Tomatoes

How to plant and grow tomatoes

Start with the best seeds or plants available, this means starting with heirloom seeds or plants. The next step is to decide if you want determinate or indeterminate plants. Determinate plants are smaller and stop growing at a determined point and also stop producing fruit at that point. They are better for container gardens and gardens where space is limited.

Indeterminate plants grow much larger and keep growing and producing fruit until killed by frost. For most outdoor gardens and farms indeterminate plants are preferable.

starting seeds

tomato seedling just showing through soil

Tomato seedling just showing through soil

You can get a early start by starting them indoors a few weeks before the last frost, then transplant outdoors after the last frost. Tomato plants must be protected from frost. You can plant the seeds directly into the soil after danger of frost has passed if you prefer. Sow seeds to a depth of ¼ inch.

Great sources for Tomato seeds are Shop Burpee.com for Tomatoes and also at Shop CooksGarden.com for Tomatoes.

There are many different methods for starting indoors, a shallow pan filled with potting soil in a warm place will work just fine. You can cover the pan with loose clear plastic bag to form a mini greenhouse, this will help the seeds to germinate faster. Some people like to germinate the seeds in damp tissue first and then put into soil. I like to use commercially available peat pots, like Burpee super growing pellets, the advantage of these is that you plant the entire pot at transplant time. Burpee also has a cool little pot maker tool, that will make pots out of ordinary newspaper that you fill with your seed starting soil, again when the plants are ready to transplant, you can plant the pot directly into the soil and no roots are disturbed. There are several commercially available seed starting kits to make the process easier. Seed starting kits that we would like to recommend can be purchased at Burpee Seed Starting Kits .

Transplanting

removing plant from container to plant

Be careful not to damage roots when removing plant from container. Plant deep, up to 2/3 of the plant can be buried.

If you started seeds directly into the garden soil, you can skip this step. You want about 12 inches (30 cm) of space around each plant for growth. You will want to plant the tomato plants 24 inches (60 cm) apart to make sure you have 12 inches around each plant. Water well!

Tomatoes should be planted deep. The stem of the plant will form roots when planted into soil, you can plant up to 2/3 of the plant below the soil to ensure a good root structure. Be sure to remove any suckers or leaves that will be below the soil level.  Water well!

Support for plants

Most tomato plants require support, with the exception of some bush plants bred for containers, tomato plants require support to grow properly, the two most common types of support are cages and stakes, they can also be trained to grow up fences.

tomato plants properly staked

young tomato plants attached to stakes

Stakes are the simplest to use, just drive a wooden, plastic , bamboo, or fiberglass stake about 65 inches (160 cm) long or so into the ground about a foot or so until it feels stable. Determinate plants can use shorter stakes about 40 inches long (100 cm). Tie the plant to the stake with a soft cord at a strong sucker or branch, you should remove all other suckers, you will need to continue tying the plant to the stake in more places as it taller. Staked plants give you the best access to the plant for harvesting and pruning. Another variation of the stake method is to use 3 stakes forming a triangle at the base and tied together at the top, looking like a tee pee or tripod. Often called the tee pee or tripod method this gives better stability against wind and in soft soil conditions.

Young tomato plants in cages, will soon grow to fill the cages.

Very young tomato plants in cages

Cages are commercially available and are fairly maintenance free method for supporting plants. Cages need to be either pushed into the soil or staked in for support (depending on the design). Plants do not normally need to be tied to cages as they will attach themselves to the cage. Cages can also be homemade from  hog wire also called field fence.  Hog wire or field fence is much easier to work with than concrete reinforcing mesh.  Remember do not use mesh with hole spacing too small. You need spaces in the material large enough to slip you hand through for pruning and harvesting fruit. Also you will have to stake down your home made cage. Often people use rebar (do not drive stakes in near underground utilities) for the stakes, but any material such as wood or metal can be used, also cutting the bottom horizontal runner off to form small stakes at each vertical runner will work also. You will need about 5 (1.5m) feet of fencing or mesh about 60inches (152 cm) high. These measurements do not have to be exact, for the height just use whatever standard height the fencing or mesh comes in that is close.
For determinant plants your stake or cage can be a foot or two shorter as they do not grow so tall.   You can purchase ready made cages and supports from  Shop Burpee.com for Planting Cages & Supports

Plants that do not require support

Some plants do not require support, many of these plants have been bred primarily for container gardening and gardening on small plots. These plants are usually determinant and bushy.

Another method of planting, not widely used, but very effective is to allow the plants to sprawl horizontally, you allow some of the lower suckers to grow, they will force the lower branches downward where they will touch the ground and form roots. In this way they form their own supports. Pinching off the suckers up high so that the plant stays horizontal. This requires a lot of space, such as a farm or very large garden,  therefore is not ideal for the urban or small garden where space is limited.

Companion planting or interplanting tomatoes

Interplanting plants that go well with tomatoes and help to improve the health of the tomato plants by repelling harmful insects, also called companion plants include:

  • Marigolds Plant along borders of garden, repel nematodes and several other garden pests.
  • Basil repels flies and mosquitoes.
  • Borage repel cabbage worms and tomato hornworms.
  • Chives help repel aphids.
  • Petunias Attract the harmful insects to themselves, protecting the tomato plant, also attract beneficial insects like bees.

Do not plant tomatoes with the following plants

  • Do not plant with potatoes or rotate to soil that had potatoes the previous year.
  • Do not plant tomatoes next to dill.
  • Do not plant near fennel.
  • Do not plant next to corn.

Watering

watering plants

keep them watered

Watering and how much to water depends on the weather, humidity, soil and the stage of growth the plant is in.  Dry weather with little humidity will require more water.   Sandy soil needs more water, if the plants are wilting they require more water.  Plants require more water in the early stages of growth before their roots grow deep.  If you are watering and the plants still seem wilted, the problem could be evaporation.  Putting mulch on top of the soil will help that.

Tomato plants need to be watered deep, do not water the leaves, the best type of watering is a slow drip. If you have a source of non chlorinated water such as rain water or water that has been allowed to age, is best. Although you would not want to drink this water, it is good for tomatoes. Water from a rain barrel that has algae etc growing in it is ideal. If you use a rain barrel or any similar collection method, be sure to take precautions such as screening the top so as not to breed mosquitoes.
The cause of split tomatoes is lack of water when the tomato is growing. It is important to water deep and water regularly especially when weather is dry or drought conditions exist.
Watering systems for tomatoes can be quite complex for the farm or garden, or can be as simple as a 5 gallon bucket with a very small hole drilled in the side placed 6 to 10 inches (15 to 25cm) away from plant on a smaller farm or garden.

It is also important not to put too much water also.  If the weather is humid or wet, use less water, do not water until the soil is muddy.   Clay soils can hold too much water,  it is best to introduce organic material such as composted manure   to these soils prior to planting.  Sandy soils are also helped by adding organic material such as compost and peat to help retain water  better.

Soil

the soil for tomato plants should be slightly acid, with a PH around 6 to 7. Most soil can be improved by adding organic material such as compost and peat. You can also plant a raised bed garden, with this method, you place your perfect gardening soil directly on top of the poor existing soil.

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