Even people who don’t claim to have green thumbs can usually grow tomatoes. They may not be edible, but they can still grow them. All kidding aside, tomato growing is not all that hard and with a little TLC, you too can grow your own tomatoes. If you’re thinking about growing your own tomatoes, you should and with some of the following tips, you’ll be picking your own tomatoes very soon and you will tell the difference between store bought and home grown. Once you start tomato growing, you will never buy another tomato from the grocery store ever again.

1. To find good tomato plants, your closest garden center is as far as you need to go to find healthy tomato plants. Ask the gardener working there to help you if you need it, but common sense can be used when choosing healthy plants for tomato growing. Most people can tell the difference between a healthy plant and a limp and wilted plant. Make sure its green with no yellowing or spotted leaves. No matter where you’re going to plant your tomatoes, either outside or in a big pot, bury your plant up to the bottom stems. This will allow the plant to sprout new roots and strengthen the tomato growing process. You can completely bury the bottom stems and then just cut them at dirt level.

2. Don’t over-feed your tomato plant. Too much nitrogen will give you a beautiful bushy plant, but not a lot of fruit. It’s a good idea to prepare the soil before you plant your tomato plant. These plants love rich humus or loamy soil and it’s a good idea to add a little potassium for strong stems and just a touch of nitrogen.

3. Water your plants thoroughly and make sure you have good drainage where ever your plants may be. If you live in hot climates and your plants are outside, make sure they will get at least a half of day of shade. Too much heat and the flowers will fall off, falling flowers means no tomatoes and this defeats the tomato growing process entirely. Cover outdoor tomato plants with some kind of mulch, either bark, pine needles or hay. Studies have proven that plants covered in black plastic mulch in early spring produces lots of tomatoes all spring and summer long, especially in cool or cold climates. Infra-red plastic mulch is even better. The person at your garden center should be able to tell you what is best for where you live.

4. Picking off the first batch of flowers will also ensure a healthier plant. Doing this will strengthen the root system and give your plants the chance to mature and fill out before bearing fruit. Stake or cadge your tomato plants so they have support and strength they need to grow big ripe tomatoes. With a little care and a little attention, you will be growing beautiful tomatoes in no time. Cherry or grape tomatoes are great for first time tomato growers. They grow great on a patio or porch and they grow by the bunch. Growing your own tomatoes will save you money and bragging rights about your successful tomato garden.

More growing tomatoes Articles

The tomato originated in the Andes, South America where tomatoes grow wild. It is believed that they were first cultivated by the Aztecs and Incas, possibly as early as 700 AD. The tomato plant arrived in Europe in the 16th century, supposedly brought back from Central America by the Spanish Conquistadors, although another legend suggests that two Jesuit priests took them to Italy from Mexico.

At that time tomatoes were also known as wolf’s peach and Peruvian apple. In the UK, the Elizabethans thought the bright red colour of tomatoes was a danger signal and regarded them as dangerous fruits. In fact, it is true that tomatoes are related to the nightshade family.

Tomatoes are sub-tropical plants and therefore require a full sun position when grown in temperate zones. A position against a wall or fence will give an even better chance of success as long as they can receive sufficient water.

Tomato plants grow very well in raised beds, they appreciate the soil conditions which provide moisture without water-logging.

Two or three weeks before planting, dig the soil over and incorporate as much organic matter, such as compost or well rotted manure, as possible. The aim is to make the soil able to retain the moisture needed so much by tomatoes.

Tomatoes are unable to tolerate any degree of frost, the timing for planting or sowing outside is therefore key to successfully growing tomatoes. If the tomato seeds are to be sown directly outside (not really suitable in cooler climates), they must be sown when the soil temperature is (and will remain) above 10C (50F) – any lower and the seeds will not germinate. In practical terms this normally means 3 weeks after the last frost date in your area.

Where the seeds are sown under cover (poly tunnels or cloches) or indoors, aim to sow the seeds so that they reach the stage where they can be transplanted outside, three weeks after the last frost date.

Tomato plants plants take roughly 7 weeks from sowing to reach the transplanting stage and they should be transplanted outside one or two weeks after your last frost date. Therefore you should sow them 7 weeks before you plan to transplant them outside.

Bush varieties do well for cultivation outdoors because they require no pruning for most of the season. Remove any yellow or decaying foliage as soon as possible to avoid the spread of disease.

If your bush tomatoes become too large to support themselves, either trim out a few major branches or add more support canes – the side branches can then be tied into the additional support canes. Limit the number of trusses of tomatoes to seven or eight by pinching out any surplus ones.

Upright varieties are commonly cultivated in pots, grow-bags, the greenhouse and sometimes outdoors in open soil. When the first fruits begin to form, the plant will produce side-shoots in between the main stem and the leaf stems.

These side shoots should be removed by pinching them out with the fingers. If allowed to grow they will produce a mass of foliage but few tomatoes. Any shoots which have been overlooked and allowed to grow should also be removed.

Lower leaves which show any signs of yellowing should also be removed to avoid the risk of infection.

When the plant has developed six or seven trusses of tomatoes (normally around July time), ‘stop’ the plant by breaking off the growing tip. If any more than seven trusses of tomatoes begins to develop, pinch them out to encourage the plant to produce good quality tomatoes rather than an abundance of low quality late-maturing fruit.

Pick as soon as the fruits are ripe (colour and size will identify this) for the best flavour – eat as soon as possible. This also encourages the production of more fruit. As soon as a frost threatens, harvest all the fruit immediately and ripen them on a window sill. With upright varieties, it is possible to gently flatten the plants onto the soil and cover with horticultural fleece to protect them from the frost.

Find More growing tomatoes Articles