Tomatoes, Queen of the Garden

General Information:
Tomatoes are usually the most widely grown and rewarding vegetables in your backyard garden. Tomatoes are technically a fruit, however, they belong in the vegetable patch. Tomatoes vary in size from the tiny and sweet cherry style tomatoes to big  juicy and meaty beefsteak tomatoes weighing more than a pound. This is great for gardeners as it gives us so many options of different varieties to grow.

 

Soil Preparation:
For best results incorporate moderate amounts of compost or well rotted manure deeply dug into the soil.  Beware of fresh manure as it may contain seeds, & high concentrations of urine & salts.  Since Tomatoes are  shallow rooted plant it is very sensitive to moisture fluctuations.   Without adequate moisture the shallow roots  cannot deliver the require nutrients to produce properly.  Positioned rows for proper exposure to sunlight.  Rake to break up & remove debris from the soil. Work the soil only when it is dry enough not to stick to garden tools. Form a 48" wide bed the length of your choice. Using a garden hoe form a shallow trench in the center of the 48" wide bed about 4" deep. Do not allow the trench between the 2 rows too extend beyond the end of the beds as this trench will hold water later.  The 2 rows in the 48" wide bed should be about 18"  apart.

Climate requirements:
Tomatoes are warm-season plants and should be transplanted only after danger of frost has passed. Temperature is an important factor in the production of tomatoes, which are particularly sensitive to low night temperatures. Blossom drop can occur in early spring when daytime temperatures are warm, but night temperatures fall below 55°F as well as in summer, when days are above 90°F and nights above 76°F.

Growing conditions:
Tomatoes love well-drained, sunny, wide, raised beds. I do not advise growing tomatoes following Legume crop due to excess  nitrogen residual. Tomatoes grown in the same soil each year can be adversely effected by root nematodes and other soil borne diseases. It's important to rotate your tomatoes on a three year crop rotation. They grow well in the same bed with eggplant and peppers. (See our Crop Rotation page)

Seed starting:
A great tomato crop begins with compact vigorous health seedlings 5 to 7 weeks old, grown in 4" or larger growing pots. Growing your own seedlings insure quality and varieties not commercially available. However, if you decide to buy your seedling from a commercial source, buy early, compact plants growing in 4" pots. If the seedlings are grown to normal transplant size in small pots they will not perform well. We've grown a lots of tomato varieties over the years.  I sow our seeds in flats indoors during winter. I start my seedling in mid January in the Greenhouse. Sow the seed about 1/4" deep in your soil. The seeds should be started about 6 to 8 weeks before your average last frost date in your zone, or your planned transplant date. Make sure the seed starting mix is a light sterile soil mix with a liberal portion of Perlite or Vermiculite to maintain moisture. I always plant twice and as many seedlings as I will need. The extras are sold to offset the cost of growing my seedlings and give some away to friends. During the day, keep the seedling flats next to a sunny window after they have germinated. Move to top of the water heater or refrigerator at night if you do not have a greenhouse. A heated greenhouse will produce ideal, controllable growing conditions. I also use supplemental overhead florescent lighting. Here in Southeast Texas our winter days are too short to produce healthy plants. Never allow your lights to burn more than 16 hours per day. A cheap electrical timer is the key to success here. Seedlings must be allowed to have a period of rest to grow properly. Hang your lights 1½ inches above the tops of the seedlings. This will prevent the seedling from becoming leggy. Raise the light suspended by a chain as the plants grow. Do not allow the soil to dry out. I feed my seedling every other watering cycle. I prefer feeding my young seedlings with Fish Emulsion or liquid seaweed. If you notice your seedling leaves turning purple this is the result of phosphorus deficiency. In this case use a fertilizer high in phosphorus like Scotts Peters Professional 9-45-15 plant starter item #91140. Call 1-800-492-8255 for a dealer near you. All tomatoes tend to have a purple coloring to the young stem but watch the leaves. The colder growing conditions prevent adequate absorption of phosphorus. Ten days after germination transplant the seedlings into individual 2" growing pots. Clip all the leaves 1" below the top of the plant. Replant to the maximum depth the pot will allow. Pack the soil around the stem lightly to make good contact between soil and root ball. The additional plant stem buried into the soil will produce more roots making a healthier plant. Fertilize with Fish Emulsion or Liquid Seaweed at this time. Two weeks later transplant the seedlings into larger 4" pots, repeating the preceding potting method above. I am a firm believer in growing seedlings in large growing pots. Tomatoes can be severely stressed by allowing them to become root bound. Seedlings grown to transplant size in 2" pots will never perform as well as those grown in 4" pots. Two weeks prior to transplanting in the garden bed clip off all but the top 1/3 of all leaves from the stem. This will allow the wounds to heal before transplanting into your beds. This is done to allow deep planting in your garden beds without exposing the wounds to deadly soil borne diseases such as Verticillium wilt or Fusarium wilt. Planting resistant varieties will help prevent this disease as well. Planting seedlings deep will allow the roots access to moisture well below the normal rain runoff. Brushing the tops of the tomato seedlings back and forth helps to produce the Harmon Cytokin, which promotes stronger stems. A gentle breeze outdoor produces the same effect naturally. This practice is encouraged throughout the life of the plant.

