- 1). Choose a tomato plant that will fit your needs basing the decision on how you will be using them. Slicing tomatoes are large, round tomatoes that hold more juice and are perfect for eating raw in a wide variety of ways. Plum tomatoes are meaty, red or yellow in color and are excellent for sauce making, canning, and pizzas. Small cherry tomatoes are generally served whole on salads or can be cut in half and sauteed in any dish.
- 2). Plant your seeds in a small container or pot with starter mix four to eight weeks prior to the anticipated transplanting date. Place seeds ¼ inch deep and then water them. Keep the starter mix moist but not soggy. Start seeds in a warm area that receives sufficient sunlight, such as a window sill. Germination should occur with in five to 10 days.
- 3). Place about 1/2 inch of coarse gravel in the bottom of a well-draining 5-gallon container or pot. Then continue layering the pot with 1 inch of gardening soil and 1/2 inch of perlite, peat moss, coffee ground, small wood chips and sawdust until the pot is three-quarters full.
- 4). Add 5 tbsp. of limestone and 3 tbsp. of 0-20-0 superphosphate to the pot. Mix the layers up thoroughly and moisten the soil with a fertilizer solution of 2 tbsp. of fertilizer mixed with 1 gal. of water before transplanting the tomato.
- 5). Transplant the tomato plant carefully into the well-draining 5 gallon container when it develops the first two to three leaves, or when the plant is about 3 inches tall. Water the plant after it has been placed in the soil. This container can be placed outside after the last frost date for your area has passed. Add mulch to help keep the plant warm. Be prepared to cover early-set plants overnight to protect them from frost.
- 6). Place a stake next to the tomato plant in the container. Many gardeners train their tomato plants to stakes, trellises or cages, which help support the plant when it starts to bear fruit.
- 7). Fertilize the plant two weeks after transplanting with a solution of 1 tbsp. of fertilizer dissolved in 1 gal. of water. Pour about 1 pint of the solution around the base of the plant, being careful not to pour any fertilizer on the leaves.
- 8). Shade the plant for two or three days after transplanting to get the plant used to full outdoor sun. Continue fertilizing the plant every month with a stronger solution of 2 tbsp. of fertilizer with 1 gal. of water or according to the manufactures directions. Place the container in an area that receives full sunlight.
- 9). Water your container tomato plant once a day. Tomato plants in general need 1 to 2 inches of water per week. Add a catch pan under the pot to help keep in the moisture and also keep your concrete patio dry. If you notice the soil is completely dry by the end of the day, start watering once in the morning and once in the afternoon to keep the soil moist.
- 10
Inspect your plants weekly for the presence of disease, fungus and insect problems. Treat the plant with fungicides if fungus is found and insecticides if an insect infestation is found. - 11
Tomatoes can be harvested when they are a red color and, when gently squeezed, they are firm but have a little give to them. They are of highest quality when they ripen on healthy vines with daily summer temperatures averaging about 75 degrees F. During hot summer weather pick your tomatoes every day or two.
SHARE
