Warm-Season Vegetables: Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the go-to warm-season vegetable that many new gardeners grow first. It is easy, and the results of eating your homegrown tomatoes is very satisfying. How to grow tomatoes in your vegetable bed or in a container is easy with the following growing tips.
Whether you wish to grow from seed or buy a tomato plant in a pot all-ready with a tomato support frame is a choice based on your time and the space available. Here we will go over all the necessary steps to grow tomatoes from seed, or next steps when you have purchased a potted young plant from the garden centre. There are various tips for growing tomato plants to ensure you get the best harvest from your tomato plant.
Tomatoes At A Glance
Type: Annual
Location: Full Sun
Fruit season: Summer
Where To Plant / How To Care For Your Tomato Plant
Tomatoes are heat lovers and like sun, lots of sun. Whether you have a vegetable bed, patio or a balcony garden, the location must be sunny. Anything less than six hours of direct sun will not be to your plants’ best interest for a good harvest. So the location where you plant your tomato is very important.
Growing tomatoes from seed is easy. Although some gardeners have used a heat mat, I find success with just using a heat lamp or warm sunny south-east facing window. The indoor temperature should be around 20C (70F) for germination. Plant the seeds in separate containers. Start the seeds indoors about a month to six weeks prior to planting outdoors, subject to your last spring frost. In our region, we can plant tomatoes outdoors by early June. Remember to harden your young tomato plants before planting in its final location in your garden.
Hardening Off Young Tomato Plants
Hardening off young tomato plants is the process of climatizing from growing indoors to outdoors. Place them in a sheltered location outdoors during the day and bring them in a night for a week. The following week, once the night temperature is above 10C (50F), then start leaving them out overnight for about a week. This helps to harden off your young plants and get them ready for planting in the garden.
Planting Requirements And Tomato Cages
Tomatoes need rich, well-draining soil. When planting add compost to the soil and bone meal. Tomatoes need regular, even watering for the best results.
When planting the young tomato plants, pinch off the seedling leaves and lowest branches. Plant up to where these have been taken off as roots will begin growing from this point.
At this stage, place the tomato support cage or frame. This will help maintain and strengthen your plant as it grows. Tomato cages are relatively cheap and easy to get shopping online or from your garden store. But you can also make your own support too with regular staking using wood or bamboo, and twine.
Soil Warmth Tip
Watering And Fertilizing Tomato Plants
Tomatoes are heavy feeders and need a regular fertilizing schedule, especially once it starts producing fruit. Preference is a tomato organic fertilizer 5-10-10 as it has less nitrogen, which encourages leaf growth.
Pruning And Trimming Your Tomato Plant
Tomato plants need some pruning to limit congestion, especially removing lower branches and leaves so they don’t touch the ground. This light pruning helps to keep airflow and reduce fungal disease, which can kill your tomato plant. Any sign of leaf or fruit disease should be removed. Also trim off the side shoots that start growing between the leaf stems and the main stems. Depending on the variety you have planted, pinch off the top of your plant to stop growing. This will help re-focus the energy on fruit production. Having said that, foliage provide shade during hot days for the developing fruits, so any light pruning should take this into account.
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Pests And Critters
Your tomato plant will be a draw for many garden pests. Whenever possible it is recommended to grow resistent varieties. Check your plants daily to counter any problems early.
Harvesting Tomatoes
Leaving the tomato fruit to ripen on the plant as long as possible is always encouraged.
Meal Suggestions
There are so many ways to serve and prepare tomatoes from served raw in salads, or simply with basil, mozzarella to making tomato-based sauces. While tomatoes feature largely with Italian and Spanish cooking, worldwide tomatoes have become a staple in the kitchen.
Tomato Recipes:
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