Planting the Season's Tomatoes
Tomatoes, Solanum lycopersicum, have long been one of America’s favorite garden vegetables. Those bold red, sun-ripened tomatoes deliver the taste of summer with every bite. And, they’re filled with excellent antioxidants and vitamins.
Just a handful of healthy plants can produce a bounty of delicious fruits within six to eight weeks. The best time to plant tomatoes is when daytime temperatures are consistently above 65-degrees Fahrenheit. Over the last few days, my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew have been busy prepping the beds and planting this season’s tomato crop - about 100-plants are now growing in our outdoor vegetable garden.
Here are some photos - enjoy.
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- Chhiring covers the beds designated for this year’s tomatoes with black weed cloth to make the beds neat, tidy, and free from weeds. The foot paths between the beds are just wide enough to walk alongside for maintaining the plants and harvesting the fruits. Tomatoes should be planted in an area with full sun and well-drained soil.
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- Chhiring uses sod staples to secure the weed cloth to the ground. He puts down a generous amount to prevent the cloth from blowing off on windy summer days.
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- Here is a bed all prepared for planting.
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- Chhiring does this for eight long beds in our vegetable garden. This location is different from last year’s. This time, our crop of tomatoes is in the back of the garden. Always rotate crops. Doing this gives various nutrients to the soil, and improves soil structure and fertility by alternating deep-rooted and shallow-rooted plants.
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- Here is just one tray of young tomato plants. These plants were all started from seed in my greenhouse. We don’t use any pesticides or chemicals of any kind, so we know we’re nurturing the highest quality plants. We always grow an abundance of tomatoes – I love to share them with family and friends and use them to make all the delicious tomato sauce we enjoy through the year.
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- Ryan separates the determinate from the indeterminate tomato plants. Determinate tomatoes, or “bush” tomatoes, are varieties that grow to a compact height of about three to four feet. Determinates stop growing when fruit sets on the top bud. Indeterminate tomatoes will grow and produce fruit until killed by frost. They can reach heights of up to 12-feet tall. And then he sets all the plants in the rows where they will be planted, making sure all the plants are equally spaced along the bed.
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- At each designated spot, Brian cuts an “x” with a utility knife through the weed cloth that’s just big enough for the plant.
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- Phurba follows and folds the flaps under the cloth one by one.
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- Once all four of the flaps are turned under, the rectangular area that is left is just perfect for planting.
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- Transplanted tomatoes that are kept free of weeds for the first four to eight weeks can usually outcompete emerging weeds later. Using a small shovel, Phurba creates a hole for each of the tomato plants. Most tomato plant varieties need about 100-days to mature, but there are some that only need 50-60 days. You can also stagger your plantings, so you have early, mid and late season tomato harvests.
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- All my plants do so well in part because of the nutrient rich soil that is used. I amend this soil every year, adding good compost and organic fertilizers.
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- Most tomato plants stem below ground. Plant them deep – everything to just under the bottom set of leaves from the top. These holes are at least a foot deep. The best fertilizer for tomato plants contains a relatively low concentration of nitrogen. High nitrogen content promotes the growth of stem and leaves, but not the fruit and flowers. Instead, tomato plants use phosphorous and potassium to produce fruit. Apply the fertilizer before the tomato plant is placed in the hole. A fertilizer with a 5-10-5 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium is good for the young plants.
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- Phurba and Brian work in a production line process – as one marks the cloth, the other digs. This day was very hot and humid, so the crew wanted to get the plants in the ground quickly.
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- The holes are about two to three feet apart from each other. We try to fit at least 10 to 12 plants in each row to maximize the use of garden bed space.
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- Brian begins planting. Two-thirds of the plant should be underground, meaning all but the two top most leaf sets should be buried. Planting deeply helps the plant to develop more roots, and more roots mean more ability to take up water and nutrients. If the seedling is already too tall and wobbly, dig a trench instead of a hole and lay the plant on its side. The stronger root system also helps the plant better survive the hot weather. This applies to tomatoes planted in the ground, in a raised bed or in a container.
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- Brian backfills each hole and unfolds the weed cloth flaps – this method of using weed cloth and “x”‘s will really cut down on the amount of weeding this season.
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- Phurba plants another bed. As the tomato plants grow, they need to be staked for support. Staking helps to keep the fruit off the ground, while helping to keep the plant somewhat upright. Don’t use any chemically treated wood or other material for staking climbers, as the chemicals would likely run off and go into the soil. We use, and reuse, our stakes every year.
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- Brian then secures the plant to a metal stake. At this stage, they are staked with two to three foot tall supports. They can be tied gently with a twist-tie or twine – the loop around the plant stem should be just tight enough to keep the vine secure, but not break it. These plants look so much better when kept upright and neat. The plants will be supported with longer bamboo canes in a couple weeks.
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- It’s a good idea to grow a range of varieties, including at least one or two disease-resistant types, since, of all veggies, tomatoes tend to be the most susceptible to disease. Early in the growing season, water plants daily. As temperatures increase, garden tomatoes typically require one to two inches of water a week.
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- 93-percent of American gardeners grow tomatoes in their yards, and according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, most Americans eat between 22 and 24 pounds of tomatoes per person, per year – this includes tomatoes in sauces. These beds look great. I am so happy to see the garden nearly completely full of delicious organic crops. I’m already looking forward to our first big harvest. Happy gardening.
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