Hardening Off:
It will be necessary to harden off your seedlings before transplanting into the garden bed. The seedling must become accustomed to the harsher elements outdoors. This is accomplished by placing the seedling outside to a sheltered location. At this point the seedlings are very tender and easily broken by wind and rain. Start out by placing the seedling in full morning sunlight for one hour. Increase the time in full sunlight gradually adding time each day. Protect your seedlings from wind and animals to prevent breakage of the tender vegetation. Within two weeks your plants should be able to stand full sunlight the entire day without wilting or burning the tender leaves. At this point your seedlings are ready for the harsh elements of the garden. Interplant some basil, mint, peppers, onions, garlic parsley, cabbage, carrots, nasturtium or marigolds with your tomatoes. They act as companions and make a significant difference on each other's growth. (See our Companion Planting Page)

 

Fertilization:
Perform a complete soil analysis to determine fertilization needs.  Soil sample kits including sample bag and instructions can be  obtained from your local county  Agricultural extension service office free of charge. However, the fee  for the actual soil analysis is usually about $15.00. 

Tomatoes grow best in rich well trained soil. Excessive nitrogen in the soil will cause excess leaf growth and well reduce  bloom production. If additional nitrogen is indicated buy your soil analysis apply only the recommended application. Soil enriched with compost will normally produce high yields for tomatoes. However I typical use 1 tablespoon or Osmokote 14-14-14 slow release plant food per plant deposited into the watering trench described above.

Transplanting:
Transplant your seedlings after your areas average last frost date. You can obtain this date from your local Cooperative Extension office. Be prepared to protect the seedling in the event of an unseasonable late frost. The ideal soil temperature is 55° to 60°F, nightly air temperature above 45°F. Plant the seedlings in 48" wide deeply worked soil enriched with compost. Plant about 16" apart in for Indeterminate varieties and 24" to 36" apart for Determinant varieties. Tomatoes require long growing seasons, so plant as early as possible. Plants should be well established before the onset of the hot dog days of summer, and the invasion of those pesky hungry destructive bugs. When fertilizing, don't over water them with liquid manure tea; it encourages leafy growth and not flower production. Tomatoes are fussy about water. Too much water and they split; too little water and they split. Avoid wetting the leaves late in the afternoon or the plants may develop powdery mildew. Tomatoes are very susceptible to vast number of pests and diseases. Problems can develop very quickly. There is literally dozens of potential problems - too many to list here. (See our Gardening Links Page)

