Growing Tomatoes

Of all the vegetable plants grown, tomatoes are the most popular. A person living in an apartment, with a balcony or patio, can grow them in containers. Someone living in a house can grow them in the ground in their garden. They are very versatile, popular and delicious and can be eaten so many ways.

To get started, the number one thing required is sun. Wherever they are grown, tomatoes require at least six hours or more of direct sunlight. The more hours, the better.

When choosing your plants, be sure to make sure that they are insect free. Choose plants that are grown in individual containers. It is not good to buy bare rooted plants in bundles. Those plants are under stress from drying out and will go through a transplant shock. We grow our plants in individual three inch size containers similar to the old peat pots. After choosing your plants, you now need to plant them.

If using a container to plant the tomatoes, make sure it is at least a seven gallon size. For soil, we recommend a soilless mix, such as ProMix. Do not use soil from the garden, as this will become hard in the container. You will also need a cage to hold the tomato plant upright. It will also receive optimum sunlight this way. Once planted, fertilize with a water soluble fertilizer every 10 days, such as Peter's general fertilizer. Water thoroughly when the soil begins to dry out. Do not let the plant dry to a point that the tomato production is harmed.

If you plant in the ground, the soil must be of good consistency to drain well and well supplied with organic matter. Use a well rounded general fertilizer such as 5-10-5. If you use too much nitrogen, then there will be excessive growth and fewer tomatoes. Work the fertilizer into the soil and then plant the tomatoes. Mulch the plants so that the soil will stay evenly moist. Never let tomatoes dry out completely and then water them. By having the soil uneven in moisture, sets up a disease called Blossom End rot.

Staking or caging your tomato plants will hold the vines off the ground, and the fruit will not rot or scar.

Soon after planting, it is best to start a disease and insect control program with a labeled fungicide and insecticide. Ask at the garden center.

If these few simple rules are followed, you will have plenty of tomatoes all season long. Below is a list of the tomatoes that we grow at Bi-Water Farm & Greenhouse. We are sure there is one for you.

4th of July, Beefsteak, Better Boy, Big Beef, Big Boy, Big Early, Big Girl, Brandywine, Celebrity, Early Girl, German Grape, Jet Star, Lemon Boy, Marglobe, Mr. Stripey, Mountain Pride, Old-fashion Yellow, Ponderosa, Rome, Rutger, Supersteak, Sweet 100, Whopper, Yellow Pear, Yellow Cherry