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Tempting Tomatoes ® ' Garden Gem ' . Photo by Proven Winners .
Few summertime pleasure are more rarefied than biting into a rich , juicy tomato right out of the garden . Once you ’ve tasted homegrown , you ’ll never go back . This staple of Mediterranean cuisine is a member of the nightshade mob ( Solanaceae ) , and is classify as a yield , but prepare and eat as a veg .
Some gardeners have been discouraged to grow tomatoes because of the act of disease and blighter that can infect and hurt industrial plant . However , by growingdisease - repellent kind , anyone can grow a toothsome craw of homegrown tomatoes .
On this page : Basics|Types|Planting|Care|Pests , Diseases , and trouble
On this varlet :
BASICS
Botanical name:
Lycopersicon esculentum(syn . Solanum lycopersicum )
Zones:
10 - 11 , usually grow as an annual
Height/Spread:
Bushy , straggly , or vining use ; 1 - 10 feet tall and 1 - 3 feet broad
Exposure:
Full Sunday
Foliage:
This quick - produce , tender bush or vine is densely branched with hairy , sarcoid stems and haired , lobed leaves which are distinctly sweet .
Flowers and fruit:
Star - shaped chicken flowers are follow by red , orange , yellow-bellied , purple , pink , black , or unripe yield . Fruit can be round , oval , or pear - shaped , ranging from 1/2 - inch cerise - sized to hearty beefsteaks count several pounds .
Toxicity:
Ingestion of leaf , stem , and unripened fruit can be toxic to dogs and quat . good tomato are non - toxic , though some PET may have tummy upset or an allergic reaction . sensible masses may be allergic to eating the fruit or formulate a skin skin rash from liaison with plant life . symptom can be mild or severe .
Deer resistance:
Most plants in the Solanum family , include tomatoes , are distasteful to deer . However , gardeners describe mixed experiences , with some determination minuscule or no deer damage , while others have had their tomato works intemperately browse .
TYPES OF TOMATOES
All tomatoes are either definitive , indeterminate , or semi - determinate .
Heirloom vs Hybrid?
Common types of tomatoes:
Tomatoes number in different sizes , chassis , and water content , which can help decide what kind to grow and how to use them . Learn to take the proper tomatoes to grow .
Some of the most common eccentric are beefsteak , campari , pear , plum , salad , grape , and cherry .
HOW TO PLANT TOMATOES
photograph by : Proven Winners .
When to plant tomatoes:
Tomatoes will run out to thrive unless temperature are optimum . Nights should be consistently no dispirited than 55 degrees fluorine , while stain temperature should be at least 60 degrees . prolong heat over 90 degree F will induce yield and flush production to stop . Planting before it ’s warm enough can result in scrubby plants . plant too tardily can result in low yields or unripened fruit .
Where to plant tomatoes:
Tomatoes need at least 6 - 8 hours of full Lord’s Day , along with plenty of heat to thrive . turn out the site every class to prevent soil - bear diseases and insect infestation . Tomatoes should not be planted in the same maculation where eggplant , peppers , or potatoes have lately been grown . nullify planting tomatoes near maize or industrial plant in the Brassica and Solanum families .
Planting tomato seedlings or young plants:
Turn garden soil to a depth of 8 inches and amend with rich constitutional matter . Tomatoes can develop roots along any part of the stem that is submerged under land . Burying the lower part of the flora will encourage more roots and sturdier growth . tailor off side subdivision on the part of the stem that will be submerged . Add a 1- to 2 - in level of mulch ( organic matter ) around plant to conserve water and control pot .
Tomato plant spacing:
Place larger indeterminate character 3 feet apart . succinct determinate character can be spaced 2 metrical unit apart . permit 3 feet in between rows .
Starting tomato seeds:
Sowtomato seeds6 - 8 weeks before the final frost day of the month in your area . Plant sow 1/4 - in deep in a cum - turn medium . Keep soil moist and indoor melodic phrase temperature at 70 degrees F or warm for sprouting in 7 - 14 days .
Once seedling go forth , provide sizeable window illumination or use fluorescent plant life light for 16 hours a twenty-four hour period . When the first Seth of true leaves develop , fertilize once a week at half strength . Transplant into 3- to 4 - inch container when flora have 3 sets of leaves . await until all danger of frost is past to transplant open air , bit by bit acclimating plants to avoid shock .
Many specialty and heirloom diverseness are only available from seminal fluid .
hear to grow tomatoes from seminal fluid .
Planting tomatoes in pots:
prefer a site on a patio , balcony , or deck that gets at least 6 - 8 hours of direct sun throughout the summer . Use determinate eccentric which will stay smaller . container should be at least 5 gallons or larger ( 12 inch wide of the mark and deep ) for each flora and have good drainage . Use high - quality potting stain and blend time - release fertilizer into the planting hole .
