How to Grow Tomatoes

How to Plant Tomatoes

Introduction:

Tomato growing is a favorite past time for lots of gardeners. It's the vegetable most home gardeners choose to cultivate. Tomatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables. Although the tomato is a fruit it is used almost exclusively as a vegetable. They are eaten raw in salads, cooked in casseroles or made into sauces. Planting tomatoes and knowing how to grow tomatoes are two very different things.

Like most vegetable garden vegetables, growing tomatoes can be a challenge to the backyard gardener. These tomato growing tips should help you grow a successful crop, providing the weather cooperates.

Always select the best tomato plants from your nursery or garden supply catalog. Be watchful that they are healthy plants. For the best results for growing tomatoes space the plants about two to three feet apart. After they have taken a firm hold in the soil either stake them or provide a growing cage to keep the plant from bending over onto the ground. For the best results following these tomato growing tips.

When planting the tomato plant, strip the bottom leaves off the stem, leaving four to six leaves at the top. Plant so the entire stem up to the leaves is buried two inches below the soil. The stem will throw out new roots in about ten days.

Feed the new transplants with a high nitrogen fertilizer or tomato fertilizer to promote leaf and stem growth.

Mulch the plants to retain moisture and cut down on weeds. Straw or lawn clippings make good mulch.

Spread black plastic on the ground to warm the soil and boost plant growth.

Stop the high nitrogen fertilizer when the plant first blossoms and switch to a 5:10:10 fertilizer or a tomato fertilizer.

Use a water soluble fertilizer at half strength and feed twice as often as the package directs.

For growing larger tomatoes, remove most of the tomatoes leaves from the plant before the tomatoes ripen. Snip off the top of the main leader stem. The plant will then direct all its energies into producing bigger tomatoes.

For a low acid tomato, plant light colored (yellow, orange and white) tomatoes.

Cool tomato plants during hot afternoons by providing shade from white sheets draped over the very top of the tomato cages. Remove at sunset.

Knowing how to grow tomatoes and get a successful crop of large delicious tomatoes takes time and patience along with some good weather luck. These tips on how to grow tomatoes will assure you of a great tomato crop. Happy gardening.

How to Prepare Garden Soil for Planting

Planting and Fertilizing Your Garden

Mulching Your Garden

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