| For many people, growing big juicy tomatoes | | | | |
| is part of what makes vegetable gardening so | | | | The soil should be deep, loamy, and |
| enjoyable. Whether purchasing plants from | | | | well-drained for the best harvest. Tomatoes |
| your local nursery or starting tomatoes from | | | | prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of |
| seed, there are a few basic steps to follow | | | | 6.2 to 6.8. The term pH balance refers to |
| to ensure that you harvest an abundant crop | | | | acidity or the alkalinity of your soil from a |
| at the end of the growing season. There are | | | | numerical scale of 1.0 to 14.0. The neutral |
| many different varieties of tomatoes to | | | | point on the pH scale is 7.0. Higher than 6.5 |
| choose from, depending on whether you will be | | | | indicates alkaline soil, lower than that |
| cooking, canning, slicing, or eating | | | | indicates acidic soil. |
| miniature or grape-like varieties right off | | | | |
| the vine. Sweet 100Ãs are very abundant, | | | | Test kits are available at garden centers or |
| and are good for salads as well as eating | | | | through local horticultural organizations. To |
| fresh from the garden. Roma tomatoes are good | | | | raise the soilÃs pH, work agriculture lime |
| for making salsa, because the peels are not | | | | into the soil. Use sulfur to lower the pH of |
| as tough as others so you donÃt need to | | | | alkaline soil. Using fertilizers and compost |
| peel the skins off. Romas are also known as | | | | amendments will also change the soilÃs pH |
| the classic paste and sauce tomato. There are | | | | over time. Adding decomposed organic compost |
| Early Girls, Early Boys, Big Boys, Big Mamas, | | | | will improve any soil structure. You can |
| Sweet Baby Girls, Beefsteaks, French Rose | | | | purchase or make your own compost. Once you |
| hybrids, Big Rainbow, specialty tomatoes and | | | | have cultivated your garden area and prepared |
| many more. So start by choosing the kind of | | | | the soil, it is ready for the plantings. |
| tomato you would like to grow. | | | | |
| | | | Planting The Tomatoes |
| Planting Tomatoes from Seeds | | | | |
| | | | Inspect all of the transplants, looking for |
| Tomatoes grown from seed will require six to | | | | insects, wilting or blight. Plant only |
| eight weeks before they can be planted in the | | | | healthy plants. Tomatoes prefer full sun, so |
| garden. Purchase individual containers or | | | | choose an area with at least six to eight |
| flats, starter soil or mixture, and the seeds | | | | hours of sun per day. Practice crop rotation |
| of your choice. Fill each container with | | | | in your vegetable gardening by planting |
| soil, pressing it tightly to remove air and | | | | tomatoes and other vegetables in a different |
| to avoid settling problems after watering. | | | | spot every year. Tomatoes prefer to be |
| Typically, seed companies print instructions | | | | planted by chives, parsley, marigolds, |
| for planting right on the tomato seed | | | | nasturtiums, garlic bulbs, and carrots. Avoid |
| package. Each variety is a little different | | | | planting tomatoes by potatoes or members of |
| so follow instructions carefully. Prepare a | | | | the cabbage family. |
| label identifying the type of tomato and the | | | | |
| date started. You can make your own from | | | | For large healthy tomatoes, give them plenty |
| Popsicle sticks or purchase them at the store | | | | of room to grow. Space plants twenty-four |
| or garden center. | | | | inches between rows and leave twenty-four |
| | | | inches between plants. With your shovel or |
| Insert your label in the pot and mist with | | | | spade, make holes slightly larger than the |
| water. Place containers in a sunny window and | | | | plants. Tap gently on the bottom of the |
| keep seeds moist by placing a plastic bag | | | | individual container, loosening the soil and |
| over them. Small greenhouse containers are | | | | gently removing from the pot. Tomatoes are |
| also available at your local nursery. Watch | | | | susceptible to cutworms, but placing a 3-4 |
| for seeds to germinate and remove plastic | | | | inch nail next to each stem before planting |
| when plants emerge. Wean out weaker looking | | | | or wrapping strips of newspaper around the |
| seedlings to give strong ones more room to | | | | bottom of the stems will help prevent these |
| grow. Keep moist by misting or watering | | | | pests. A paper cup surrounding the stem also |
| tomatoes when needed. When plants have a | | | | works well. |
| second pair of leaves it is time to | | | | |
| transplant these seedlings to your garden or | | | | Place tomato plant in hole and back fill with |
| a large pot in which they are to grow. | | | | soil until it is well compacted. Place a rack |
| | | | or cage around each individual plant to help |
| It is a good idea to harden off or | | | | support future growth. Water around the base |
| acclimatize a plant to outdoor conditions | | | | of the plant, avoiding the foliage. Do not |
| before planting by setting it out in direct | | | | over water or soak the seedlings as this can |
| sun during the day and bringing it in at | | | | promote disease and rot. Water early in the |
| night. After a few days, the tomato plant | | | | day to discourage blight. |
| will have adapted to the new surroundings and | | | | |
| can be transplanted in the desired location. | | | | Using a rake, spread organic mulch, such as |
| Place plants directly outdoors after the | | | | weed-free straw, over plants at least two |
| threat of frost in a shady location, out of | | | | inches deep. These is an effective way to |
| the wind and protected from heavy rains. | | | | prevent weeds, preserve water and keep the |
| | | | soil warm, thus reducing the maintenance |
| Purchasing Started Plants | | | | required for vegetable gardening. Fertilize |
| | | | the plants throughout the growing season with |
| If you prefer to purchase plants from your | | | | compost or organic matter. Water when needed |
| garden center or greenhouse, select dark | | | | and inspect leaves periodically for the signs |
| green plants that are stocky in size and that | | | | of tomato blight and insects. If blight is |
| do not have any fruit. The fruit will stunt | | | | discovered, remove any infected leaves and |
| the plant growth and the total yield will be | | | | destroy them. Treat plant with a fungicide. |
| reduced. Tomatoes are one of the few plants | | | | Be sure to remove all debris from your garden |
| that will tolerate being planted deeper than | | | | in the fall, as blight can survive on the |
| they sit in the pot. So a taller plant can be | | | | dried tomatoes over the winter. |
| placed a little deeper if preferred. As | | | | |
| mentioned, harden off the plant before moving | | | | Most tomatoes take 100-days to bear fruit, so |
| it to a final location. | | | | follow these easy directions and get ready to |
| | | | harvest the fruits of your labors and enjoy |
| Preparing Garden Soil For Tomato Plants | | | | that first BLT of the season. |