Growing tomato plants is an interesting, and enjoyable hobby for many as they can be grown quite effortlessly. The main effort of growing tomatoes goes into caring for them. Many people are of the impression that the tomato is a fruit and not a vegetable. Well, it is just the opposite.
There can be many varieties of tomatoes. They differ with respect to their harvest time, flavor, size, shape and color. Given below are some important factors to keep in mind before growing tomato plants.
Choose the Best Location and Time
Tomatoes thrive in a sunny environment. Each tomato plant should get a minimum of 6 hours of sunlight everyday. Read the guidelines on the seed packaging or the plant tag to get an idea of how far the seeds should be placed from each other so that the plants can grow to their fullest potential. Do not start growing tomato in the freezing winter as that would surely damage your plants. Early spring is a perfect time for growth.
What about the nutrient and water intake?
Tomato plants need water in enormous quantities. So make sure that you water them often. Do not keep them dry for a very long time and then flood them with water. If you are growing tomato plants in containers, water them once every couple of days. You can develop a home made drip water system to water your plants regularly. This can be done by piercing the sides and bottoms of gallon milk jugs and then burying them in the soil close to the plants, with only their tops sticking out. Filling them up with water will regularize the water intake of your plants through the roots and help growing tomatoes.
To get tasty and fresh fruits from your tomato plants you need to provide them enough amounts of nutrients. Before growing them, apply compost or fertilizer to the soil to make it suitable. Occasionally, repeat the process. You can also place coffee grounds around the base of the plants. Additionally you should feed your plants liquid tomato fertilizer every 3 weeks. As your plants grow, you would need stakes to support them.
What is staking or caging your plants?
Staking is the process of giving support to a plant. As tomato stems are brittle, they help in supporting the plants as they grow and produce heavy fruit. Staking also helps to reduce moisture buildup by allowing free flow of air throughout their body. If tomatoes are left to grow on the ground, they may develop fungus which may impair growing tomato plants. To prevent this, various kinds of stakes and cages are available:
Stringing tomatoes or trellis staking:
This is good if you have a limited amount of space for your plantation.
Tomato cages:
The plants are expected to go up these cages but they do not provide enough support.
Wooden stakes:
Any size of garden is suitable for this, especially container gardens.
You should keep the surroundings of your plants clean by pruning dead leaves and branches and harvesting the crop when the fruits are ripe. I think the above information will be enough for you and your family to feast on tomatoes and enjoy the pleasures of+growing them. If you need any more help, you can look up information online or help books for that matter.
Randy L. Anderson is an tomato growing enthusiast. He offers a free 10 part mini course about growing and caring for tomato plants the easy way. Access you free mini course and more great information at [http://www.howtogrowtomatotips.com/]
Article Source: andy_L._Anderson
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