{"id":97,"date":"2014-05-23T18:08:00","date_gmt":"2014-05-23T18:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/homegardenjoy.com\/site\/2014\/05\/how-to-plant-tomatoes.html"},"modified":"2015-09-10T21:02:23","modified_gmt":"2015-09-10T21:02:23","slug":"how-to-plant-tomatoes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/homegardenjoy.com\/site\/2014\/05\/how-to-plant-tomatoes.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Plant Tomatoes"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n
Learn how to plant tomatoes<\/a> the right way and your plants will thank you with an abundant harvest. These tomato planting tips will help you grow big, healthy plants…and plenty of tomatoes!<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
\"HOW<\/a><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
<\/div>\n

<\/center>
<\/center>
Yup, it’s that time of year again – time to plant tomatoes! Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetables to grow in the backyard garden, and with good reason. Have you ever bit into a store-bought tomato and thought you accidentally ate the cardboard packaging? Most grocery store tomatoes taste awful for the simple reason that they’re grown to be hard as a rock. Growers want them to withstand shipping conditions without bruising, and grocery stores want them to stay fresh for a long time. Hence the cardboard tomato.<\/center>

\n<\/a>\"cherry<\/a><\/center>
<\/center>
<\/center>
But in the backyard…well, you can walk outside, pick a ripe tomato, and bite into it with the juice dripping down your chin. Not that I’ve ever done that. Er, no, of course not….<\/center>
<\/center>
<\/center>
The secret to growing great tomatoes begins by preparing the garden soil and planting them properly.<\/center>
<\/center> <\/p>\n

How to Plant Tomatoes<\/h2>\n

Tomatoes prefer a neutral soil pH, so have your soil tested and try to get it to around 6.5 – 7.0. \u00a0If the pH is too low, tomatoes are more prone to blossom end rot because the pH prevents them from absorbing the proper amount of calcium from the soil. \u00a0That’s why getting your soil tested is a must; a soil test and the accompanying information really helps prevent a lot of problems before they start.\u00a0<\/center>
<\/center>
<\/center>
They’ll grow just fine in containers<\/a>, raised bed gardens<\/a>, or garden beds. Add plenty of compost and well-aged manure to the soil and mix it in before planting tomatoes.<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/center>
\u00a0<\/span><\/center>
Do not plant tomatoes outside until all danger of frost is past. If a frost does threaten, cover tomato plants with blankets, sheets or newspapers overnight.\u00a0<\/span><\/center><\/p>\n

\u00a0\"tomatoes\"<\/a><\/h3>\n

Once you’ve chosen your location (full sun, right?) and the varieties to grow in your home garden, it’s time to plant tomatoes.<\/span><\/center>
\u00a0<\/span><\/center><\/p>\n