Backyard Tomato Production By J. David Williams, Extension Horticulturist Edward J. Sikora, Extension Plant Pathologist

This article is an excerpt of Alabama Extension's publication ANR-302. Click here for a complete copy of the publication in a portable disk format.

A small backyard tomato project can provide outside recreation for the entire family and serve as an outdoor laboratory for boys and girls interested in biology and science.

Select a Site
Set plants in an open area where they can get plenty of sunshine during a large portion of the day. For convenience, try to locate plants near the house and a water supply. However, you may need to rethink your location if the spot you choose will not allow the plants to receive lots of sunshine. Full sunlight is great for vigorous plant growth, development, and disease control.

Prepare Soil
For individual plants, dig a hole 2 feet wide and 12 inches deep. Save the topsoil that was removed from the hole and use it in the growing medium for refilling the hole. Mix two to three parts of the topsoil and one part of well-decomposed manure or compost. Add three-quarter cup of a complete fertilizer, e.g. 8-8-8 or 4-12-12 and 2/3 cup of ground dolomitic limestone if the soil has not been lined in the past three years. Thoroughly mix these ingredients to make a uniform growing medium. If poultry manure is used, add one part of manure to three or four parts of soil to reduce the possibility of plant injury.

Choose Varieties
Varieties that have produced well in tests and have appeared on recommended lists for Alabama include Amelia VR, Celebrity Mountain Supreme, and Sunpride. For families that may wish to plant two or three cherry-type tomato plants, Small Fry and Sweet Million are also good varieties to consider.

Set Transplants
Set the plants 2 feet apart and slightly deeper than they were originally growing. Firm the soil well with your hands, leaving a slight depression around each plant. Fill this depression with water to settle the soil well around the roots. Cut a 2-to-3-inch section out of an empty quart milk carton and place it around the base of the plant. Push it into the soil about half inch to protect the plants from cutworm damage. It is wise to shade bare-root plants or tender potted plants with plywood, shingle, or cardboard to protect them from the sun until they become hearty.

Mulch
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 6 to 8 inches of hay, wheat, rye, or pine straw in a circle around the plants just as soon as they recover from transplanting. Pine straw and hay will settle as the season progresses so add mulch material as needed throughout the season.

Irrigate
Good heavy 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 6 inches deep. If you apply water faster than the percolation rate of the oil, runoff will occur. In that case, water until runoff, allow the water to soak in, and water again 1 hour later. Continue until the soil is wet to a depth of 5 to 6 inches. Adequate moisture will help maintain uniform production and will reduce blossom-end rot.

Support Tomato Plants
There are many specific techniques for supporting tomato plants; however, the two general methods are staking and caging. For more information, see

Contact your county Extension office for more information on the topics outlined above.

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