before infestations become serious and damaging. Those tomato growers who garden organically may want to use natural biological insecticides or insecticidal soaps. Always make sure to follow label directions carefully when applying any pesticide.
|
|
Upstarts wants your
feedback. We are dedicated to making your experience at
UpstartsOrganicSeedlings.com as valuable as
possible.
|
Five
Steps for Great Tomatoes