Tomato growing on plant in pot.
HELLO SPRING, HELLO SUN! We are really passionate about our veggie gardens around here, so we thought we would share with you some of our tips on growing the perfect tomato's this year. Everyone loves a delicious red and juicy tomato, whether it be Roma, Gross lisse, Apollo, Sweet bite, Beefsteak, Truss plum... (you get the gist.) We are here to share our tips and secrets to growing the perfect tomato.
- SUN, Plenty of direct sunlight. This helps build flavor and ripen your tomatoes. Aim for a minimum 7 hours direct sunlight a day, so pick a spot in your garden or place a sizable pot somewhere you can guarantee direct sunlight. Warm days, warm nights and warm soil stimulate growth.
- AVOID THE FROST. *eek* Tomato plants hate frost, now we know you cant control old mother nature, but if you are expecting some frost in the early stages of the season cover your beloved plant or seedlings with a bucket, tarp or plastic bag.
- Prep the soil.Tomatoes need nutrient rich soil, Tomatoes grow best where there has been previous tomato plants or even potatoes, however if you are starting out a good quality manure can help prep the soil. They thrive in a slightly acidic soil.
- Plant them deep,deep, deep! This helps form structure to the plant as the plant will form roots across the buried part of the stem. achieve this by pinching off the first few rows of leaves and plant deep into the pot or veggie patch.
- Trellis them. As the tomato plant grows, tie it to the trellis to encourage upward growth which avoids rot from the leaves and tomatoes touching the ground.
- WATER THEM.Seems like a no brainer, right? but there is some key techniques to watering your tomatoes that can help them thrive and become big and juicy. Its important to be consistent with watering, the best time of day to water them is of an evening or early morning when temperatures are cooler, try being consistent with the timing and volume of water you give. inconsistent watering can cause your tomatoes to split or get blossom end rot. No one likes a stressed tomato plant. consider the weather, rainy or extremely dry and hot days. Ideally aim for 1-2 inches of water per week. Adding organic mulch to tomato plants reduces evaporation in the soil, which can save time on watering. (Available at Bedwells Feed Barn)
7.Remove dead and damaged leaves. Removing dead leaves can help your plant continue to thrive, to save it putting all the energy into regenerating dead growth the plant will focus on growing fruit. In addition to this, it also reduces the chances of spreading fungus and disease.
- Fertilisation This can be done when first planting your tomato plants and then doesn't require consistent fertilizing until they start to fruit. Our recommendation is using the terra-firma organic life fertiliser, it is a supercharged fully composted, biologically activated organic fertiliser - designed to includes four forms of natural nitrogen, natural phosphorus and natural potassium and calcium. Available in 25 Kilo bags at both our Bathurst & Wallerawang Store.
We hope this article helps you get your Juicy, delicious and red tomatoes this season! If you are chasing some seedlings or established plants we have a large variety of tomato plants in-store.
*all products discussed are available at Bedwells Feed Barn, Bathurst & Wallerawang