Content

• Part 2 of 4: How to Plant Tomatoes
• Part 3 of 4: How to Care for Plants
• Part 4 of 4: Common Problems
• Tips

1 Plant directly into open ground whenever possible. Almost all types of tomatoes can be planted directly in the ground, and in this case they will not have to be watered as often as in the seedling boxes. It is also more effective if you plan to plant a lot of tomatoes.

• At the same time, you should choose a place that is illuminated by the sun for 6-8 hours a day. When soil diseases occur, it can be difficult to sterilize the entire area or replace the soil. Open areas are vulnerable to moles, ground squirrels, birds, squirrels and larger animals.

2 Raise the beds. This is useful if you are concerned about soil contamination. You can even change the soil in case of illness or other need. Sufficiently porous soil provides better drainage and ventilation than thicker soil. Plus, you'll have to bend less if you have back or leg pain.

• The disadvantages are that it is necessary to leave wide enough aisles between the beds so that you can care for the plants and harvest. In addition, you will have to spend money on planks and soil. In addition, raised beds dry out faster than normal beds.

3 If space is limited, use containers. Some containers are easier to carry than others. They are convenient to use if you have little space in the garden. However, the soil dries out faster in them, so it should be watered more often. If you live in an area with strong winds, you will also need to purchase additional materials in order to secure the containers. The following items can be used:

• Old waste buckets. It's cheap and convenient. The bucket is easy to move to a new location, but several drainage holes need to be drilled in the bottom of the bucket. Also note that dark plastic can overheat in the sun and release toxic substances into the soil, and metal buckets can rust over time and stain your deck or deck.
• The barrels are comfortable and provide ample room for the root system of the plants. However, keep in mind that they are difficult to move and will rot over time. In addition, drain holes should also be drilled in them.

4 Hang outdoor plant boxes under the windows of the upper floors. In this case, you can water the tomatoes and harvest through an open window. Also, if you live high enough, it will reduce the number of parasites. To keep the boxes from tipping over, grow small varieties of tomatoes, such as cherry tomatoes, in them. Try to securely attach the boxes to the wall.

5 Hang up the plants. This method is recommended if you do not want to bend over the tomatoes often. In this case, the plants will be far from the ground, so they should be watered more often.You will also need strong enough fasteners to keep the containers of soil and plants hanging.

• On the upper floors, plant pots can be hung from the windows. However, please note that this option is only suitable for small types of tomatoes, such as cherry varieties.
• Old buckets can be used to make inverted pots. In this case, there is no need to support the plants with a stand. In addition, this will help keep birds away from the fruit, as they will have nowhere to sit. However, excess water can drip onto leaves and fruits, increasing the risk of disease. In addition, inverted hanging pots yield lower yields.

Part 2 of 4: How to Plant Tomatoes

1. 1 Purchase seedlings. You can buy tomato seedlings at a plant nursery, garden supply store, and even an agricultural market. Try to buy seedlings close to where you plan to plant them and choose healthy-looking plants.
2. 2 Fertilize the soil generously compost. Tomatoes need a medium rich in organic matter for normal growth. If you don't get the compost yourself, get compost that contains granite dust and topsoil. You will need 25 to 40 kilograms of compost per square meter. Mix the compost with the top 6-8 centimeters of soil.
   • Before placing the plants in the soil, throw a couple of handfuls of organic fertilizer or eggshells into each seedling hole. As it grows deeper, the roots will process this material just in time, which will accelerate the growth of seedlings.
3. 3 Monitor soil pH. The growth of the tomato is facilitated by the soil of medium acidity. Too much acidity robs plants of calcium, which can lead to a lack of flowers and rot. Maintain soil pH between 6.0 and 6.8. If the pH rises above 6.8, pour a mixture of equal parts cold coffee and water over the tomatoes. You can also add pine needle mulch. If the pH drops below 6.0, use dolomite lime or calcium sources such as ground eggshells or calcite.
4. 4 Choose a sunny spot. Tomatoes require a lot of sunlight. If you live in a relatively cool climate, try to keep the plants at least 6 hours of sunshine a day. If you live in a hotter region, choose a location that is shaded in the afternoon.
   • Please note that tomatoes can grow normally in the sun and in fairly hot climates. Just remember to fertilize and water the soil well.
5. 5 Plant the plants 45 to 90 centimeters apart. As a rule, this distance is enough so that you can walk between the bushes in order to water, weed or harvest them. If you live in a hot climate, place the bushes 23-46 centimeters apart so that future fruits are in the shade and do not fade in the sun.
6. 6 Plant your plants deep. Bury 50 to 80% of each seedling in the ground. Sweep the soil tightly around the roots. Make sure the soil covers the roots completely. Do not forget to tear off the lower leaves so that they do not end up underground, otherwise they will rot.
   • When you take the plant out of the pot, pat the bottom of the pot and try to pull out the roots along with the soil adhering to them. This way you will not break the roots and damage the plant.

