If you’re planting tomatoes, the first consideration will be the temperature. You can plant when the temperature becomes steady at 50 F. For tomatoes to bear fruit, the warmth should be over 55 F. The following elements need to be accounted for as well.
Soil, Water and Sun Requirements
As with most fruits (and the tomato is a fruit) sunlight is needed. Watering is also essential. The amount of watering depends on the weather. If it’s very hot, increase the frequency. The important thing is to water the plants evenly.
When it comes to soil, this fruit is very adaptable. Most types of fertilizers will do just fine. When planting tomatoes, adding compost to the soil will be a big help.
Tips on Planting and Harvesting
Give each plant 2 to 3 feet of space. If you’re planting in rows, space them 3 feet apart. The plants themselves can be spaced 12 inches apart.
When harvesting, do so only when the fruits are ripe. This will be the point when it starts to become soft. Store them in a dark warm place. Putting them in the fridge isn’t a good idea. Storing the fruits below 55 F will cause them to lose flavor. They’ll still be edible, but the taste will be flat. In some cases, there’ll be no taste at all.
Vine ripened tomatoes are good for no more than four days. Decide beforehand how many you’ll be using so nothing gets wasted. Always think of this fact when you’re planting tomatoes and harvesting them.
Determinates and Indeterminates
These plants basically come in two kinds: the determinate and indeterminate kind. The former are also called bush tomatoes. They only grow to a certain point before stopping. The bush tomatoes bear fruit early. Because they’re compact, these are suitable for planting in containers.
Indeterminates have longer and larger vines. They also bear fruit at later times. If you’re going to grow indeterminates, you’ll need to use a trellis or cage. Whichever you choose, nurturing the seeds is easy enough (temperature required is 65 F).
Tips on Buying Plants
Avoid those with yellowish leaves, as it could be indicative of disease. As you buy, look for letters on the package. These are very important when planting tomatoes. Those letters denote the diseases the plant can withstand.
For example, F stands for Fusarium wilt; V for Verticilium wilt and FF for Race 1 & Race 2 Fusarium. If the plants have these codes, it means they’re not vulnerable to these infections.
Tomato Types
There are a lot to choose from. The Paste Tomatoes have smaller seed cavities and more meat. The small fruit tomatoes come in many varieties. These include Red Pear, Supersweet and Tiny Tim. Other types include heirlooms, standards, hybrids and the cool summer tomatoes. Each one of them have their own distinct flavors and tastes.
If you’re interested in planting tomatoes, learning all these things is necessary. It actually isn’t that hard. Once you’ve made your pick, nurturing will be easy if the guidelines are followed.
