Your Guide to Growing Tomatoes

Your Guide to Growing Tomatoes

Grow delicious, huge tomatoes in your backyard garden

Almost every gardener starts by growing tomatoes. That’s because once you’ve tasted a ripe, fresh tomato plucked from the vine and consumed within minutes of harvest, you’ll never purchase a tasteless supermarket tomato again.

However, if growing tomatoes has eluded you, or your tomatoes didn’t survive the summer, this guide is for you. It’s the beginner’s guide to growing tomatoes the easy way. From types of tomatoes to staking tomatoes, this is your guide to growing tomatoes.

Plant Profile: Tomato

Botanical Name: Solanum lycopersicum

Soil Requirements: Tomatoes thrive in well-drained, loamy soil that’s rich in organic matter. A slightly acidic pH between 6.0 and 6.8 is ideal. Incorporating compost or aged manure before planting can boost fertility and structure.

Light Requirements: Tomatoes are sun-loving plants that require full sun, with at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day, for vigorous growth and fruit production.

Fertilizer Needs: Balanced fertilization is key. Start with a fertilizer higher in phosphorus (such as 5-10-5) at planting to promote vigorous root growth. As the plant grows, switch to a balanced or slightly nitrogen-lean mix to support fruit development without excessive leafy growth. Over-fertilizing, especially with nitrogen, can lead to lush foliage but fewer fruits.

Water Requirements: Consistent moisture is crucial. Water deeply and regularly, aiming for 1 to 1.5 inches per week through rainfall or irrigation. Avoid overhead watering to reduce the risk of fungal diseases—drip irrigation or watering at the base is best. Mulching around the base helps retain moisture and suppress weeds.

Types of Tomatoes

There are two types of tomato plants: indeterminate and determinate.

Indeterminate Tomatoes

Indeterminate tomatoes are a type of tomato plant that continues to grow and produce fruit throughout the growing season until killed by frost or another external factor. Unlike determinate varieties, which grow to a fixed size and produce all their fruit in a short window, indeterminate tomatoes grow as vines that need support and can reach significant lengths. They produce clusters of tomatoes steadily over time, making them ideal for gardeners who want a continuous harvest. This growth habit allows for ongoing fruiting, but it also requires more maintenance, such as regular pruning and staking.

Determinate Tomatoes

Determinate tomatoes are tomato plants that grow to a predetermined size and produce fruit within a limited time frame. Once fruiting begins, the plant sets all its tomatoes at once, resulting in a concentrated harvest period. After this, the plant gradually stops growing and producing. These tomatoes typically have a bush-like form, making them more compact and suitable for container gardening or smaller spaces. They generally require less pruning and support compared to indeterminate varieties, and are favored by growers who prefer a large yield all at once, such as for canning or processing.

Growing Tomatoes: 8 Essentials to Grow Healthy Tomato Plants

To grow healthy tomatoes, you need a few essentials.

1. Start with healthy plants: First, start with the best plants you can find. If you start tomatoes from seeds, choose quality seeds and use a new package of seeds.
2. Plant in full sun: Tomatoes need abundant sunshine. That means bright, full and direct sunlight all day long.
3. Wait until the weather is warm: Tomatoes need heat to thrive. They produce the most fruit when daytime temperatures are 80-90 F and nighttime temperatures are int he 60s. Always plant tomatoes outdoors after the last expected frost date for your area.
4. Water: Use a sprinkler, hose, or watering can and water tomato plants daily. Try to give tomatoes about the same amount of water each day to prevent cracking.
5. Fertilizer: Sprinkle Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) in the planting hole when planting tomatoes and apply vegetable or tomato fertilizer, 5-10-5 or 10-10-10 at planting. I use both abundant compost and add fertilizer to my tomatoes when planting.
6. Planting: Plant tomatoes as deeply as possible. Tomatoes produce roots from the stems, so the deeper you can plant tomatoes, the stronger and more extensive the root system.
7. Staking: Tomatoes, especially indeterminate tomatoes, benefit from supports such as stakes or tomato cages. If you use supports, tie the branches using soft cloth. Cut strips of cloth from rags, old bedsheets or towels. Tomato cages can be fashioned from woven wire rolled into tubes and set firmly into the ground.
8. Pruning: Trim or prune the suckers between branches to allow tomatoes to produce more fruit. Always pluck off the lower set of leaves before planting tomatoes.