Part 3 of 4: How to Care for Plants

1. 1 Support the tomatoes with a net or pegs. This will prevent the stems from dropping to the ground. Do this at the same time as planting the plants. Do not pull for more than 14 days. If you wish, you can make your own tomato cages.
   • The cage must be at least 1.2 meters long. With a lot of bushes or strong winds, the cages can bend or fall. As the bushes grow, remove excess leaves and secondary shoots from them.
   • The pegs must be at least 1.3 x 5 centimeters thick and 1.8-2.4 meters high.Stick the pegs into the ground to a depth of 30-60 centimeters, at least 5 centimeters from the bushes. Tie the plants to the stakes in a loose, double knot with strips of cloth or garden twine so that the trunk is not pinched. The pegs can be made from unnecessary planks, bamboo, cable, or metal bar.
2. 2 Water the tomatoes every 7-10 days. Switch to this watering regime a week after planting. Water with warm water at a rate of 500 milliliters per plant per day. In this case, it is better to direct the stream of water from a bucket or garden hose to the roots, and not to the tops of the bushes, since in the latter case the likelihood of diseases increases.
   • Water your plants in the morning to prevent mold and fungal diseases.
   • Water less often 10 days after planting. Make sure your plants get 2.5-7.6 centimeters of rain per week. If there is not enough rain for this, from about the end of the second week after planting, water the tomatoes once a week at the rate of about 7.5 liters per bush.
   • Increase the amount of water when the bushes are older or hotter weather sets in. In this case, water the tomatoes 2-3 times a week, 3-4 liters of water per bush at a time. Keep the soil slightly damp, but not wet.
3. 3 Add mulch. After 1-2 weeks after planting, surround the bushes with straw or dry grass mulch. This will help control weeds and retain moisture in the soil for longer in dry weather. Surround each trunk with a layer of mulch that is about 2.5 centimeters thick and at least 30 centimeters in diameter.
4. 4 Choose a fertilizer. Tomatoes grow well in organic-rich soil. If you decide to use chemical fertilizers, choose a vegetable fertilizer. Use half of the recommended concentration of chemical fertilizer for every liter of water (dosage should be indicated on the package).
   • Not use a lawn fertilizer. Such fertilizers are intended for growing stems and leaves.
   • Excessive fertilization can increase the risk of disease and insect damage from growing too quickly.
5. 5 Shake the pegs or cages gently. This contributes to an even distribution of pollen and increases yields. Shake the pegs or cage lightly every 1 to 2 weeks for 5 seconds. Start doing this after the first flowers appear.

