The Best Soil for Growing Tomatoes

Tomatoes grow best in soil that is rich in organic matter. They are heavy feeders, and really soak up nutrients. Tomatoes grown in rich organic soil that is soft and in good condition will be able to grow extremely healthy root systems that spread over a wide, deep area. This is important because tomato plants need lots of water during fruit production time. Tomato plants are easily stressed during fruit production times, and without enough water, tomatoes will be small and of poor quality. Providing water is not enough in itself; the plants must have well-developed roots to make use of the nutrients in the water.

The pH level determines how efficiently tomatoes can absorb nutrients from the soil. Tomatoes grow best in soil that is neutral or a little on the acidic side, about pH 6.5 or 7. If you are serious about improving your soil for specific plants, get a soil test kit so you know for certain what changes you should make. If you are using chemical fertilizer, retest until the level is correct. For organic gardeners, if you have been adding compost and organic matter to your garden for several growing seasons, you can probably follow some general soil maintenance guidelines. In general, you should add compost, well aged manure or both to your tomato area in very early spring. Work it in to the planting area two feet deep and about three feet in diameter for each plant. Healthy tomato root systems should spread this far. Tomatoes respond to compost that contains eggshells, or you can add ground oyster shells (chicken feed supplement) for the calcium.