, Author at PlumpTomatoes.info

Our Guide to Growing Tomatoes Indoors

Tomatoes are very versatile plants. Not only are they very good for any meal, these plants also grow in any area regardless of their topographic condition. This is one good thing about the tomato plant. They are not just good to eat but are also very easy to grow. These plants grow very well outdoors but at the same time grow well indoors. Caring for these fruits is not burdensome that you’ll definitely enjoy your planting and growing.

But true to the fact, tomatoes naturally grow outside our gardens. This means that caring for the tomatoes that are grown inside your home requires proper attention. Like all the rest of the plants, your tomatoes would need soil, water, light and nutrients. And as a responsible gardener, it is your duty to give to your plant what they need. It is actually very easy to grow your freshest tomatoes as long as you have the right means to have the end that you want to attain.

You can actually begin with seeds, but making use of seedlings would definitely make your life a lot easier. However, if you prefer to use seeds, you simply have to work things earlier since they are still to be germinated.

Growing Tomatoes – Knowing the Basics For a Great Harvest

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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.

Heirloom or Heritage Tomatoes

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Heirloom Tomatoes, also known as Heritage Tomatoes, are known for their many different varieties. Each tomato encompassed in the Heirloom tomato family has its own unique taste, appearance and shape. Such differences are caused by mutations, intentional or not, within the Heirloom Tomato Seeds.

Although this family of tomatoes still uses the name “Heirloom” because they are said to have been passed down through the family, this is no longer the case. The varieties of seeds that are passed down through the generations are referred to as Family Heirlooms, whereas the other types have different names. The name Created Heirlooms refers to varieties that are made by cross-pollinating two different types of Heirlooms.

Heirloom tomatoes seeds that are produced by companies, and have been in circulation for about 50 years are referred to as Commercial Heirlooms. Many of the Heirloom varieties are called Mystery Heirlooms. These Heirlooms get their name because no one is actually sure which two Heirloom seeds came together to create this specific tomato.

Tomato Plant Diseases – How to Win the Battle

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Wikipedia lists 59 various strains of disease for tomatoes. Not an incredibly large number considering the worldwide prevalence of the fruit but still concerning to the home gardener who doesn’t want any disease affecting his or her crop.

Fortunately there are a number of things that you can do to drastically reduce the chances of your plants suffering from disease and I will cover them in this article.

Research: The first thing that anyone should do when they start out growing tomatoes (or anything for that matter) is to consult local authorities about the plant. By authorities I mean people who have experience in growing the plant locally.

So go talk to people at your local market, nurseries and gardening fairs and see what they know. Find out what diseases, if any, are prevalent in the area and if there are some then plant a variety that is resistant to that disease.

Solutions To Growing Tomatoe Problems

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I know you can’t help it. You can never deny that homegrown tomatoes are certainly a top grosser. You love it and you want more of it. But the fresh tomatoes you have in your homes are not products of one day labor. To have a piece of the best, you need to work for it and you need to be very cautious of some problems that may be observed as your tomatoes grow. These problems may be caused by natural conditions while most are caused by diseases, viruses and pests. But hey, you don’t have to worry so much. These troubles are very easy to handle especially if you could handle them earlier.

Here are the signs that you should look for in able to avoid tomato growing problems. You need to observe if green patches are evident on your fruit. These green patches signals that your tomato plant is exposed too much to the sun. This will later lead to fruits that will turn yellow instead of red. Blossom end rot is another problem that you might encounter as you grow your tomatoes. This is the condition wherein the fruit rots down. This disease occurs because of the lack of calcium or if there is an irregular water intake on your plant. Early signs of blossom end rot are the black spots that are formed on the bottom of your tomato’s blossom (just like how it is named).

The most common symptom for tomato plant infection is actually checked through the observation of the leaves of the plant. If the leaves that are found at the lowest part of the stem bows down and when there are brown stripes formed at the midribs, that means the plant may soon suffer from Bacterial Canker. If there are black spots on leaves specially the old ones, this is a symptom of Early Blight. This later on will continue until it includes the stems and even the fruits.

Defeating Plant Diseases the Organic Way

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All kinds of plants, from mighty oaks to dainty annual flowers, are susceptible to the bacteria, fungi, and viruses that cause plant diseases. But that doesn’t mean that you’re doomed to diseased plants. You have lots of solutions, from disease-prevention planting plans to homemade remedies that can help you keep your vegetables, flowers, lawn, trees, and shrubs healthy.

Prevention is the best defense. It’s easier to keep your plants disease-free than to try to cure them once they’re infected. The best way to ensure your plants’ health is to provide a healthy, fast-draining soil and appropriate growing conditions. Organic matter is the key to soil health and good drainage, so make sure that your soil has plenty.

The right plants can make disease prevention much easier. Choose disease resistant varieties whenever possible and match plants to the conditions in your garden.