Containers will postulate more frequent watering and fertilizing than flora in the ground . Once plants pose fruit , fertilize every 1 - 2 weeks with a balanced liquid organic plant food such as Pisces emulsion . memorise to grow tomatoes in stack .
Hanging tomato plants:
For those with special space , essay grow love apple in a hanging basket orupside down tomato planter .
Growing indoor tomato plants:
Growing tomatoes indoors year - round is only advocate for the most experienced gardener . Use a heated nursery or consecrate way with grow Light . Temperatures should range between 60 - 85 academic degree F for yield stage set . Plants will need hand pollenation and at least 8 hours of hopeful light daily .
Season extenders:
Warming aids help alternate start growth early in the get season when temperatures are still cool . This is specially helpful for those in short - season climate . Cover the ground surface area around works with black plastic sheeting , which will absorb heat and suppress weeds . Other season extenders includerow binding , wicket houses , orwater walls .
Tomato companion plants:
fellow traveller planting refer to the symbiotic relationship of how certain plants can do good from the close law of proximity of others . Good companion plants for tomatoes include asparagus , basil , borage , mint candy , parsley , moolah , spinach , peas , carrots , celery , attic , garlic , onions , squash , genus Nasturtium , andmarigolds . Learn planting .
TOMATO PLANT CARE
Tempting Tomatoes ® Goodhearted ® . Photo by : Proven Winners .
Soil:
Tomatoes need rich well - draining soil that stays dampish but not soggy . Work compost , aged manure , worm castings , or a compounding into existing soil . They prefer a somewhat acidic pH between 6.0 and 7.0 .
Amendments & fertilizer:
tomato are fast agriculturist and sound feeder , needing regular supplemental plant food to produce well . There are many unlike methods and amendments available .
For more tip on fertilizing : Garden Fertilizer 101
Watering:
Plants necessitate regular water to grow well . The rule of thumb is to water slowly and deeply to encourage a rich root system .
Pruning tomato plants:
To direct energy toward bring out yield rather than leafage , tomato plant can be pruned , though it ’s not necessary . Pruning can also help ward off pests and disease by increasing air circulation and lighting .
Support:
tomato plant need keep to keep plants and fruit off the terra firma . Use stakes ortomato cagesfor minor determinate bush types . gravid indeterminate vining eccentric will need threatening duty stake or cages , ladders , or trellises . ( Read more : Staking Tomatoes : A Simple How - To Guide )
Harvesting:
yield should be leave behind on the flora plant as long as possible to germinate the good tone . Here are some tips to help you specify if your tomatoes are quick to be pick :
What better manner to enjoy your home - grown tomatoes than withdelicious recipes !
Picked fruit should be kept at room temperature on a counter or windowsill until using . salt away in the icebox can result in loss of flavor .
Once daytime temperatures return below 60 degrees fluorine , fruit will cease ripening . When this occurs , pull up the entire plant life and hang upside down in a black quad such as the garage or cellar to finish ripen . Or , peck and stash away unripened fruit in a paper bag or cardboard boxwood between bed of newspaper to finish ripening . Use green tomato wise , cooked , or preserved .
Fall cleanup:
Dispose of spent plant in municipal methamphetamine or thousand detritus pickup . Do n’t bury or compost the plants , as pathogens can remain and be passed on to the next yr ’s crops .
TOMATO PESTS, DISEASES, AND PROBLEMS
Red spider mites on Lycopersicon esculentum leafage . Photo by : Catherine Eckert / Shutterstock
There are many pests and disease that can impact tomato crop , but growingdisease - resistant varietieswill help ensure that you have a healthy craw of tomato plant .
Pests:
The most common pests includeaphids , cutworm , blister mallet , tomato fruitworm , flea beetle , stinkbug , leafhoppers , spider speck , nematodes , bullet and snail , tomato hornworm , andwhiteflies .
Diseases:
Most disease are fungal - related and are due to improper watering practices , excess humidness , and hapless aura circulation . Diseases include early and late blight , grey leafage billet , septoria folio spot , verticillium wilt , anthracnose , bacterial wilting , leaf mold , fusarium wilt disease , tobacco mosaic computer virus , dampen - off disease , tomato yellow leaf curl virus , and tomato pick out wilt virus .
Problems:
Other problems let in prime drop cloth , blossom end rot , folio roll , catfacing , pitiable fruit hardening , and fruit cracking .
Learn and troubleshoot common tomato diseases , pests , and problem .
Tempting Tomatoes ® ' Garden Gem ' tomato plant flora . Photo : Proven Winners .
Tempting Tomatoes®
One of the well-off way to ensure healthy tomato is to rise disease - resistant varieties , such as :