Part 4 of 4: Common Problems

1. 1 Check if "suckers" have appeared. This is the name of the branches that grow at the junction between the stem and other branches. As they grow, they consume some of the plant's nutrients. If you do not cut them off, more fruits will form, but they will be smaller.
2. 2 Protect plants from the heat. If you live in hot climates, grow more heat-tolerant varieties such as Phoenix, Heatmaster, or Solar Fire. Choose a location that has sun in the morning and partial shade in the afternoon. Cover the plants with fabric canopies between 10:00 and 14:00.
   • If the fruits begin to ripen in hot weather, when temperatures exceed 24 ° C at night and 35 ° C during the day, harvest earlier. Tomatoes stop ripening at high temperatures.
3. 3 Watch out for humidity. For fruits to appear, tomatoes require high (80-90 percent) humidity during the day and moderate (65-75) humidity at night. Humidity above 90 or below 65 percent can cause apical rot. If you are growing tomatoes in a greenhouse, control the humidity with a hygrometer. To increase humidity outdoors or in a greenhouse, try spraying the plants. The humidity in the greenhouse can be reduced by ventilation.
   • If you live in a very humid climate, try to grow moisture resistant tomato varieties such as Ferline, Legend, Fantasio outdoors.
4. 4 Prevent top rot. With apical rot, the bases of the fruits turn black and disappear.If rot appears, the plant can no longer be saved, so it is better to prevent it. Top rot is caused by calcium deficiency. To prevent apical rot, proceed as follows:
   • Add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice to 4 liters of water and bring the water to a boil.
   • Add 6 tablespoons (90 grams) of bone meal to the water. Stir the water well. It is not necessary to achieve complete dissolution of the flour.
   • Cover the pot with a lid and boil water for 30 minutes.
   • Wait for the solution to cool.
   • Spray the leaves and roots of each bush with about 1 liter of this solution.
   • Repeat the treatment again after 3-5 days.
   • You can also sprinkle crushed eggshells around the trunks to increase the calcium content of the soil.
5. 5 Prepare homemade bird repellents. Clip the red items over the tomato cages. The birds will think that these are tomatoes and will peck at them. The hard and tasteless surface of objects will confuse the birds, and they will leave your tomatoes alone.
   • Please note that this method is temporary. Before the fruits are ripe, cover the top with a wire netting to keep out birds.
6. 6 Have chickens or ducks in your garden. This advice is appropriate if you live in a rural area or in a private house with suitable conditions. Chickens and ducks feed on slugs and caterpillars that harm tomatoes. If slugs and caterpillars multiply in large numbers, they can eat the leaves and destroy the plants.
7. 7 Protect plants from slugs with cardboard. Place cardboard toilet paper or paper towel cores over the stems of the seedlings while they are still small. Slugs are unable to crawl on cardboard, and they cannot climb onto plants.
8. 8 Grow plants that attract beneficial predators. It can be calendula, zinnia, marigold, nasturtium. These plants attract ladybirds and poachers, which feed on pests such as aphids and caterpillars.

Tips

• If cut off suckers are planted in the soil, new bushes can grow from them. However, this requires large enough suction cups. Do this only if you live in an area with a long growing season, as new bushes will reach maturity later than others.
• If you decide to prune the suckers on still immature plants, consider not completely pruning them. Wait for the suction cups to grow a little and the leaves appear on them, and then cut off their tips. This makes it easier to grow a long branch.
• If the stem or roots are damaged, the plant can often be saved. To do this, cut off the damaged part and replant the stem with the lower branches, so that about 75% of the entire plant is underground, as you did it the first time. After that, small hairs located on the stem and branches will grow into the roots.
• Use manure "tea" as a fertilizer. If you have rotted manure, you can make your own fertilizer from it. Place the manure in a stocking or cheesecloth, then place the resulting "tea bag" in a 20-liter bucket and fill it with water. Let the "tea" steep for several days and dilute it with water in a 1: 1 ratio.
• Tomatoes can be grown from previously harvested seeds. However, in this case, the seeds should be soaked in warm water with a small amount of freshly squeezed tomato juice for about a week. Then rinse the seeds and wait for them to dry. Save the seeds in the winter and plant them next year.