Tomato Gardening: A Beginner’s Guide

Tomato plants require ample sun in order to thrive and ripen, so select an area away from buildings, trees and tall shrubs that offers ample exposure.

Prepare, or harden off, tomato seedlings prior to transplanting by pinching off lower leaves and pinching back lower sets of leaves from each stem, which encourages healthy root development while decreasing susceptibility to plant diseases. This practice encourages root development as well as reduces disease susceptibility.

Soil Preparation

Tomatoes require fertile and well-draining soil in order to thrive. Integrate organic matter, such as compost or well-rotted manure into the top four inches of soil for increased nutrient and water holding capacity. Due to desert soil being easily compacted it’s important that it’s loosen up before planting so as to provide adequate root space and loosen any compacted areas prior to planting. Furthermore amend your soil by applying lime and fertilizers so as to maintain an ideal pH range between 6.0 and 6.5

Tomato plants require consistent moisture throughout their growing season. It is important not to overwater, as too much moisture promotes disease and stunts plant growth. Allow the soil or potting mix to dry slightly between watering sessions; and try watering in the morning to minimize damp conditions that encourage fungal disease outbreak.

Pruning tomato plants to enhance fruit and leaf production requires pruning any dead, withered leaves or branches, which helps direct energy towards ripening fruit rather than foliage. Another pruning trick to maximize production involves thinned seedlings that crowd each other – though difficult for gardeners this task must be performed to ensure there are sufficient space and enough light for nurturing each of your plants.

Applying mulch around tomato plants is an effective way to both control weed competition and conserve soil moisture, and help them remain upright with good air circulation, thus helping prevent diseases like Wilt or Anthracnose that arise due to excessive water on either the ground or fruits from spreading further. Furthermore, consider rotating crops annually so as to minimize disease organism development.

Seed Starting

Many gardeners enjoy starting tomatoes from seeds as it offers them the satisfaction of watching their plants blossom and blossom over time. Just be mindful that tomato seedlings require plenty of warm sunlight and space in which to grow healthy roots systems.

As most seed packets will attest, tomatoes are warm-season crops that must be planted indoors six to eight weeks before their last expected frost date in order to enable full germination and fruiting when warm weather arrives.

If you choose to start tomato seeds yourself, select a high-quality and well-draining potting mix that has been labeled specifically for seed starting. Cell packs (small plastic pots grouped together in packages often used for flower and vegetable seedlings) are an effective method for sowing tomato seeds; shallow trays with drainage holes also work. Once in their container(s), lightly pack down soil before covering with more seed starting mix; for multiple varieties of tomatoes use popsicle sticks or cardboard pieces as markers, or mark each container’s side to indicate which varieties they contain (and use popsicle sticks or cardboard tags to label their sowing).

Dependent upon the conditions surrounding your growing conditions, a heat mat could help provide ideal soil temperatures for seedlings to flourish in. Furthermore, an LED light garden such as Stack-n-Grow can help provide adequate illumination for healthy seedlings to grow strong and tall.

When transplanting seedlings outside, dig a hole twice the size of their container and mix in an equal volume of compost sifted through a sieve. Backfill gently without compressing soil before adding plant tags for identification purposes and watering thoroughly.

Transplanting

One of the primary steps in growing tomatoes at home is transplanting seedlings into your garden. For optimal results, plant outdoors when all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures have warmed sufficiently for healthy tomato growth. When planting outdoors, select varieties suitable to your climate and garden space – for instance ‘Early Girl’ is suitable for cooler gardens as it matures in 50 days, while heatmaster and Arkansas Traveler varieties can withstand higher heat conditions better.

Tomatoes are highly vigorous plants, often taking over too small a container and spreading rapidly across it. Many gardeners choose to train their tomato plants to climb up a stake or cage instead, keeping the bottom well-covered with mulch or compost to avoid weeds. You could also opt for growing tomatoes in a greenhouse for maximum protection against insects, fungus and diseases while simultaneously harvesting before it spoils from touching the ground!

No matter where you plant your tomatoes, be sure to provide adequate water and fertilizer. Regular, moderate irrigation promotes vigorous growth while warding off blossom-end rot or fruit cracking from occurring; but overwatering could lead to root rot. Aim for moist but not waterlogged soil that needs deep irrigation periodically throughout the week.

If your tomato plants are susceptible to disease, be sure to apply a soil-based fungicide or insecticide at the time of transplant and periodically throughout their growing season as directed by product label instructions. Blight and wireworms are two of the more prevalent plant diseases which attack tomatoes; airflow around plants and reducing splashback during watering are great ways of mitigating these issues, as is trimming back lower leaves to improve airflow while decreasing leaf-scaling by pests. Biweekly applications of water-soluble fertilizers also encourage vigorous growth while helping prevent these issues altogether.

Pests and Diseases

An important step in growing tomatoes at home is keeping an eye out for pests and diseases, acting quickly to stop them, and employing good cultural practices as your defenses. Starting out strong disease-resistant seeds or plants and using containers made of breathable material for proper drainage can be key – should any softly fuzzy leaves, holes in foliage or chewed edges appear, take samples to your local nursery or Cooperative Extension office immediately for identification and advice.

Aphids are an all-too-common problem on tomato crops that can cause severe leaf damage and stunt plant development if left unchecked. Use insecticidal soaps, horticultural oils or Neem oil to control them; for more persistent issues consider planting companion plants like nasturtiums and mustard which will attract natural predatory insects which will keep aphids away from tomatoes.

Bloom end rot, also known as blossom end rot, manifests itself in black leathery patches on developing fruit at their bases. Clavibacter michiganensis bacteria cause this condition; these invade plants through pruning wounds, damaged leaves or rain or water splashing onto them, while inconsistent watering patterns or too much nitrogen could also contribute.

Stink bugs can be an especially problematic tomato pest during fruit ripening season. These small, shield-shaped, bright green or brown bugs pierce plant parts to suck up sap, creating havoc among fruit and vegetable crops. Stink bugs overwinter in wild areas nearby before invading gardens the following spring. To decrease their population, avoid planting near-bare ground areas nearby with overgrown areas, planting companion plants such as Nasturtiums, marigolds or parsley to repel these creatures as well as using natural insecticides such as Bacillus thuringiensis or spinosad which work effectively against them if necessary.

Harvesting

An essential step to home tomato growing is knowing when and how to harvest them. Waiting too long could cause the fruits to split open or develop soft spots; overripe, overripe tomatoes become soft, overripe and more likely to rot than tomatoes left exposed on the ground are susceptible to bird and stinkbug pecking as well as decay caused by Fusarium or Verticillium fungi, among other causes.

Harvest time usually signals itself with a subtle but detectable change in color or “blushing,” such as that seen on red tomatoes accompanied by lightening of their skins. Other indicators could include dry, papery texture or changing from green to orange or yellow colors. If your summer temperatures often reach into the 90s, consider planting heat-tolerant varieties bred for high fruit production; additionally, regularly harvest blooms and unripened fruits so as to free up space for full ripening.

Harvest tomatoes early in the morning before the sun gets hot; this helps prevent water loss and oxidation. For optimal flavor, harvest vine-ripened, uncrushed fruit. Cut stem at its natural point of attachment where it meets vine and fruit should easily separate from calyx (green “leaves” that once enclosed it.)

If your tomatoes aren’t ripening quickly enough to beat a frost, try covering them at night with a thin blanket made of shade cloth or muslin. Be mindful not to cover too tightly as this could create greenhouse effects; keep it loose enough that heat and moisture can escape freely from under the cover; mulching also helps regulate soil temperatures while conserving moisture levels.