How to Grow Tomatoes

If you have a vegetable garden, I am sure you are eager to grow tomatoes. Whether you grow tomatoes indoors or in greenhouses, the red and yellow fruits not only add color to the garden but are highly useful in the kitchen too. Whether consumed raw or consumed in gravies, tomatoes are loved by almost all people across the globe. This article will concentrate on how to grow tomatoes and will also give some tomato growing tips with the help of which, you can grow the best tomatoes. Let us proceed to understand how to grow a tomato plant and what care needs to be taken for container gardening tomatoes.

Tips on Growing Tomatoes

There are many aspects that you need to keep in mind while growing tomatoes indoors. These aspects are explained in detail in the following paragraphs.

Season
You need to know the season when to plant tomatoes. Being sun lovers, warm climates are ideal for tomatoes. A temperature of about 75 degrees Fahrenheit is the ideal temperature for growing tomatoes. Depending on which zone you stay, plan ahead and prepare your garden to plant tomatoes.

Plant
The first thing that you need to do is plant a tomato plant. You can choose from a number of tomato varieties, the tomatoes of your choice. You could either get a plant from the nursery and transfer it in your pots or you could plant tomato seeds in different pots. The rule, if you plant seeds, is that they should not be overcrowded in the pot. Plant the seeds and wait for the first shoots to come out. Once you see the shoots, just remove them and plant them in their own pots.

Light
Tomato plants need direct sunlight in order to grow properly. If you cannot provide sufficient sunlight in your garden, then you could use grow lights. About 18 hours under these grow lights will provide the necessary light for the seedlings to grow into tomato plants. Once the tomato plant is a little taller, you will need to plant it in another pot and keep the pot in a sunny area.

Wind
Tomato plants need to have strong stems so that they can bear the weight of the fruit. They can be strengthened by providing them with a breeze. Put a fan directly over the plant for about 10 minutes daily so that the stem and the branches move about in the wind and become strong.

Heat
In order to have a wonderful crop, you will need to make the conditions warmer as tomatoes thrive in warm conditions. Start off with the soil. In order to heat the soil, you can cover the soil with a dark-colored plastic sheet. The dark color will absorb the heat and transfer the heat into the soil. This needs to be done a few days before you plant the trees.

Depth
Tomatoes need to be planted deep in the soil and they have the capacity to grow roots on their stems. While transferring the tomato plant from the small pot into the area where it will be grown, dig a deep hole and plant it till only a few leaves peep from the ground. The tomato plants will follow the sun and grow in the sun's direction. However, do not disturb the plants once they start growing.

Water
When the plants are growing, they need to be watered with care. Once the plants have grown and start bearing, watering with care becomes very vital. Also, water should reach deep within the soil, so special care should be taken to ensure this. Once the tomatoes start growing, however, the quantity of the water can be reduced a little to allow the plant to use its other nutrients. A word of caution, the quantity of the water should not be so much that all the nutrients are washed away and when the water quantity is reduced, it should not be reduced so much that the plants will wilt and die.

Mulch
I am sure you are aware of the concept of mulching. It is necessary to mulch the soil to avoid the plants from contracting any diseases. However, do not mulch often.

Support
When the tomatoes start growing, the plants start bending. In order to let them grow properly, the plants need to be provided with additional support. This support can be provided with the help of sticks and canes. However, care needs to be taken to ensure that the sticks or the canes do not disturb the roots of the tomato plant.

Prune
Pruning tomato plants is essential to ensure a great crop. When the plant starts bearing tomatoes, there will be plenty of offshoots near the plants. These will need to be pruned and plucked away from the plant. Those branches that start growing in between two branches of the plants, also need to be plucked. These branches are of no use as they will not have tomatoes growing on them. All the dead leaves and infected leaves need to be removed. The leaves need to be pruned if you notice that the tomatoes are not getting sufficient sunlight.

Fertilize
Organic fertilizers are the best fertilizers for tomato plants. Ensure that your plant receives some amount of the tomato fertilizer every two weeks. Also, keep a compost spray handy to be sprayed on the leaves to avoid them from getting infected. Check the plants regularly to ensure that there are no problems in growing tomatoes and tomato plant diseases, else your hard work will be in vain.

Reap
Now, to answer the very important question - how long does it take to grow tomatoes. It takes anywhere between 55 days to 90 days for the tomato plant to grow and bear tomatoes. Once the tomatoes are grown, there are certain things to be kept in mind while plucking them for use. Do not pluck out the tomatoes, when they are yet to ripen. The tomatoes will become glossy and soft and firm at the same time. That time is the right one to pick them out. Pluck them out carefully without disturbing the plant in the process.

Store and Enjoy
Once the tomatoes are plucked, they should be stored in a cool and a dark place. However, they should never be stored into the fridge as they will lose their nutritional value. Storing tomatoes for winter will ensure that you can enjoy your tomatoes all yearlong.

I hope this article on how to grow tomatoes was informative. These were the tips for growing tomatoes in pots and containers. With the help of these tips on how to grow tomatoes, have a bumper crop. Happy planting!