Growing TomatoesWant to try your hand at growing tomatoes? For any beginner gardener this is a good way to introduce yourself to vegetable gardening as well as the joy it offers to see your first tomato grow and ripen ready to eat. Growing tomatoes is relatively easy and the end result is worth the effort. I think you will agree with me that at the end of the tomato season, you will be motivated to expand your garden experience and perhaps try growing cucumbers, peas, beans, peppers, squash or any other of your favorite vegetables next year. Let's quickly cover the steps we need to take to get your tomato garden off to a good start. . What kind of tomatoes do you want to grow? . Will they grow in your planting zone? . Do you have the correct soil and fertilizer? . Do you know the watering requirements for your tomatoes? What Kind of Tomatoes do You Want to Grow?Determinate or Indeterminate Determinate- Also called "bush tomatoes" grow to a fixed size from two to four feet in height. When fully matured they produce fruit at the end of the stem that ripens usually within two weeks. After this initial crop yeild, most if not all fruit production will end and the plant will die off. If homemade tomato sauce is your passion, then growing determinate tomatoes is definitely worth considering as they produce a large amount of tomatoes all at one time.In some cases you may have to stake the tomatoes to support their weight and to prevent them from touching the ground. Other than preparing the soil with good fertilizer and watering on a regular basis very little work is required on your part. Just stand back and let the plant flourish.
Indeterminate- Are also called vining plants, and should be supported by a tripod, tomato cage, or other form of support to allow them to climb. These plants are the most popular grown by vegetable gardeners because they offer a large variety of tomato choices such as Big Boy, Brandywine, cheery tomatoes and most heirlooms. You can check with your local nursery advisor for information on other varieties of indeterminate tomatoes. Beginner Garden Planting Tip- Determinate plants require no pruning and produce fruit at the end of the stem one time only. Indeterminate plants produce fruit along the stem and produce tomatoes throughout the growing season usually until frost. Growing Tomatoes Garden Tip- Wait until day time ground temperature reach at least sixty-five degrees and night time temperatures no colder than fifty degrees before planting tomatoes. Growing Tomato Planting ZoneAs with any vegetable, climate conditions play an important part in the success of growing tomatoes. While some tomato varieties will grow in one area of the country, they may not do so well or even grow at all in another part of the country. Therefore, it is important to know your tomato growing zone and choose the best suited tomatoes for your growing condition. You can check with a garden nursery advisor, or click on our link growing tomatoes which will take you to the USDA hardiness zone to find more information about your area.Vegetable Garden Tip- When buying tomato seeds look on the package for your zone. Soil PreparationAlthough there are several factors to be considered in growing an abundant and healthy tomato crop, having good soil that is properly fertilized should definitely be at the top of the list.The traditional way to garden is directly in the ground. If your area is blessed with rich soil and you only need to add fertilizer then by all means consider this approach. Another gardening method that is quite popular and quickly becoming a current trend is growing tomatoes in a raised bed vegetable garden, and after years of traditional gardening I have found this method superior for the following reasons. . The bed is raised, and I don't have to bend as much saving wear and tear on my back and knees. . A raised bed vegetable garden is isolated from the ground, which greatly reduces pest problems and garden weeds. . You control the soil quality because you select what goes in after the raised bed is built. . You can easily tend your plants by sitting on the edge of the raised bed vegetable garden. Other advantages come to mind, but if you're like me, these reasons alone are more than enough to consider trying a raised bed garden if you already haven't done so. If you are interested in knowing more about raised bed vegetable gardening, click on our link raised bed vegetable garden which will take you to our article on this subject. FertilizerWhether you are a traditional gardener or plant vegetables in a raised bed garden, the importance of using a good fertilizer cannot be overstated.Traditional gardening is fairly straightforward if you have good soil. You only have to mix the fertilizer into the soil and then plant and water when necessary. Of course you have pest and weeds to deal with but that's another story Vegetable Garden Tip- You can use the same type of fertilizer for traditional gardening or raised bed gardening, just make sure the soil PH level is suitable for growing tomatoes or any other vegetable. Most garden centers sell a kit to check your soil PH level, or you can take a sample from your garden and have it tested. . If this is the year you opt to grow in a raised bed, fill the bottom portion of the bed with good garden soil to just under the midway point, then fill most of the remaining half with organic compost and top off with vermiculite to retain moisture for your plants. Before you plant any vegetables, mix your fertilizer into the top six to eight inches of soil, smooth or level the surface and slowly deep water the soil. Let the soil dry and settle before you plant any vegetables then again water the soil.
