What Do I Need to Grow Tomato Plants?
- Tomatoes are warm-weather plants, so don't bother planting the seedlings in your garden until well after the last frost has passed in your area. If you're unfamiliar with your local frost dates, check with your local country extension service or look in "Farmers' Almanac" to find out. If your growing season between frost dates is too short for tomato plants, as is true for much of the northern half of the country, start your seeds indoors about six weeks before time to plant to extend your growing season.
- Tomatoes don't do well in shade, and need at least six hours of sunlight per day. Situate your garden in the sunniest spot in the yard, or place your containers at the edge of the patio or balcony where your tomatoes will catch the most rays during the day.
- Tomatoes need 1 inch of water per week, but they do best when this amount is through a steady stream of moisture instead of one heavy watering during the week. A series of very wet and then very dry conditions can cause tomato fruits to crack and split. Give your tomatoes a gentle sprinkling every day, keeping their roots moist but not wet.
- Begin your tomato garden with good soil including lots of compost. This healthy type of vegetable bed gives tomatoes the best start and will give your plants a good portion of the nutrients they need throughout the growing season. Add additional commercial fertilizer for added insurance after the first flowers appear, to help with the fruit growth, and after you pick your first tomato, to help the plants to keep producing. Use a 10-10-10 fertilizer for even feeding of the plants and the crops.
- There are many types of tomato plants, from determinate varieties that create compact bushes to the non-determinate tomatoes with their leggy vines. All tomatoes, no matter the type, need some kind of support systems. If your tomato is more of a bushy variety, plant the seedlings inside a tomato cage. The plant will fill up the cage without the need for additional support. If your plant is more the vining type, place stakes or trellises near your plants and tie the vines to your support system. Use soft ties like used nylon stockings or strips of cloth so you don't damage the vines. This will keep your tomatoes off the ground, preventing damage from slugs and keeping the food cleaner.