The Best Conditions For Growing Tomatoes

Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables grown by home gardeners. They were brought to the colonies from South America and people thought they were poisonous and were not good to eat. Tomatoes require warm weather to grow and bear fruit. The flowers are very sensitive to temperature changes especially at night. Tomatoes grow best in deep loamy soil with plenty of organic matter.

They prefer a slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.2 to 6.8. Fertilizer should be worked into the soil several weeks before transplanting the plants. When planning for tomatoes you must start them early inside or in a greenhouse. The soil should be kept damp, but not soggy. The plants will need to be hardened by taking them outside in late March so they become accustomed to the cold. You should plant two to three times the amount of seeds you want for a tomato garden.

Then when you plant them outside you only choose the hardiest ones. One way to keep a tomato plant happy is to keep the roots warm. They should be planted in full sun. By folding newspapers into a collar and placing around them they will stay warmer. Also large clear plastic bottles work well to protect the tender plants from March winds. A number of different pests and diseases will attack your tomato plants so prevention is the best way to have good tomatoes. Be sure you don't keep the soil too wet since that will encourage fungus growth.