If you are interested in learning how to make your own compost, click on our link making compost . Commercial fertilizer is also available in organic or chemical form and can be purchased at any nursery garden, Home Depot or Lowes garden center. My advice is to purchase organic fertilizer such as blood meal or steer manure which is loaded with all the nutrients your plant need. Chemical fertilizer on the other hand is a little more complicated as it comes in a variety of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mix. For more information on using chemical fertilizer, click on our link vegetable fertilizer Another tip on growing tomatoes- If manure odor is a problem, you can also purchase steer manure which has been de-odorized. The Right Spot to Plant When Growing TomatoesTomatoes need at least six hours of sunlight every day; therefore where you plant your tomatoes is important. If you're not sure where to plant, observe the arc of the sun throughout the day to find an area that receives at least six hours of sunlight.Watering Your TomatoesTomatoes need water more so than any other vegetable and therefore require constant attention especially when the summer days get very hot. To avoid stress to your tomato plants it is important to water on a regular basis. If you already haven't done so, purchase a moisture meter as it is designed to tell you if the soil is too dry or too wet. They are not expensive and can be purchased at any garden center.Vegetable Garden Tip- Add mulch such as pine straw or bark chips to the top of your soil, or mix vermiculite in the top layer to prevent moisture from escaping. Growing tomatoes is lots of fun and if you follow these simple procedures, you will harvest tomatoes that are juicy and tasty that will put store bought tomatoes to shame. If you like to learn more about growing tomatoes, click on our link pruning tomatoes for more information on how to prune your tomato plants. Now that you know how to grow great looking and tasty tomato plants, and for them to be truly successful, we have written an informative article on how to support your plants and show you a variety of ways to do this.
To read this article and see pictures of types of tomato plant support structures, click on the link tomato cage
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| Beginner Gardening Growing Vegetables Confused and don't know where to start? Beginner Gardening will take the mystery out of planting your first vegetable garden |
| Planning a Vegetable Garden Tips and Suggestions Planning a vegetable garden step by step instructions. Get the answers you need to be a successful gardener. |
| Raised Bed Vegetable Garden Do you have limited space to grow vegetables? A raised bed vegetable garden will solve this problem. You can grow healthy and tasty vegetables with less garden work than traditional garden planting. |
| Vertical Gardening Do you love gardening but have limited space or live in an apartment or townhouse? Then Vertical Gardening may be your answer. It's fun and it's easy to grow your own vegetable plants. |
| Making Compost Making Compost is easy and anyone can do it. Follow our easy to-to-do instructions and you will have excellent organic fertilizer for your vegetables. |
| Vegetable Seeds Why not grow your own seedlings from vegetable seeds you collect from last year's gardening.This article explains how to store seeds and when to plant them. It's fun and it's easy. |
| Garden Weeds Want to know how to kill garden weeds? This article covers several options both organic and chemical that you can use to destroy garden weeds |
| Growing Tomatoes Learn how to grow tomatoes that are tasty and delicious. If you are a beginner gardener growing tomatoes is not difficult and a great way to gain gardening experience |
| Vegetable Garden Tips Avoid making some of the most common garden mistakes when planting your vegetable garden. Here is a collection of handy vegetable garden tips you can use to grow a successful vegetable garden. |
| Vegetable Fertilizer What is the best vegetable fertilizer for your garden? Is it organic fertilizer or chemical fertilizer? Read on as we explain the pros and cons of both. |
| Growing Vegetables Growing vegetables can sometimes be a daunting task and frustrating when you see your plants wither and die.This article will address most of the potential problems your vegetable plants may encounter |
| Growing a Vegetable Garden Have an article you would like to write on growing a vegetable garden? Our beginner gardeners need your help.You can submit any article to do with gardening |
| Feedback about our Site Planning a Successful Vegetable Garden If you love gardening and especially if your are a beginner gardener your feedback is important to help us better develop our site for you the gardener. Please tell us what you think of our site. |
| Vegetable Garden Pests Do you know what kind of vegetable garden pests are lurking in your vegetable garden? Learn how to recognize the good insects from the bad ones and what you can do to rid your garden of them. |
| Garden Pest Aphid Control Aphid control of your vegetable garden crops can sometimes seem never ending. This article explains the damage they do to your vegetables and what you can do to protect your crops. |
| Garden Plant Pest Caterpillar Are caterpillars classified as a plant pest? Read more about why vegetable gardeners are not happy to have them in their vegetable garden. |
| Information about Ladybugs The ladybug beetle helps protect your vegetable plants from invading harmful pests. This article gives you information about ladybugs and why they are so important to your vegetable crops. |
| Beneficial Garden Insects Lacewing Find out why beneficial garden insects like the lacewingfly are your plants best friends and how they protect your crops from invading pests. |
| Praying Mantids Praying Mantids or also called Praying Mantis is one of many beneficial garden insects you should have in your vegetable garden. Find out why Praying Mantids are a vegetable gardeners friend. |
