Planting time
When the ground in your garden is thawed enough to till, it's time to turn the soil under and get everything ready to plant those seedlings. I like to till the soil as early as possible, as this airs out the soil and also disturbs any grubs which may be lingering near the surface.
Hopefully, you thought ahead and planted a cover crop last fall. With this tilled into the soil, the soil in the garden has a rich supply of green manure, which will add nutrients and organic matter that will increase your garden's health and production.
About a week before planting, I till again; to loosen the soil and also so I can get a good soil test. Testing the soil before planting ensures that you will have all the necessary nutrients, as well as; the right soil PH, for planting. A simple soil test available at your local garden shop, will be fine. If you lack any of the three basic nutrients (N,P,K), you can add them now. Most soil tests will also give you your soils PH. Tomatoes prefer a neutral PH, around (6.0-6.8).
While you prepare your garden, don't forget to harden off the seedlings. You do this gradually bringing the plants outdoors, alittle at a time. A good rule is 1/2 hour the first day, 1 hour the second day, 2-3 hours the third day and increasing the time daily until they spend the entire day outside before planting. It is also a good idea to do this in filtered sunlight, so the plants aren't exposed to to much sun right away.
Once you have the garden ready and the plants hardened off, (providing nighttime temperatures are staying above 40º) it's now time the put the tomato plants in the soil. I prefer an overcast or rain drizzly day, so the sun doesn't cook the young plants.
Dig a hole big enough to plant the root ball and also part of the plant (atleast 2/3 of the plant), you can lay plant on it's side; thus forming more roots to absorb the water. I go straight downwards, because my soil is so loose.
If your soil lacked any nutrients or if you want to put some organic food into the planting hole, mix this into the loose soil. I have added 1/2 cup bone meal into each planting hole in times past; as this is a good supplier of all three basic nutrients. However, if you already have the right PH or suspect you may have too much calcium in the soil; this is not a good idea.
Generally it is a good idea to put the organics in during the fall, so they break up for planting time.
CLICK HERE To see My Fertilizer Page
I have decided to eliminate fertilizing at planting time. This just over fertilizes and creates problems in good soil. I do however add Super Thrive's Homes#4 to help prevent transplant shock. It works real well.
If you want to plant your seedlings in containers, then Click Here.
Be sure to plant the seedling upto the first set of true branches, burying the small set of single pedals. You want that first branch to sit about 1/2" above the soil.
If the soil is already warmed up, mulch around each plant with a good organic mulch; such as, mushroom soil or straw. Mulching helps keep moisture in and weeds out and is also a good organic material for the soil as it breaks down into the earth. A plastic mulch will work, especially the type that allows water through; but I have tried this for two to three years and it seemed the production was down from years when I used organic mulch.
It is a good idea to fertilize the tomato plants lightly two to three weeks after planting, as blossoms appear (with liquid kelp or fish emulsion/seaweed). It is actually beneficial to a tomato plant to spray it with liquid kelp, as this coats the leaves and helps fend off disease and blight. If you spray do it in the morning, before the sun hits the garden. Never spray at night, as this will actually cause blighting of the plants; because they remain wet all night long until the sun dries them in the morning.
Liquid kelp is the fertilizer of choice for any serious tomato gardener. If you haven't figured out why chemicals aren't my choice, check out the links on the previous page.
Tomatoes need an inch of rain each week to successfully produce ripe tomatoes. If you water you garden due to lack of rain, which most of us will have to do; it is better to water several times a week instead of trying to water the plants with one big drenching per week. Too much water at a time will crack most tomatoes.
Once the plants are growing you have to decide rather or not to take off the suckers or not. If you planted indeterminate tomatoes(such as big boy) they continue to grow upward unchecked. At each branching there is a small side shoot just above the elbow of the joint. Snapping this off, by rocking it side to side; will improve fruit size and growth speed,. However it does eliminate some potential foliage cover and will lessen fruit numbers. Some years, I remove the suckers; some years I don't. If you planted the bushier tomatoes (such as celebrity), you don't need to sucker; in fact, DON'T. If you sucker a bushy type(determinate), all you do is tear off the plant growth you need.
CLICK HERE To see what I'm doing this year!!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~Check out the links below for some great tomato facts (Be sure to click your browser's back botton to return to this page) or CLICK HERE to continue with Tomato Tips.
o Click here to go to Mineral deficiencies
o Click here to go to Cover crops
o Click here to go to pictures & descriptions of the terror of tomatoland "The Tomato Hornworm"
o Click here to check out mulches