“Home grown tomatoes, home grown tomatoes, what would life be without home grown tomatoes. Only two things that money can’t buy, that’s true love and homegrown tomatoes.” - Guy Clark There is nothing like eating a home grown tomato fresh out of the sun. And for us tomato lovers, there are few things more satisfying and enjoyable than tending to a garden full of our favorite fruited plants.
You may be a seasoned gardener, and if so, you probably know more than me. But if you are open to some backyard coaching in the tomato department, then this column is for you. Here are some tips on growing totally terrific tomatoes.
Serious gardeners often start their own tomato plants from seed. That is a topic for another day. For now, let’s assume we are making a trip to the local feed store, nursery, or Home Depot. Our first question is what to buy?
You will probably have the option of choosing from many different tomato varieties. My all-time favorite feed store variety is Big Beef (a hybrid indeterminant variety). These are super disease resistant, easy to grow, and produce nice big great tasting tomatoes. I usually plant some variety of cherry tomatoes also. These are great for salads in the summer.
Make sure your plants can get full sun (8+ hours each day). If you experience a blistering hot summer climate (like we do in Central Texas), you might consider adding the option of some temporary part-time shade covering to keep your plants from vaporizing in the worst of your summer heat.
When transplanting, be sure to place plants deep in the ground (preferably in garden soil enriched with organic material – I think horse manure is best). Strip off bottom leaves and sink deep in the soil. This will help give your plants a stronger root system. Also, I like to add a scoop of both Epsom salt and sugar to the hole before planting to give my tomatoes a boost. Water immediately. I add vitamin B1 to water for the first week or so. This will reduce stress and help plants get off to a good start. After the first watering, cover the soil around the stem of your tomato plant with Perlite or Vermiculite (you can reapply each time you water also). This will protect your young plants from damping off disease and is a simple precaution that costs only pennies.
Spacing for plants should be about three feet apart. Tomatoes need some room, but they are social plants and like to touch each other. A three-foot spacing will allow your grown plants to hold hands and feel their neighbor.
Without support, tomatoes will sprawl all over the ground, so it is a good idea to use tomato cages or towers. I like to use steel reinforcing mesh used in concrete construction. Bend and fasten together in a cylinder and place over your plants. Tomatoes will grow and lean on wire for support (tie if needed). These sturdy cages will last for years.
Tomato leaves are susceptible to pathogens found in the soil, so it is best to use drip irrigation on the ground and cover lines with mulch. This conserves water and also protects your plants.
Watch for tomato worms. Pick them off and destroy if found (chickens love tomato worms). If you have trouble with birds eating your tomatoes, cover the plants with bird netting. You might also add a bird bath or other water source nearby. Sometimes birds will eat tomatoes for liquid refreshment, so water can help.
Here is an extra tip to ensure a successful tomato crop. I learned this just recently (check out Brian from Next Level Gardening on YouTube - great videos). Try spraying your tomato plants every two weeks or so with a mixture of uncoated aspirin and water (600 mg aspirin to one gallon water). This will help your plants better resist disease and produce a bigger crop. Here is why this works. When tomato plants are under attack, they produce a hormone similar to the salicylic acid found in aspirin. This hormone triggers the plants’ immune system to go into high gear. Spraying with aspirin water has the same effect, prompting the plant to resist disease and produce more fruit.
Hope these tips help. Have fun growing tons of terrific tomatoes! © 2024 Jody Dyer typewriterweekly.co
