Tomato 101

Sunlight and Soil Conditions

Most tomato plants require full sun for proper growth. For northern regions, we recommend at least 6 hours of direct sunlight. In southern areas light shade is welcome. Your tomato plants will grow best with a soil pH between 6.2 and 6.8.

Growing Tomatoes from Seeds

Most times tomatoes planted from seed are started indoors. Plant the seeds 6 – 8 weeks before the last expected spring frost. Since a single plant can produce 200 tomatoes, only a handful of mature plants are likely needed. We recommend recycling a corrugated egg carton (empty, of course!). Remove the lid and cut-out individual egg cups to create planting cups. Place the cups in a shallow water-proof tray and add planting soil and fertilizer to each cup. Mix a slow-release plant food with the soil but go easy as a little will go a long way. The soil should fill half the cup. Sow 2 – 3 seeds per cup and cover with perhaps a ¼ inch of soil. At time of planting make sure the soil is damp but not saturated. Thereafter, watering the whole tray will let the moisture wick through the egg carton to the soil. Adding water 2x per day may be necessary for the first few days. Place the tray in a window where seeds can get 8+ hours of sunlight per day. A temperature of around 70 degrees is recommended.

Tomatoes started in egg planting cups will need to be replanted once they reach 4 inches tall. The plants are fragile so be careful when removing them from the egg cup. Place them in a new cup (something about the size of a drinking cup will do). We prefer a plastic cup since it tolerates water and can be reused. Make some holes in the bottom before filling it 2/3rd with soil. Carefully insert the seedling into its new home. Don’t be afraid to position a bit of the stem (just a tad!) below the top of the soil to maximize root development. Pinch-off any flowers – setting fruit now will retard the plant’s potential. Oh, and don’t forget to water – gently!

One more piece of advice: retain the seed packet in a safe place. It has information that will be useful to you throughout the tomato growing cycle.

Here’s a link for information on common seed-starting mistakes.

Replanting Tomato Seedlings

Seedlings are ready to transplant when 10 – 12 inches tall. The soil in the receiving area must be warm and the danger of frost must be past. If you are in a hurry (and who isn’t?), transplant tomatoes in a raised bed or large container where the soil temperature climbs more quickly. Use this calendar for the best time to plant tomatoes in your area.

We suggest ‘hardening’ the transplants by placing them outdoors in the shade for a few hours each day before transplanting. Let them gradually acclimate to being outside in the wind and variable temperatures. During the outdoor ‘hardening’ process the seedlings will require more water due to the increased rate of evaporation.

Whether transplanting tomato seedlings in a bed or a container prep the soil by digging one foot deep into the ground and mix in compost and a slow-release plant food, preferably one that feeds 4 – 6 months (the likely length of the growing season). Avoid using unaged manure – it has too much nitrogen and can ‘chemically’ burn the seedling.

Once ready to plant be sure vine supports (stakes or cages) are inserted in the soil at the time of planting. Introducing them later may damage the plant’s roots.

In Ground: Position seedlings two feet apart for smaller varieties and three to four feet apart for larger varieties. Consult the seed packets for plant size information. Place the plants where they will receive 8 hours of direct sunlight. Also, keep them out-of-the-wind. When making the transfer, tease the roots apart (carefully!) and then position so that the first set of branches is at the surface of the soil base. This will ensure further development of the roots. Strong roots are a must. At maturity, a tomato plant’s roots will be as deep at the plant is tall. Once in place, water the new transplants liberally to ensure contact with the roots.

Container: For tomato plants to be grown in containers, you’ll need a large pot with drainage holes and loose well draining soil. Consult the seed packet for height of plant at maturity. The container needs to be able to accommodate root development that mirrors the eventual height of the plant. See in-ground directions above for details about placing the pot in a sunny area and for instructions on inserting the seedling into its final home. Keep plants moist because containers dry out faster than plants in the ground.

Maintenance

• Water generously in the plant’s early days, then 2 inches per week, preferably in the morning.
• Tomatoes in containers should be watered at least twice per week.
• Mulch five weeks post transplanting to help the soil to retain moisture.
• If a slow-release plant food such as Osmocote® Flower & Vegetable Plant Food was used at time of transplanting, no further feeding is required.

Flowering & Production

• Tomato plants often drop the first flower cluster – do not be alarmed.
• Osmocote® Flower & Vegetable has a balanced formula (NPK = 14-14-14). That means it provides the phosphorus needed to produce blossoms (and fruit).
• If such a plant food was not applied at the beginning, look for a high-phosphorus fertilizer and use it.
• Selectively removing some of the tomato plant’s growth may improve flowering and production.
• If plants are flowering but not producing fruit, the problem may be lack of sunlight. If the plant is in a container, try moving it to a new location.

Harvesting

• Pick your tomato once it is firm and the desired color.
• If a tomato falls before ripe, put it in a paper bag in a cool, dark place
• Do NOT refrigerate! It effects flavor and texture.

Troubleshooting

• Keep vines staked! Do not let tomatoes touch the ground.
• Harvest promptly – once ripe, tomatoes will rot even while attached to the vine.
• Remove unhealthy leaves promptly (avoids spread of disease).
• Watch for pests.
• Extend life at the end of season by pruning withered branches.
• For disease prevention, practice crop rotation each year.