Tomatoes

[gmckee1985]

Any advice for someone trying to expand their garden to include tomatoes? Is there really a science to it or do you just kind of wing it and focus on keeping them watered and nourished? Whats the best time of year to plant tomatoes in your experience? I'm in the very beginning stages of gardening so I'd appreciate any advice.

 

[Chuck]

Any advice for someone trying to expand their garden to include tomatoes? Is there really a science to it or do you just kind of wing it and focus on keeping them watered and nourished? Whats the best time of year to plant tomatoes in your experience? I'm in the very beginning stages of gardening so I'd appreciate any advice.

Basically you just water and nourish them. The trick is how to water and nourish them. You plant tomatos as soon as you know the last frost of the year has come and gone. The secret to any sucessful garden is fertile soil and you can find all kinds of info on the Organic Forum on this website explaning how to water, fertlize, improve your soil and deal with any diseases and insects you might encounter

 

[gmckee1985]

Thanks for the reply, Chuck. Tomatoes seem to be pretty easy to grow and most of the people I've spoken to say it's an easy process. Just wanted to make sure. Most folks seem to have tomatoes in their garden. Seems to be a staple.

 

[Shawchert]

make sure they are on the north facing side of your garden, that way they won't steal all the sun. I had them stunt my poor squash plant this year because of my ignorance. (I had them on the south part.... blah I learned my lesson!)

 

[headfullofbees]

What I'd add, is that a lot depends on your climate; in some hot countries, they cut tomatoes down to the ground in the summer to avoid airborne diseases, and they give a second crop in autumn. (Indeterminate tomatoes are actually tender perennials (which means that they'll grow every year if conditions are right to get through the year, but cold will kill them) but they're grown as annuals because they are susceptible to so many diseases.
I'm surprised that Chuck doesn't grow them like this in Texas.

If you're in the UK and north of Birmingham, and grow your toms against a North facing wall, your chances of a good crop will be severely prejudiced.

 

[Chuck]

What I'd add, is that a lot depends on your climate; in some hot countries, they cut tomatoes down to the ground in the summer to avoid airborne diseases, and they give a second crop in autumn. (Indeterminate tomatoes are actually tender perennials (which means that they'll grow every year if conditions are right to get through the year, but cold will kill them) but they're grown as annuals because they are susceptible to so many diseases.
I'm surprised that Chuck doesn't grow them like this in Texas.

If you're in the UK and north of Birmingham, and grow your toms against a North facing wall, your chances of a good crop will be severely prejudiced.

I have tried it but here during the hot summer months spider mites are impossible to control. If I cut them down directly after harvest which is in July they will grow like crazy and so will the spider mites, but they will not set fruit until October anyway when it is supposed to cool down and our first frost is usually in late November. What folks do here for a fall crop of tomatoes is to plant seedlings about mid August to September and hope for a late frost. Fall tomatoes in this part of Texas is iffy at best. I usually try to keep a couple of cherry types growing until the first frost because they keep on setting fruit no matter how hot it gets but again the spider mites usually do them in before September.

 

[marlingardener]

Tomatoes aren't all that difficult--you just have to pay attention to them. We remove the lower two sets of leaves before transplanting sets into the garden. That allows planting deeper, which in Texas means there is a better chance of the plant getting more roots and more water.
We also mulch, a lot! That keeps the soil moisture more even, and the soil cooler in our hot summer. Tomatoes don't like to get dry, then drenched. The fruit will crack more easily with uneven watering.
Determinate tomatoes set fruit pretty much all at once, which makes them ideal for canning and freezing. Indeterminates put out fruit over a longer period of time, but not when it is too hot. We plant a semi-determinate variety called Celebrity, and get both a spring and fall crop. After the spring flush, we cut the plants back by 1/2 to 2/3, and just keep them watered and alive.
Tomatoes are also self-pollinating, so if you have a breeze, the pollen will distribute itself. If not, then give the plant a good shake.
If you fertilize, don't overdo the nitrogen. You want fruit, not 8' tall plants!