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Revision as of 10:18, 2 May 2006

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Water gently but thoroughly and erect your tomato supports. Be sure they are well secured, because  your plants will grow large and heavy with fruit, so you will need strong support for the branches.{{clr}}

Water gently but thoroughly and erect your tomato supports. Be sure they are well secured, because  your plants will grow large and heavy with fruit, so you will need strong support for the branches.{{clr}}

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==Growing methods==

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There are three cultural systems for growing garden tomatoes. They include; untrained and sprawling, staked and tied, and caged. Each system has it's advantages and disadvantages. Choose the system that works best in your garden situation.

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Tomatoes can be allowed to sprawl on the ground. The advantage to this method is that the tomatoes are more productive. Yields can be as high as 25 pounds of tomatoes per bush. The fruit are not particularly large, but they are numerous. 

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When tomatoes are allowed to sprawl, a mulch must be placed over the soil underneath plants. This prevents the fruit from laying directly on the soil where it is exposed to insects and soil fungi. Straw mulch is best for tomatoes. It is soft, light and airy; keeping the fruit cushioned and dry. Straw bales can be purchased at local feed stores. A bale goes a long way, so if you have just a few tomato plants most feed stores will sell you a smaller amount of loose straw. Bring your own bag(s) to fill up. Straw is great for mulching other summer vegetables too.

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Letting your tomatoes sprawl has it's drawbacks. For instance, they take up lots of garden space; maybe more than you have to spare. Tomatoes grown in a sprawling fashion are more directly exposed to the mid-day sun. This can cause tomatoes to become sunburnt. The fruit most exposed to direct sunlight will develop a large, buff-colored blotch. A rot may then develop in this damaged portion of the fruit.

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Tomatoes can also be trained by staking and tying. Place the stake in the ground at the time of planting or shortly after so as not to do damage the roots. The stake should be located within a few inches of the main stem. Use a stake large enough and tall enough to support the weight and height of your plants. Tomatoes can grow up to five feet tall and three feet wide. Large wooden poles of the kind used for staking young trees also work very well for supporting tomatoes.

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Tie the main stem of the tomato to the stake using soft cord or stretchable plastic plant ties.  To prevent the stem from being held tightly against the stake, loop the tie around the stem. Then tie it on the stake providing some slack in the line.

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The great advantage to staking tomatoes is conservation of space. Fruits are larger and easier to pick, however, the number of fruit and total yield is smaller than with sprawling or caging. Staking works best on vining types of tomatoes.

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Growing tomatoes in cages may be the best compromise between letting your plants run free or staking them tightly. Most varieties are suitable for caging. Yields are nearly as great as if plants are allowed to sprawl and fruit ripens the best in hot weather.

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You can make your own tomato cage by forming a piece of concrete reinforcing wire or wide-mesh fencing into a cylinder about 3 feet wide. Taller cages will require a stakes or a post for support.

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Regardless of the type of growing system you incorporate, always mulch under your tomato plants. Mulching keeps the soil cooler and helps hold in moisture. This helps to prevent fruit cracking and blossom-end-rot by keeping soil moisture levels even. Organic mulches such as straw and bagged or home compost work best.

==Grow Tomatoes Like Never Before==

==Grow Tomatoes Like Never Before==

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 * Days to germinate: 6-8
 * Sow indoors: 6-7 weeks before last frost
-* Sow outdoors: Not recommended due to the short growing season.
+* Sow outdoors: Not recommended for the indeterminates (vine) types due to the short growing season, use determinates (bush)
 * Plant outdoors: After all danger of frost has past

Tomato - Revision history

Mikeb at 10:18, 2 May 2006

Mikeb at 16:14, 15 March 2006