Cultural Practice:
Once the tomato plants are established and producing blooms, Cover the entire 48" wide bed  & the shallow trenches with 2" to 3" of leaves or straw. This will conserve moisture, attract worms, and reduce the growth of weeds in the beds. Any weeds that do germinate are easily removed by hand or light cultivation.   Applying the mulch before blooming starts may release too much nitrogen promoting excessive leafy growth apposed to bloom production. An even moisture supply is important, especially once the tomato fruits begin to develop. If the soil becomes too dry, blossom-end rot can be a problem. If too much water is applied at one time, ripening fruit may split. I also place gumballs from the Gum tree to discourage cutworms and slugs. The gumballs are very pointy and cutworms or slugs will not cross them. A. Staked plants are usually pruned to a single or double stem and periodically tied loosely to the stake or wire cage tied with with soft cloth. Pruning is accomplished by removing all the branches or "suckers" that grow from the leaf joints, leaving only the main stem or the main stem and one additional branch near the base. Unsupported and caged tomatoes may be left to branch normally. Staked and pruned tomatoes produce fewer but larger fruit than caged or unsupported plants. There are numerous insect and disease problems associated with tomatoes. If uncontrollable problems arise, contact your local Cooperative Extension office for identification and control recommendations.

I recommend using sturdy metal cages made from #10 gage concrete reinforcement wire available at you local building supply retailer. About 30, 5' tall cages, 18" in diameter can be made from a single roll of wire. It's a labor intensive chore to build but are by far the best support for tomatoes. Training of the vine will be necessary to some degree. If using wire cages keep limbs inside the cages. Check them daily as they grow rapidly. If allowed to grow through the holes it will be difficult to put them back into the cage without stem breakage. When transplanting your seedlings, dig a hole 3 times the size of your root ball.  Mix your favorite balance water soluble fertilizer such as Peters 20-20-20 and a 1 pint to the planting hole before planting and allow the solution to absorb slightly before placing the seedling. Place the plant with the bottom leaf joint 1" above the soil. All tomato stem tissue will freely root when placed below the soil. Indeterminate varieties are very sensitive to root damage so be careful not to disturb the roots. If your plants are leggy they can be placed in the hole slightly horizontally, and carefully bend in an arch when covering with soil. It is not a good idea to place the root ball more than 8" deep, as excessive rainfall could adversely affect the roots. Cover the seedling and pat the soil lightly to allow good soil-to-root ball contact. My deep planting method will encourage a strong vigorous root system. If you would like to try one of the modern red plastic mulches you can apply it at this time. Research has proven Tomato plants to be much more productive producing larger fruit using the red plastic mulch. Check your plants daily and keep them properly tied to stakes or cages to prevent limb breakage from heavy tomato clusters. When the plant starts to grow above the top of your stakes or cages prune the tips to stop further unsupported growth. Interplant several varieties of flowering plants to encourage Honey Bees to visit your Garden. Not only will they attract Bees but many predatory insects to help fight your battle against destructive Insects. (See our Companion Planting page.)
 

Recommended Companion Plants
Sun Flower	Marigold	Basil	Sunflower, Bee

The severity of insect attack is much greater in late crops. It is suggested that the control program start early (emerging seedlings) and continued on a regular basis.  Consult your local county extension  service office for diagnosis and recommended treatment.

Harvesting:
When should you pick them? Some people say vine ripened is the best tasting. Others pick them at the first sign of color, ripening them indoors. Experiment and see what you think. I cannot distinguish the difference between vine ripened tomatoes or those allowed to ripen in a sunny window indoors. Picking early prevents unnecessary exposure to destructive insects and fruit splitting from rapid growth in rich soil. To pick tomatoes make sure you cut the stem cleanly with pruning scissors or a knife. This reduces the chance of damaging the fruit and stems. Clean the cutting tool with a 10% chlorine bleach solution to prevent spreading disease. Before a frost at the end of the season pick all tomatoes that show a yellow shoulder. They will ripen nicely indoors placed in a sunny window. Don't toss out the green ones either. They make great green tomato pickles and tangy fried green tomatoes.

Recommended Varieties:
The best we've grown for taste, consistency and number are.