Growing Great Tomatoes

Growing great tomatoes all depends on the soil. Some soils such as clay and sand can be improved by adding compost, peat moss, or some other organic matter in the top six to nine inches of the soil. Lime and fertilizer are good to add to the soil according to soil test recommendations. If no test has been done, add 3/4 cup lime and 1/2 cup fertilizer for each plant. Adding lime to the soil helps to keep nutrient balances and controls blossom end rot, which is where the blooms fall off of the plants and do not produce tomatoes.

If you plan to grow an organic garden, then there are a few different things to use for the soil. Do not use composted soil to start the plants. Instead of fertilizer, add a good grade of manure to the soil. The best manure to use is chicken or pigeon. Instead of adding lime to the soil, add crushed eggshells to prevent blossom end rot. The eggshells add the extra calcium and other minerals to the soil.

You should wait to plant until the soil is above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. One month after planting, when the soil has had a chance to warm up, apply a three to four inch layer of organic mulch on top of the soil. An example of this would be weed free straw. Be sure not to do this too soon, because it will keep the soil cool if you do. This will cause a slow harvest.