Everyone loves tomatoes, and with good reason! They taste great in everything from salads to sandwiches to stir-fries to salsas, and they also boast plenty of health benefits like vitamin C and antioxidants. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most finicky plants in the garden, which can make growing them seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before! That’s why we’ve put together this list of 10 ways to grow tomatoes easily so that you can enjoy those tasty red fruits throughout the year!
1) Choose the right spot
Though tomato plants are relatively hardy, you’ll want to make sure they get enough sunlight. If you can, place them in a spot that receives six hours of sun per day. But if you don’t have that kind of exposure, it will be okay just make sure your plants aren’t getting more shade than sunlight. You also want soil that drains well, as tomatoes do not like wet feet (or roots!). If your soil is heavy and contains a lot of clay, add compost or peat moss. Be wary if you live in an area where it is humid; tomatoes love dry air! Sprinkle grass clippings around base of plant to help with drainage and reduce humidity if necessary.
2) Build a good support structure
Before planting your tomatoes, make sure you’ve made preparations that will protect them over the course of their lifetimes. You should surround them with organic mulch so they won’t have to compete with weeds for nutrients and water; that way, they can be strong and healthy even in less-than-ideal conditions. In addition, build a supporting structure around your plants at least six inches high; if animals try and climb your fences for a snack, it will dissuade them from getting into your garden. The fencing is also useful as a trellis you can attach it to stakes driven into each plant’s container or cage and it provides support without blocking too much of their sunlight.
3) Get your seedlings started
There are many ways to start seeds and you may already have a preferred method. If not, a classic way is to poke holes in two plastic cups, one that fits inside of another. Fill both with potting soil and water thoroughly until moist. Remove any leaves from your tomato seedlings and place them into one of these cups. Gently press down around each seedling and soak with water again until wet through (this will keep your seeds from drying out). Add more potting soil if needed or move your seedlings up as they grow so they remain covered by soil. Set both cups onto a heat mat under fluorescent lights on a regular cycle, checking daily for moisture levels.
4) Properly prepare your soil
The key to growing a great tomato plant is quality soil. You can’t just throw a plant in any old dirt and expect it to thrive. If you want your tomato plants and all of your crops to grow as healthily as possible, you need good quality soil. It needs nutrients, drainage, water retention and more. Before planting anything in your garden or farm, test your soil for optimal levels of minerals and nutrients needed for growing tomatoes in that area. The pH level should be between 6.5 and 7 (check with local gardening experts) since tomatoes like an acidic environment that doesn’t promote fungus growth in their roots. Add amendments such as manure or compost before planting seeds so there are plenty of nutrients available once they take root.
5) Feed your tomatoes proper nutrients
This might sound like an odd tip, but tomatoes are particular about their food. Make sure they get everything they need by following a balanced diet. Give them a mixture of nutrients with equal parts of nitrogen (from water-soluble fertilizers), potassium (from water-soluble fertilizers) and phosphorus (from a dry fertilizer). If you’re growing your tomato plants in containers, choose slow-release fertilizer pellets that release at consistent levels over time; otherwise, overfeeding will lead to yellow leaves and blossom end rot. Follow instructions on packages for proper dosage.
6) Plant them at the right time
When it comes to tomatoes, timing is everything. They take several weeks from seed to harvest, so if you plant them too early, they won’t grow big enough for a good crop before frost strikes. On the other hand, if you plant them too late (hello fall!), you could be in for a disappointing crop or none at all. Learn your climate zone and find out when your area typically has its first killing frost of autumn; aim to have plants ready to go in those final few weeks when temperatures remain warm, but soil has cooled down. Choose high-quality seeds: Planting seeds that are 10 years old or older is not recommended because they may not germinate as well or produce viable plants with disease resistance comparable to newer ones.
7) Learn how to identify and care for common tomato problems
For example, watering your tomato plant properly will help prevent blossom end rot. Blossom end rot is a common problem that causes tomatoes to become misshapen and inedible at their blossom ends. Although blossom end rot is not lethal, it does leave a bad taste in many people’s mouths. To avoid blossom end rot in tomatoes, you need to avoid overwatering them by letting your soil dry out between watering. Be careful when watering; too much water can cause blossom end rot as well as too little. By following some basic guidelines, you can ensure a bountiful crop of tomatoes every year from your garden or from your local grocery store!
8) Use organic pest control methods whenever possible
Try spraying your plants with insecticidal soap or Neem oil (naturally derived from seeds). Both of these products are very effective at killing pests, but they’re not harsh on beneficial insects or humans. You can also try some homemade remedies like garlic spray. Garlic is a known repellent for many common garden pests including tomato hornworms, aphids, and cabbage loopers. Simply mince a clove of garlic and mix it with water in a spray bottle. Apply it every few days as needed until infestation subsides (make sure you reapply after rain). Finally, remove any weeds in your garden area; they’re a common breeding ground for harmful insects like slugs and snails.
9) Don’t forget about watering them
As tomatoes grow, they absorb water from their soil. So, make sure you don’t forget to water them. When plants are deprived of water, their growth will be stunted, and they won’t bear fruit. Try timing your watering schedule around your plant’s transplant date and keep a log of when you last watered so you know how long it takes for its soil to dry out completely. An easy way to water is with drip irrigation it minimizes evaporation and delivers uniform moisture directly to your plants’ roots as they need it.
10) Harvesting tomatoes means success!
The hard part is over. The seeds have germinated, they’ve been tended carefully, they’ve sprouted, and now it’s time for them to grow into healthy tomato plants. Harvesting your tomatoes means success! However, if you do not pick your tomatoes at just the right time you could end up with no harvest at all (or a bad one). To get a good harvest of tomatoes it is important that you understand when to harvest your plants and how to tell if they are ready for harvesting. Also, a little-known fact about harvesting your plants are that some parts of their bodies can be toxic so make sure you know what parts should never be eaten or handled by humans.
HERE ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS OF TOMATOES
Tomato is a rich source of Vitamin A, B1, B2, B3, C and E. It is also good for skin care. If you use tomato juice on your face every day before going to bed it will remove your wrinkles and dark spots. Tomato is anti-aging product as well. It prevents our body from getting diseases like blood pressure and heart attack by lowering down high cholesterol level in our body. So please drink tomato juice daily if you want long life without any disease.
CONCLUSION
Growing a tomato plant can be a rewarding experience, both in terms of taste and health. If you have access to a large enough plot of land or have extra space in your home, growing tomatoes is well worth your time. It might take some work on your part at first, but once you’ve learned how to grow tomatoes from seeds or cuttings and establish a schedule for watering and pruning, it will be smooth sailing from there on out. Before long, you’ll have delicious tomatoes for eating fresh or canning for later use.
