Tips for Tomato Growers

To grow great tomatoes there are some things to keep in mind. The soil should have a good amount of organic matter such as compost, completely rotted manure and sawdust in it and it should drain very well. Tilling the organic matter into the garden plot in the spring after the ground thaws is a good idea. The soil pH ought to be between 6.2 and 6.8. This can be tested by sending a sample of soil into your local extension office and if anything is lacking, they will give you advice as to what you can add.

Tomatoes like a lot of light, so plant them in the sunniest part of your garden where they won’t be shaded by any other plants. Warming the soil by putting black plastic where the transplants will go will help the tomato plants get a good start. Plant them deep. The best way is to dig a narrow trench about three inches deep and lay the transplant roots and stem in it, leaving only the top two inches of leaves above ground.
Fertilizing at the time of planting with a 5-10-5 fertilizer will give your tomato plants a good boost of nutrients to get the season off to a good start.

Mulching is a great way to keep weeds at bay and conserve moisture but it should be done after the soil has warmed up. There are various ways to mulch: you can lay three layers of newspaper around your tomato plants and then put organic matter on top of the paper, or you can work in chopped leaves, seed-free straw, or compost to about three inches deep. Watering your tomatoes earlier in the day is best, that way their leaves will dry before nightfall.