How to Grow Tomatoes Successfully

Roma tomatoes growing in a container
Image by DianthusMoon via Flickr

Tomatoes are by far the most popularly homegrown vegetable.  Well, the truth is, it is not a vegetable but a fruit, but for the sake of the comparison it has been termed a vegetable.

Growing tomatoes is basically quite easy, but it is watching those pests and blights that cause the most problems.  In the home environment it is quite easy to have organically grown tomatoes and this style of growing is gaining popularity all the time.

There are over 7,500 varieties of tomatoes, but don’t be overwhelmed by that as many would not suit your personal uses anyway.

When looking for some varieties to grow firstly consider:

•    the climate that you live in
•    the time you have to maintain your plants
•    how much fruit you want to harvest
•     whether you want tall plants or smaller plants

Considering each of these pointers will shortlist the varieties for you to choose from.

Tomatoes need the outdoor temperature to be between 65 to 85°F during the day and no cooler than 60°F at night.  In most places this means that it is into the end of the first month of summer to plant the seedlings.

When planting the seedlings into the ground they need to be placed 12 to 18 inches apart so that they are not crowded and are getting intertwined with each other.  If some of the larger varieties of plants have been chosen, the gap in between may even need to be as much as 36 inches.

If planting into containers, use one large container for the larger plants, but if the smaller dwarf varieties are going to be grown, it is possible to set 2 or three in a large pot.

Supporting tomato plants.

The reason for supporting the plants is because it is imperative that the leaves and fruit are up off the ground or they will be disease ridden and be ruined by pests.  As well as that, when they are up and supported, the tomatoes have a much better chance of ripening properly.

The taller varieties are going to need support from the moment they are about 8 inches high.  Leaves on the young plants grow quite fast so it is advisable to gently support the tomato stem as early as possible.   When the plants are initially chosen it is advisable to also decide on the style of support that is intended for them.  Is it going to be:

•    A trellis
•    A stake
•    A teepee
•    A cage

Maintaining tomato plants.

Tomato plants love and do require a minimum of 6 hours sunshine a day and they need to have a constant supply of water, about 1 inch per week.

Plants can be pruned, but it is best not to be too vicious with this.  Tomatoes do bet burnt with too much sunlight on the fruit so make sure that the upper leaves are left to shade the fruit.   It is quite a good idea to trim the leaves up to the first branches.  Trimming suckers that grow in the joint of the branches helps keep the plant sending vital nutrients to the fruit.

Harvesting the fruit from your own plants is a fantastic experience and one to be shared by the family.  There is no sweeter taste than fruit that is grown by your own hand.

Do read our other articles on the various aspects of growing tomatoes as they cover in more detail other information of interest.

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