It is important to feed your plants with the right nutrients from the very beginning. That is why choosing fertilizers and preparing soil is so crucial when planting tomatoes and various other plants. In order to answer this question you will have to spend some time in your local gardening store researching different mixtures and asking some questions. We will show you where to start.

The idea of getting the best tasting, healthiest tomatoes is what drives most gardeners. What’s a bit problematic is the fact that we want to avoid using pesticides where possible. The way you prepare the garden bed will help to ensure that this happens for you.

If you are starting with seeds, then you will want a good organic potting soil to start with. By doing this young plants will be more resistant to diseases in the early stages of growth. Once the plants have begun to grow, you’ll want to put them in your selected spot when they are about 6 inches or so tall. There are a variety of methods used to keep cutworms and slugs away from the plants. You can do a little checking to find the one that’s best for you without the need of using pesticides. Some people use strips of newspaper, while still others will use plastic containers and such to keep the critters away.

In case of fertilizers you will probably notice that there is a huge variety of mixtures available in your local garden center. It’s simply a matter of choosing the one that you want to use. One of the most popular seems to be Miracle Gro, but depending on where you live, that might not be available. The garden center will be able to help you choose the one that is best for you, but remember, just because something is more expensive doesn’t necessarily means it’s the best one for you to use! Use your own judgement where necessary.

Sometimes, trying different things will help you to decide the one that is best for you to use so perhaps in one end of the garden you can use product A, and in the other end use product B. You will know what’s working best by looking at the differences in the fruit production.

There’s absolutely nothing better that a sweet tasty tomato that has come directly from your own vine! It’s no wonder that the tomato is the most popularly grown garden staple!

Beautiful, gigantic, and perfect tomatoes do not grow by themselves! While tomatoes originated in the wild, centuries of cultivation have produced countless varieties, each needing their own special care. Some varieties of tomatoes grow in compact bushy forms, while others grow and grow, like vines, continually setting fruit. Depending on the type of tomato and desired yield, pruning and staking tomato plants will ensure a healthier, more robust harvest.

What is Pruning?

When most people think of pruning, they think of trees and shrubs. We prune trees to change the shape, increase air-flow through the canopy, reduce the size, and remove dead or diseased wood. Tomato pruning works in much the same way.

Pruning for Plant Health

Tomatoes benefit from good air circulation, as they are prone to diseases if their leaves stay wet or are encased in constant humidity. Pruning helps thin the tomato plant so that air moves freely. Tomatoes, when attacked by disease or pests, can recover; however, the injured part of the plant must be removed so that the injury does not spread to the rest of the plant.

Pruning for Increased Harvest

Every time a plant flowers, once the flower is pollinated, it will produce a fruit. Juicy tomatoes we love to eat are actually the fruits of the tomato plant. Vigorous, vine types of tomatoes will grow forever if not stopped! A plant can only produce a certain amount of sugar to “feed” the fruit; consequently, tomato plants with more fruits will produce smaller fruits. Pruning side-shoots helps lessen the amount of fruit on the plant, and allows the plant to send all of its energy to a few, select fruits.

What is Staking?

Staking is the process of providing support for a plant. Staking helps promote air flow throughout the plant, ensuring less buildup of moisture, and fewer diseases. Staking also helps support tomato plants as they grow and produce heavy fruit. Tomato stems are brittle, and will break under too much strain. Many types of staking mechanisms exist including cages, trellises, and single stakes. Consult a tomato growing reference like How To Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes for a comparison of 11 staking techniques.

The proper staking technique will depend the tomato variety and individual gardener’s harvesting goals.

Pruning and Staking are keys to successful tomato growing, as they promote overall plant health and higher fruit yield.

If you want more detailed tomato garden advice and tips from a world horticultural expert, visit www.bestjuicytomatoes.com