There are always red and juicy tomatoes waiting for you at the farmer’s market or the neighborhood grocery store. But none of them can be as satisfying and fulfilling as the one you grow yourself.
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You don’t have to go far to become a proud tomato farmer. Just a little space in your yard is enough. Add that to these hacks we are about to share and you are good to go.
Choose What Tomatoes to Plant
Tomatoes don’t lack variety. From the small cherry tomatoes to the large beefsteak tomatoes, there are hundreds of tomato types to grow. They also come in various shapes and colors, including red, yellow, purple, and orange.
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Some tomatoes are dense and pulpy while others are juicy. You are basically spoiled for choice. But generally, the Beefsteak, Betterboy, and German Johnson are great for salads, sandwiches, and burgers. For flesh, go for Super Roma and Plum Regal.
Choosing the Best Site for Your Tomato Garden
Your tomatoes will fare better if you are more intentional about choosing their planting area. Whether your tomato will grow in a garden bed or container, ensure it’s in a location with 6 to 8 hours of daily direct sunlight.
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The location should have a soil that is fertile, well-drained, and sufficiently alkaline. Its pH should be between 5.8 to 7 for the best results.
You Can Start Indoors
Your tomato plant is resilient enough to start life outdoors. But buying transplants or starting your seeds indoors about six weeks before your area’s average last frost date is an awesome idea.
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This will help your tomato produce much earlier than usual. You can transplant your seedlings more than once to help them grow bigger roots and become more healthy.
Preparing the Soil
Although the tomato plant isn’t very choosy, it performs better in the right environment. This includes a well-prepared soil. Their soil should be rich and easy to penetrate.
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In the fall, garnish the first few inches of the soil with organic manure such as banana peels, eggshells, and so on. Make sure the soil is warm enough before relocating your plants outdoors. To achieve this, cover them with black plastic during the winter season.
How to Plant Tomatoes
Remember to remove the plant’s lowest leaves when planting. Prepare 12-inch deep holes to cover the plant up to its leaves. This way, you are anchoring your plant more firmly into the ground and creating conditions for more roots to form.
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More roots is great news for your plant as deeper and more robust roots help the tomato plant gain higher resistance against wind, diseases, drought, and pests.
Get Your Spacing Right
When planting tomatoes, more space between plants means better air circulation and healthier plants. So, getting the right spacing is crucial to the well-being of the plant.
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At the least, your plants should be 18-24 inches apart, especially for bush tomatoes. Space them 36 to 48 inches apart if you are planting larger varieties. The indeterminate variety which keeps growing until there is a frost will require up to 48 inches.
Tomato Needs Support
Just as babies need a helping hand at that stage of their lives, so does the young tomato plant. Tomatoes start well, growing vertically from the beginning. But when there is no support, they begin to bend over and grow horizontally.
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Horizontal growth means more leaves and less fruit. You can prevent this by supporting the plant with wireframes and tomato cages.
Ensure Access to Sufficient Water
As strong and resilient as the tomato plant is, it needs a regular supply of water to thrive. Plus, there is a special way to water tomatoes — deeply and at long intervals.
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This way, their nutrients deep in the soil will not be affected if the surface soil dries up. Water them slowly and be consistent with them. Prepare them for the day’s heat by watering in the morning.
Fertilizers are Important
Fertilizers are very much needed for that extra boost. But knowing when to apply them is also important. Tomatoes appreciate fertilizers at two crucial stages of their cultivation.
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The first is immediately after you’ve planted them and the second is right before the fruits begin to form. Try out different fertilizers such as Nitrogen, Potassium, and phosphorus to know which one is the best fit.
Pruning Too
Pruning is one of the most important but widely ignored practices in growing tomatoes. Once the first tomatoes begin to emerge, remove all the leaves below it. Then tie the plant to a support for a brief period.
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This practice helps the plant to focus its development on producing fruits rather than on unproductive branches. Pruning is usually required periodically so watch out for when another need arises.
Harvest at the Right Time
Observe your tomato fruits to know when their full colors have emerged and when they’ve become firm. That’s the right time to pluck them. But if you harvest green but mature tomatoes, they can ripen indoors.
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Just ensure that you pluck the greenest ones before a hard frost. Also, remove any rotten tomatoes from the plant so they don’t affect the healthy ones. They are all yours to enjoy.
