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| How To Grow A Tomato = = = = = = = = = = = = = Dear Casual Gardener, I know you’re going to be shocked, but I have never planted a tomato before. How do I get the most tomatoes from my tomato plant and can I plant it in a pot? Troubled Tomato Girl = = = = = = = = = = = = = Tomatoes are wonderful! They are one of America’s favorite foods. It’s a humble fruit with it’s origins in Central America. Originally they were brought back to Europe by the Spanish. Some suggest they were returned by Spanish Conquistadors, while others say that two Jesuit priests brought them back to Italy from Mexico. So imagine – a little over 300 years ago Italy did not have tomato sauce! Tomatoes are, in fact, related to the nightshade family. Most early Americans were afraid to eat them because of this, but now we know tomatoes are full of healthy nutrients and bursting with flavor. Full sun is an absolute requirement for a tomato plant, which can vine up quite large. Having a pre-prepared tomato support will help the plant climb, keep air circulation improved and will certainly allow easier picking once the plant becomes laden with tomatoes. Good soil is the best place to begin for a strong tomato plant. Incorporate organic matter and perhaps some of the new water crystals you can find in any garden center into the ground before planting. Right now the garden centers are full of tomato plants “babies” ready to pop into the ground. I suggest, at this point, using a pre-grown tomato plant, however growing from seed is quite easy. Tomato plants take almost seven weeks from seed sowing time to reach transplanting stage, so your tomatoes will be a long time coming if you plant from seed right now. Bring your plant home once your soil is prepared and bury a tomato plant's stem and the stem will sprout a slew of new roots that help the plant grow sturdy and tall quickly. You can bury just about all of stem plucking off the branches below the top flush of leaves. One technique is to dig a trench four or five inches deep in the soil and set the transplant into it, again burying the stem up to the top leaves. Another technique, and the one I’d recommend later in May or even early June is to bury the transplant in a straight, deep hole. Cooler, moister soil below six inches deep helps tomatoes root deep and survive in hot, dry summers with less water. Fertilize your baby on a regular basis and you will receive a much higher tomato yield. Early fertilizer applications should be high in nitrogen. As blossoming occurs, switch to fertilizers which are higher in Phosphorus and Potassium. Too much Nitrogen fertilizer results in lots of lush green leaves, and little fruit. A fertilizer specifically formulated for tomatoes will help to maximize your crop. Follow the directions on your fertilizer packages because over fertilizing will result in a lesser yield. It’s a delicate balance! Keep your tomato plant well watered. Deep watering is preferable over more frequent, light watering. You want moisture to go deep to all the roots of the plant. Water directly on the roots keeping water off the leaves! Tomatoes are susceptible to plant disease that grows in wet, humid conditions. Growing deep, extensive roots and a full leaf canopy will help establish newly transplanted tomatoes. Many experienced tomato growers pull off the first flowers until the plant reaches about one foot tall so the plant does not devote energy to forming fruit before its roots and foliage have filled out. Although I explicitly discourage black plastic “mulch” in most of your garden, particularly your perennial and tree beds (due to its microbial-smothering tendencies) many organic gardeners rely on plastic mulch to warm the soil in early spring and prevent weeds from sprouting up. Plastic mulch is not a part of the ideal organic garden, but studies have found that tomato beds covered in black or red plastic in spring produce tomatoes earlier and more of them all season long. Researchers have found infra-red transmitting plastic mulch (usually colored a bright red) reflects just the kind of light plants need up onto the foliage and encourages tomato growth. While plastic mulch has proved its worth for tomatoes and some vegetables, all-natural mulches also help tomatoes grow well. Surround your plants with a layer of straw, leaves, dried grass clippings or pine needles and it will keep the plants' roots cool, prevent weeds from sprouting around them and retain moisture in the soil. Enjoy the tomatoes and share them with your neighbors and friends! Happy Gardening! Please send your gardening questions for Shawna Coronado, The Casual Gardener to dearshawna@thecasualgardener.com or The Casual Gardener, P.O. Box 358, Warrenville, IL 60555 |
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