Hardy Gardening.com
The Northern Gardener's Information Source
The Northern Gardener's Information Source
THE NORTHERN GARDENER'S SOURCE FOR COLD CLIMATE GARDENING INFORMATION
Growing Tomatoes
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TomatoesA fresh picked, juicy tomato is synonymous with summer! Once you have tasted a tomato that you have grown yourself, plucked fresh off the vine and eaten, reverting back to those hard, tasteless alternatives at the grocery store is, well impossible.
Tomatoes were originally a tropical perennial plant which accounts for their frost sensitivity.
For a bumper summer crop if you live in Zones 6 and below, tomatoes should be started indoors.
You can order organic seeds from Stargazer Perennials with FREE SHIPPING and no minimum order!
Tomato Culture:
Sow tomato seeds indoors in sterile seedling mix 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost date. To determine your average frost dates, visit. Plant tomato seeds 1/4 inch deep. Water lightly with warm water and cover with a propagation dome or plastic wrap. Check daily and mist as needed to prevent seeds from drying out, but do not over water! For optimal sprouting, tomatoes like peppers like a germination heat of 70 degrees to 90 degrees. When the first set of true leaves emerges, gently transplant into 4" pots and place in an area of full light and temperatures of 60-70 degrees. Turn the pots on a daily basis to prevent stretching of the seedlings. Water as needed to keep the soil moist, but not soggy. Fertilize with Maxi-crop or another liquid organic fish emulsion fertilizer every 10-12 days. One week prior to transplanting your tomatoes outside, set your tomatoes outside during the day in a sheltered location to harden off. Bring the tomatoes in at night or cover sufficiently to protect from frost.
Types of Tomatoes:
When you are selecting your tomato varieties choose determinate plants if you desire tomato plants that have moderate vine growth and set fruit in a concentrated period. Indeterminate plants on the other hand, have unlimited vine growth and continue to set fruit until frost. Determinate type tomato plants work best for container gardening or garden that are restricted in size.
Outstanding short season organic tomato varieties include:
- Organic Heirloom Glacier Tomato
- Organic Heirloom Manitoba Tomato
- Organic Saucy Paste Tomato
- Organic Siletz Patio Tomato
- Organic Sweetie Cherry Tomato
Planting Tomatoes in Your Garden:
- Select a growing area where the tomatoes will receive full sun.
- Tomatoes need well drained soil to grow properly. Begin working the soil, adding in compost to increase aeration when the soil is dry enough that it does not stick to your garden tools.
- Tomatoes also require calcium to produce the best fruit. Amending your soil with bone meal provides your tomato plants with an excellent source of calcium with the added bonus of phosphorus.
- When adding amendments and fertilizing, go easy on the nitrogen or you will have all leaf and few fruits. Steer clear of Miracle-Grow and other synthetic salt based fertilizers which do more harm than good to the tilth of your soil.
- When planting your tomato plants, set the plants a little deeper than they were originally growing so lower leaves are next to the ground. The roots of the tomato plant will then develop along the buried portion of the stem producing a stouter trunk.
- Plant tomatoes typically 24” to 36” apart. Planting closer than 24 inches reduces air circulation around the plants and can trigger disease outbreaks. Large vine tomatoes should be spaced 36 inches apart. Stake or cage your tomatoes as needed.
- Apply an organic fertilizer at the time the soil is prepared. For tomatoes, use a gentle non-burning fertilizer. We suggest using Down-To-Earth All Purpose Mix 4-6-2.
- Uniform watering is necessary to allow the plant to uptake calcium and other nutrients. Do not over water and do not underwater. Keep the soil consistently damp with deep watering and the use of mulch. Consistent watering can prevent leaf-end roll, blossom end-rot and "cat-facing". Tomatoes are all about the watering!
- Feed your tomatoes just as they start to set fruit, and again mid-season with Down-To-Earth All purpose Mix.
- Pick tomatoes just as they are fully ripe. Picked tomatoes keep well for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate!
For tomato recipe ideas on using fresh tomatoes in healthy, easy to prepare dishes, visit Farm Fresh Living.com.
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