Planting Tomatoes

Planting tomatoes isnot that difficult and anyone that has a spot to put a plant in the ground or in a pot can do it.

Nothing is more mouthwatering than a fresh sun warmed tomato from the garden. The big ripe red planted tomatoes are beefy enough that all you need are two slices of bread and a slice of cheese for a wonderful sandwich. If you dream about growing your own perfect tomatoes, you’re almost ready to begin.

The secret to growing tomatoes is good soil, plenty of sun and keeping the soil adequately watered. Lets start with the soil requirements. Tomatoes like a slightly acidic soil with a lot of organic material in it. You can add composted manure or other forms of compost in the spring before you turn the soil. Make sure the soil is loose and has good drainage. Good soil and fertilizer give your tomato a jump-start and avoids straggly stems.

The best time of year to plant tomatoes is after the last frost. Sometimes you and the weatherman predict the last frost a little too early and you find your thriving baby tomato plants threatened by the weather. This isnot a problem if you have milk cartons and plastic jugs. Simply cut them in half and cover your babies until morning. Remove the cartons once the frost melts.

Acclimate your tomatoes to the area where you will eventually plant them if you have grown them indoors. This is a process known as hardening off the plants.

Just like people, plants are susceptible to sunburn. By putting them in the sun for progressively longer periods, they develop more tolerance to a full day of sun.

When you dig the hole, make sure its adequately deep and wide. Dig it a little deeper so you can add fertilizer. Put some water in the bottom and slow release fertilizer, then cover the area with some dirt and start the transplant process. Avoid disturbing the roots.

If your plant is larger, pinch off the bottom two leaves and put the plant in the ground so it covers the area you pinched off. Watering tomatoes thoroughly after you transplant them is important.

When to water tomatoes

Water your tomatoes deeply and do it in the early morning. Tomato plants prefer a thorough deep watering over lighter watering more frequently. The lighter watering doesnot get enough moisture to the roots.

If you must water the plant at another time besides early morning, the second best time is late in the afternoon. Donot water when the sun is the highest or right before dark. You waste water at high noon and you expose the plants to potential fungal diseases when you water in the evening. It doesn’t give the plant’s leaves time to dry.

Some of the best fertilizers for planting tomatoes are from the kitchen trash or used in the house. Eggshells add calcium. Coffee grounds make the soil slightly acidic and keep away pests. Epsoms Salt adds magnesium to the soil.

If you really want big luscious tomatoes, make a fish tea. Put a dead fish in a cloth bag and leave it in a 5-gallon pail of water. Pour the water on the tomato plant. You can also include hair in homemade fertilizer for tomatoes.

All you need is tender loving care for planting tomatoes and they’ll produce wonderful juicy tomatoes to munch on, serve in salads and if you feel particularly generous, share.

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