By about the time January rolls around I get a terrible itch to get out in my garden. I am able to accomplish some things, pruning shrubs and trees, staying on top of weeds etc. It's all pretty unfulfilling and mundane. I'm really just biding my time until this time of year when I can really get cracking. And nothing pleases me more than getting my tomatoes put in. I'm going to share my tried and true planting method with you.
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The most important step in growing tomatoes is soil preparation. There are all sorts of methods people employ and I'm not saying it's my way or the highway here. You have to take into consideration the soil you are starting out with, your location and just how anal retentive you are willing to be. In our area our soil tends to be heavy clay and requires a lot of amendments before it will produce well. If you are starting out already with a good, loamy soil I'm totally jealous. You won't need as much amendments but you will still need some. If you are not sure just what kind of soil you are dealing with you can check with your local nursery or you can test it yourself.
Up until last year, I had been growing my tomatoes in a potager garden. Over the winter we have built a raised bed and I'm beyond excited to give it a spin. Here's a pic of the potager.
I begin the process by using my Mantis tiller (which I LOVE) to cultivate the soil down to a depth of about 18 inches. You can achieve the same results with a shovel but it definitely is labor intensive. Once I've finished the process I add my amendments. I start with one 40 pound bag of composted peat humus and one 40 pound bag of composted cow manure. I dump it onto the soil, rake it into an even layer and then till it in thoroughly. You are now ready to plant.
There are two different types of tomatoes and it's important to understand the difference.
Determinate varieties of tomatoes, also called "bush" tomatoes, are varieties that are bred to grow to a compact height (approx. 4 feet). They stop growing when fruit sets on the terminal or top bud, ripen all their crop at or near the same time (usually over a 2 week period), and then die. They may require a limited amount of caging and/or staking for support, should NOT be pruned or "suckered" as it severely reduces the crop, and will perform relatively well in a container (minimum size of 5-6 gallon). Examples are: Rutgers, Roma, Celebrity (called a semi-determinate by some), and Marglobe.
Indeterminate varieties of tomatoes are also called "vining" tomatoes. They will grow and produce fruit until killed by frost and can reach heights of up to 10 feet although 6 feet is considered the norm. They will bloom, set new fruit and ripen fruit all at the same time throughout the growing season.
They require substantial caging and/or staking for support and pruning and the removal of suckers is practiced by many but is not mandatory. The need for it and advisability of doing it varies from region to region. Experiment and see which works best for you. Because of the need for substantial support and the size of the plants, indeterminate varieties are not usually recommended as container plants. Examples are: Big Boy, Beef Master, most "cherry" types, Early Girl, most heirloom varieties, etc.
I favor indeterminate heirloom tomatoes, although some determinate tomatoes are definitely worth growing. It's all a matter of personal taste.
Once I've chosen the tomato starters from my favorite nursery and before they are planted, I do a little more soil conditioning around each hole they will be going into. At this point the soil should be friable enough to just scoop with your hands or a small gardening trowel. I make the hole about a foot deep and two feet across. Into this I add a handful each of bonemeal, garden lime and Epson salt mixing it with the soil well. This is not for naught. It will go a long way in preventing the heartbreak of blossom end rot also known as tomato bottom rot.
Once I remove the plant from the container, I strip the lower leaves off the tomato except for the top few inches and place it in the hole, covering it to two or three inches from the top leaves. Once in the ground, I then create about a four inch deep basin about a foot and a half around the plant. This will help to retain water. After all my plants are in, I cover the entire bed with a four inch layer of straw, easily found at animal feed stores. Lastly, I put a wire tomato cage over each plant and have a beer. That last part is vital.
The care of the plants after this point is rather easy. Some folks prune their tomatoes as they grow. I do not. Once established you should water your plants judiciously. It is important not to over water them. I wait to water until I see them begin to slightly droop. I then water deeply. If I determine that the plant is looking a little weak, I may fertilize once again. Personally I like to use fish emulsion even though it stinks to high heavens.
That's it. Your mileage may vary with the above method, but it works well for me. All that's left is to sit back and enjoy the bounty.
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