Extension Report

Baldwin County Extension Office

302A Byrne Street

Bay Minette, AL  36507

Telephone (251) 937-7176 or

928-0860/943-5611 ext. 2222

FAX (251) 937-7285

Mike McQueen

Regional Extension Agent

Home Grounds, Gardens & Home Pests

March 2, 2010

Tips for Growing Tomatoes

Tomatoes are the most popular crop for Alabama vegetable gardens, but getting the most out of the tomatoes you plant requires more planning and careful work than any other crop.

When growing tomatoes, site selection is an important consideration. Tomatoes grow best when planted in a sunny location, one that gets at least 6 hours of full sun a day during the growing season. Tomato production is reduced according to the amount of time that the tomato plant is shaded.

Tomatoes produce well in a wide range of soils. The best crops are usually made on deep fertile loams and sandy loam soils. Most any soil can be modified with the addition of organic matter, lime, and fertilizer used according to soil test results. Tomatoes should not be planted in extremely sandy or heavy clay soils because these type soils can be difficult to manage when dry.

When shopping for tomato plants, be sure to choose adapted varieties resistant to disease and avoid plants with any symptoms of stress or disease. There are many good tomato varieties, but it’s best to choose those that are recommended for your region. Be sure the tomato plants you select are resistant to Verticillium wilt, Fusarium wilt, and root-knot nematodes. This will be indicated on the plant identification label by the letters, “V, F, & N” after the variety name.

A four to six inch deep layer of old hay, straw, wood shavings, or sawdust mulch will reduce weed problems and conserve soil moisture by reducing evaporation from the soil surface. It will also cut down on fruit loss due to blossom-end rot and cracking, and it can reduce early blight, a common foliar disease of tomatoes.

Tomato plants should be pruned and supported. Prune by removing suckers that develop from the ground level up to but not including the sucker that develops below the first flower cluster. Pruning can help increase fruit size. Foliar diseases are also easier to control when suckers are removed.

It is important to support tomato plants so that they won’t topple over and to prevent the maturing fruit from resting on the ground. When tomato plants fall over, they spread out, exposing the fruit to the sun. This can result in a large portion of the fruit being lost to sunscald or soil rot. 

The three most popular methods of supporting tomato plants are caging, trellising, and staking. Each one of these methods has its advantages and disadvantages. Caging is usually easy once the cages have been constructed. Cages are often too short for tall growing tomatoes and tip over easily.

Trellising tomatoes up to an overhead wire with a heavy binder is an effective method of support. Trellising requires a little more effort and is more time consuming. Cleanup at the end of the season is much easier with trellised tomatoes.

Staking is the most widely used method of supporting tomato plants. Stakes should be 4 to 6 feet long and strong enough to support a heavy vine with 30 to 35 mature tomatoes. It should also be durable enough to last all season.

Tomatoes can be attacked by a wide range of foliar diseases. Plants should be protected with protective fungicides. Spraying should begin when plants are 8 to 10 inches tall and be continued every 7 to 10 days or according to the manufacturer’s label directions. It is important to remember that heat and light destroy these chemicals and plants are constantly adding new growth.

Insecticides may be added to fungicide sprays when needed to control specific insect problems. It is important to correctly identify the insect so that proper insecticide can be used to control the insect problem. Insecticides work best if they are applied when the insects are small. If you are not sure which product you should use, contact me at

(251) 575-3477. All insecticides should be used according to label directions.

If rain occurs after a long dry period, any mature fruit may crack. In this situation, mature green, pink or ripe fruit should be picked from drought-stressed plants and spread on tables to ripen. 

Blossom-end rot can develop if tomato plants are allowed to become severely drought-stressed. If a water source is available, irrigate plants every 7 to 10 days during dry weather to reduce fruit loss.

If you need additional gardening information, please contact the Master Gardener Helpline Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. toll-free at 1-877-252-4769.

Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale and Outreach

The Baldwin County Master Gardeners will be conducting a spring plant sale April 8th – 11th 2010 on highway 98 across from the Weeks Bay Reserve. Plant sale hours are 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Thursday – Saturday and Sunday 11a. m. – 4 p.m. Locally grown plants, natives, perennials, shrubs, hummingbird and butterfly attractors, camellias and native azaleas will be available for purchase. Proceeds from the plant sale will benefit the BCMG scholarship fund and other community outreach projects. Master Gardeners will be on site to provide soil pH tests, research-based information and Alabama Cooperative Extension System publications.

Tuesdays With Master Gardeners

The Master Gardeners will be hosting Spring Workshops in March at the Gulf Coast Regional Research & Extension Center on 8300 Hwy 104 in Fairhope. They will be held from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The cost will be $5 per workshop, payable at the door. The topics are: March 2, Repair and Prepare Your Lawns & Beds, Ellen Huckaby and Larry Green; March 9, Pest Management and Fertilizers, Bill Goodwin and Hank Alexander; March 16, Vegetables: Raised Beds and Kitchen Gardens, Debbie Calhoun and Marilyn Mannhard; March 23, Herb Gardening & Container Gardening, James Preast, Joni Thorington and Pat Libby; and March 30, Landscape Design: Buying the Right Plant for the Right Place, Gaynell Dumas.

For more information, call Laurie at 251/928-6966. Proceeds benefit Baldwin County Master Gardener scholarship fund and community outreach projects.

Jr. Master Gardener Training

Are you interested in gardening? Want to garden with your children, family, friends, or community? How about starting a youth gardening club? Join us at the Jr. Master Gardener (JMG) training for adult volunteers. Luci Davis, JMG State Coordinator, will teach the best gardening techniques with youth, put together a plan of action, and share ideas. The training will be Friday, March 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Gulf Coast Regional Research and Extension Center on Hwy 104 in Fairhope. Call the Baldwin County Extension Office at 251/937-7176 to register.

Email address: mcquegj@aces.edu

Phone number: 937-7176 or 943-5061, 928-0860, ext. 2222

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M and Auburn Universities) in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture is an equal opportunity educator and employer.