Just dropping in for a quick list of successful tomato tips.
- DETERMINATE tomato plants produce a heavier yield at one time and are best for canning.
- INDETERMINATE tomatoes bear fruit throughout the summer and tend to sprawl. Best for continual eating enjoyment.
- Transplant tomatoes when all danger of frost is past. Put in well drained soil, and mix in some humus or compost if needed.
- Putting plastic jugs over the plants creates a greenhouse effect and can help them grow faster. Just keep an eye on daytime temperatures.
- Transplant on a cool evening to prevent wilt and transplant shock. Space plants two feet apart in rows three feet apart.
- Snip off bottom leaves and plant DEEP. Leave about 4-6 inches of crown above the ground with the leaves on. The plant shoots roots from the entire stem underground, developing a better system.
- “Mud in” your new tomatoes. Dig the hole three times larger than the root ball, place the plant in, and fill halfway up with water. Then carefully pack dirt around the plant.
- Always “side dress” your new tomatoes. Make a ring around the plant about one foot away, sprinkle 10-10-10 garden fertilizer in the ring, and water well. READ THE DIRECTIONS on all fertilizers so you don’t burn your plants.
- Keep the plants watered according to weather conditions. Don’t overwater, as this results in poor aeration and stem rot. Mulch if desired.
- Keep the area weed free, but don’t hoe too close to the plant. This breaks off the roots that supply water to the fruit.
- Before they start setting fruit, dust the plants about every ten days with a good combination insecticide and fungicide. Do this before they show symptoms, because it’s difficult to stop blight once it’s started. If blight does infest your plants, DO NOT plant tomatoes in the same area the next year.
- Two common problems with tomato plants are “leaf roll” and “white shoulders.” Leaf roll is caused by too much fertilizer or herbicide spray. White shoulders appear on the tomatoes and are caused by extremely high temperatures.
- Plants may be allowed to sprawl over the ground, but they produce better fruit if tied to stakes at least four feet tall. All indeterminate plants should be staked.
- Before first frost, pull up your tomatoes and hang them upside down in a protected place. Many of the green tomatoes will ripen. Keep dry or mold will occur.
These tips will keep your tomato plants happy, and you happy, all summer long.