How to grow tomatoes?

 

Tomatoes are easily one of the most popular plants for vegetable gardens. The reasons behind their immense fame are not hard to guess- they’re integral to every day food and they’re incredibly easy to grow! Want to add tomatoes to your garden? Read on to learn the simplest way to plant tomatoes.

Tomatoes can be grown both by starting tomato seeds indoors and by planting tomato plants directly in the garden. But whether you want to grow tomatoes from seed or from young plants, make sure to shop only from a trusted source. You can start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks from the expected last frost date for your area. The instructions printed on the seed package are the best source for information related to the right planting depth, heat and moisture requirements for the variety of tomatoes that you’re growing. Once the plants develop a couple of pairs of leaves, you can move them to individual containers.

Hardening off the young plants is a crucial aspect of growing tomatoes from seed. Introduce the young plants to the outdoor conditions by moving the containers to a shaded part of your garden for a couple of hours. Increase the duration of the plants’ outdoor stay by a couple of hours every day. With in 7-10 days, your plants will be ready for transplantation.

Tomato plants relish planting locations that offer full sun for the major part of the day, along with organically rich soil. Addition of peat moss, compost or other organic substances to the soil is hence recommended. The planting hole should be 8-10 inches deep and wide enough to accommodate the root ball. Allow a gap of 12-18 inches between adjacent plants.

Tips for caring for young plants

    New tomato plants can be a magnet for pests. Using floating row covers is one of the easiest ways of protecting the young plants.
    Moisture forms one of the most essential requirements of young plants. Make sure your plants get at least 1-2 inches of water every week.
    A layer of organic mulch will help conserve moisture and prevent the growth of weeds.