Tips for Growing and Caring for Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a summer treat and a must have in the vegetable garden.  By early May, most people have already planted tomato plants or are just now getting started.  To get to the point where one can pick a nice lush ripe backyard tomato, a lot of work and care will be required once the tomato plant has been set out or comes up.  Managing insects and diseases are a major part but mulching, watering, and staking may be just as critical if not more important.  Here are a few tips to keep in mind.

Mulching helps control weeds and conserves moisture. It also reduces diseases by reducing the amount of water splashing onto the bottom leaves of the plants. Spread two to three inches of mulch in a circle around the plants once the soil has warmed up and the plants are growing well. Pine straw, grass clippings, newspaper, and wheat straw are good choices and will decompose as the season progresses.  It can be tilled in later in the fall as additional organic matter.

Mulch helps to ensure uniform soil moisture and cuts down on the need for frequent watering. However, during extended dry periods, it may be advisable to water plants in sandy soils at 5-to-7-day intervals and plants in clay soils at 7-to-10-day intervals. Run sprinklers long enough to wet the soil six inches deep. If you apply water faster than the percolation rate of the soil, runoff will occur. In that case, water until runoff, allow the water to soak in, and water again one hour later. Continue until the soil is wet to a depth of five to ten inches. Adequate moisture will help maintain uniform production and will reduce blossom-end rot. Avoid overhead watering as much as possible.

Supporting tomato plants in some way as they grow and develop fruit is also a major requirement. There are many specific techniques for supporting tomato plants; however, the two general methods are staking and caging.  

Since determinate tomatoes do not grow as tall, they are most often staked. With staking, all flower clusters on a tomato plant usually develop on the same side of the stem. A stake should be placed so that the developing fruit are not crowded between the main stem and the stake. Therefore, do not stake plants until after the first flower cluster is formed. Then drive the stake on the side opposite the flower cluster and about four inches away form the base of the plant.

Make the first tie just above the first flower cluster, using strong binder twine or cloth strips. Use a modified figure-eight tie, looping the string around the plant stem. Cross the ends between the stem and the stake, then pass the ends of the string around the stake and tie them. Do not draw the stem up snugly against the stake. Leave room for the stem to grow without binding. Additional ties should be made above each flower cluster as it develops to support the plant and to keep the fruit off the ground. Staked tomatoes will usually produce ripe tomatoes earlier in the season than caged tomatoes.

Indeterminate tomato plants do better if surrounded by wire cages. However, a cage should be sturdy and well anchored to the ground. Concrete reinforcing wire provides good support for the plants. A cage should be from 20 to 36 inches in diameter. A length of wire 6 to 9 feet can be used to construct a cage within that size range. In general, a caged tomato plant will produce more but smaller sized fruit than a staked tomato plant.

For other information or assistance, contact the Tallapoosa County Extension Office at 256-825-1050 or visit us online at www.aces.edu.