Dear Tomato Grower,
Thankyou for reaching my
site.
Have you ever eaten a ripe tomato picked straight from the vine?
It is unquestionably a taste worth experiencing,
and considering that tomatoes are relatively easy to grow
this experience can be shared by anyone who has the right knowledge and know-how.
Home grown tomatoes would have to be the most common fruit vegetable grown in the home garden.
In my opinion you can't compare a supermarket tomato to a ripe tomato picked from your own garden.
Supermarket tomatoes are picked green and refrigerated, which destroys the flavour.
There is nothing better than eating a home grown ripe tomato that is juicy, sweet and rich in flavour.
Other than being tasty, tomatoes are very good for you, providing an excellent source of fibre and vitamins.
When to start planting
The easiest and quickest way to grow tomatoes is to buy disease resistant seedlings from your local gardening store.
If you have grown tomatoes in the past and have experienced a disease, then try and choose a tomato plant that is resistant to that disease.
Plant the tomatoes in the garden after the danger of frost has passed and temperatures have warmed to about 65 degrees F (18 degrees C).
Planting your seedling
Tomatoes love the sun so ensure you choose an area in your garden that receives full sun light.
The area must have good drainage and have adequate protection from strong winds.
It must also have soil that is rich in organic matter. Ensure the soil is prepared well by spreading a layer of compost or manure and mix it in well to the soil by using a large garden fork or shovel.
Dig a whole approximately 8 inches wide and 8 inches deep, remove the bottom branches of the plant and bury the plant deep so that the soil covers those removed branches.
Tomatoes will develop roots at the broken branches making the plant stronger in the soil.
Space out the seedlings 20-22 inches apart in rows three feet apart.
Next place tall wooden stakes next to the buried plant. Stakes are placed early to minimise root damage. Finally water your plants at the base without wetting the leaves.
Plant Care
Tomato plants require regular attention as they may need water, pruning, support on the stake, and inspection of disease. It will also give you piece of mind and satisfaction that your plants are healthy and you are on course to producing juicy tomatoes.
You should regularly water the base of the plant while the plants are developing.
Ensure you don't miss a week and then make up for it by drowning your plant, as this leads to blossom end rot and cracking.
Common Problems
The worst feeling for a tomato grower is watching your plant grow from a seedling to a mature plant, bearing an abundance of wholesome fruit, and then suddenly the whole plant turns yellow and dies, without having had the opportunity to make your grandmother's infamous tomato sauce.
I have personally experienced this and it's an awful feeling.
The bottom line is that being informed and knowledgeable on how to prevent diseases before you start growing tomatoes is a necessity if you wish to consistently grow healthy tomato plants.
Therefore I have listed two common tomato problems that you need to be aware of before commencing your tomato growing adventure:
Blossom End Rot (also known as bottom end rot, and black spots)
A common problem during ripening of the tomato is a formation of a brown fury circle on the bottom of the fruit that eventually turns black. Don't panic all your hard work won't go to waste as the problem can be reduced. These black spots or circles that form on the bottom of the tomato are caused by calcium deficiency in that section of the fruit.
This is due to fluctuating soil moisture levels and can be caused by cold rainy days followed by dry temperatures.
To reduce the problem, maintain an even water supply, don't let the soil dry, and most importantly don't over water the tomato plant. Splitting or cracking can result from over water of the repining tomato. Tip: Use Mulch to keep moisture levels even.
Early blight
Early blight commonly occurs in the United States and is a fungal disease that turns your tomato leaves yellow to brown and then to black. The leaves eventually fall off leaving the fruit fully exposed to the suns rays thus destroying your fruit. Early blight is encouraged when there are high levels of moisture both in the soil and on your plants, and thrives after a few days of heavy rain. The sad news is that you can't stop the disease. Once the disease has taken over your plant you must rip it out and dispose of it carefully without affecting your other plants. To learn more about the prevention and control of early blight and late blight disease,
I strongly recommend reading
Best Juicy Tomatoes written by Annette Welsford and Lucia Grimmer.
Summary
Thankyou for taking the time to read this article. I hope you enjoyed it and gained some further knowledge from it.
Enjoy happy gardening,
From a very passionate Tomato Grower!
Recommended Reading
Best Juicy Tomatoes written by Annette Welsford and Lucia Grimmer.
My Review:
I have bought this book myself and highly recommend it. It is an excellent resource on different tomato varieties,
how to grow tomatoes from the seed, and it provides and in depth summary of site preparation.
The author, Annette Welsford, cleverly outlines her tips on reviving damaged plants,
when and how to water tomato plants, information on which fertilizer to use and how much to use, and more tips on controlling diseases.
I loved the layout of the book as every page had clear images related to the text.
Click here to visit Best Juicy Tomatoes Website