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