Grow Your Own Vegetable GardenHow to Grow TomatoesThe Tomato seems to be one of the most popular of all home grown vegetables (well technically a fruit...) They are easy to grow, generally prolific in baring fruit and can be grown in garden beds, potted vegetable gardens or even hanging baskets! It didn't take me long to abandon shop sold tomatoes. We tried them all, commercially grown (like eating apples without the taste), vine ripened (look good, but not much on the taste side) and hydroponic (look good, taste ok, but are expensive too). When they are out of season, we generally don't eat them fresh, using frozen and bottled supplies from the previous season to get us through the colder months.
Growing GuideTomatoes belong to the Solanum group in the vegetable garden and can be planted with others such as Capsicum, Chilli and Eggplant as well as potatoes, but I wouldn't plant in with potatoes. (I grow potatoes in container vegetable gardens) Tomatoes are warm season plants and I find the most common mistake people make is planting them out too early. Plants are usually made available in commercial nurseries LONG before it is warm enough to grow them outside and many people struggle, often losing plants in the cold (certainly here in Melbourne)so don't plant out seeds, seedlings or advanced plants until the last frosts have passes AND temperatures remain above 15 deg C (lower temperatures can be couteracted by the use of microclimates created by thigs such as nearby brick walls radiating warmth) Tomatoes prefer slightly acidic soils that are well prepared with rotted manures and compost and fed with chicken manure and potash. The only real difference when it comes to variety is personal choice, i.e - the type you like, when you want them to fruit and how much room you have.
Growing from seedGrowing tomatoes from seed is easy and quite rewarding, although it doesn't give the instant results that planting an advanced, nursery bought plant does. The trick is to start early, but you must do this (in colder climates) in either a green house or indoors. Basically a warm sunny position, if you have access to a heat pad, even better.Start your seed raising in late winter to get a good head start, if you have enough space, select a few varieties and try to get some that fruit early and some that fruit late to extend your harvest season. Plant the seeds in seed raising mix, either in punnets or small pots. Follow the seed suppliers directions for spacing and depth, planting a few more seeds than the number of plants you actuall want, just in case you lose any seedlings. When the seeds emerge and grow they can be transplanted to larger pots if necessary when they are around 5cm tall and the first true leaves appear. Once they reach around 15cm tall and the outside temperatures are around a minimum of 15 deg c, they can be planted out into the garden or container vegetable garden. "Staking" the plantsUnless you are growing tomatoes in a hanging basket, or are happy to allow the to ramble along the ground (which I wouldn't, it increases the risk of fruit rot, fungal and rodent attack) tomatoes need to be supported.We've tried quite a few different ways of growing the plants with mixed results and will include a feature in the summer members' ezine on this years approach.
We have already tried:
Planting Guide
GeneralSome general information for you:There have been plenty of comments made on a number of aspects of tomato growing on topics such as feeding nitrogen, staking, cutting off lateral shoots (side) or not, growing grafted or not, growing from seed or not, hybrids v.s heirloom. So far, just about every opinion I've read has been either commercially or politically motivated. What's my advice? Try which ever interests you and make up your own mind. It's your garden, don't worry about what the "experts" think. What you do need to do, is provide for the basic needs of the plants. What is blossom end rot? Blossom end rot shows up as a black spot from 5 to 15mm in diameter of the very bottom of the fruit where the remains of the flower were/are attached, then extends as the rot advances. If it develops late and the fruit is pretty much ripe, you can simply slice it off the fruit and enjoy, but if advanced, the fruit will rot before it can ripen. It is cause by either or both, water stress (not enough and/or inconsistently supplied)and a calcium deficiency in the soil. Which one's should I grow? There are literally DOZENS of varieties to choose from. They are loosely grouped into "Cherry" tomatoes, "Egg shaped or Roma -Italian style" and the widely grown round varieties, be they smooth or ribbed. The Cherry types are from vigorous vine like plants that spread quite some distance and can be successfully grown in pots and hanging baskets. These are great to throw in a salad or pasta dish whole. The "egg shaped" tomatoes are usually best suited to making sauces as they often have less seeds and pulp, but are equally tasty sliced length ways with a sprinkling of salt and a basil leaf on crackers. The balance can be used for everything! Check out my favorites and those of the site members here. 
Some of the first of our ripe Cuor di Bue tomatoes, heart shaped and growing up to around 75mm (3 inches) in length. "Tumbling Varieties" For those who don't have a lot of room or are looking to grow potted vegetable gardens the following two varieties are terrific alternatives.
They have the same growing needs as all the other warm season tomato plants, but are dwarf and or have a "tumbling" habit so they are ideal to grow in either pots or hanging baskets.
Tomato "Tumbler" Tumbler is an exceptional variety that has been bred for container growing. It produces an abundance of sweet tasty fruit over a long period of time. Plant is bushy and vigorous. A highly recommended variety for the home gardeners. Both of these varieties are under 40cm tall! Return to Vegetable Garden Plants Index |
