TOMATOES: AMERICA'S FAVORITE!
By Bob Chapman
It is a common belief that homegrown tomatoes are better tasting than store-bought tomatoes. Just being able to pick tomatoes fresh off the vine and then eat them at dinner is one of the great pleasures in life to the home gardener. Follow the suggestions below about growing tomatoes successfully concerning sunshine, watering, feeding, soil and soil temperatures, etc. for producing bounteous crops of delicious and nutritious crops of tomatoes.
Sunshine. Tomatoes must have at least eight hours of sunshine per day to grow properly. Tomato plants will grow in shade, but will produce only lush foliage and few flowers.
Soil. Loamy soils with a pH between 6.0-7.0 are preferred. Most soils in California are slightly alkaline (above 7.0). But, most of us need to modify our soils by the addition of generous amounts of compost before planting and occasional applications of soil sulfur or aluminum sulfate to acidify the soil. Many successful growers modify only the circle of soil in which our tomatoes are grown.
Soil temperature. The soil temperature must be warm (50 degrees F. or above) to allow these warm-season plants to grow. Planting tomatoes too early in the year when the soil is still cold gains very little growing time and the poor tomato just sits and vegetates while the gardener gets frustrated
Watering tomatoes. Moisture is critical. Too much and the tomato drowns, too little and fruit production stops. Watering infrequently and deeply is suggested. The time to water again is when the soil in the top two inches is barely moist, then add enough water to wet the soil three-feet deep. You can conserve water by reducing the evaporation from the soil. Use landscape fabric or a thick layer of organic mulch around the base of the plants.
Feeding tomatoes. To grow well, tomatoes require a constant supply of nutrients, but too much nitrogen can cause excessive foliage and green fruit that doesn't ripen. Two tablespoons of sulfate of ammonia every 3-4 weeks should be sufficient for maximum growth and fruit production.
Fruit producing sequence. To set fruit, tomatoes have a sequence of growing, flowering and fruit production that must be followed to avoid disappointment. When first transplanted, the tomato produces foliage as it shoots upward. Then it will start producing flowers. The flowers will not set fruit and will drop off until the night temperatures remain above 55 degrees. Most pollen is released between 10:00 A.M. and 4:00 P.M. It takes about 48 hours for the pollen that is deposited on the stigma to reach the ovary. If the temperature should drop below 55 degrees or rise above 75 degrees at night before the pollen reaches the ovary, the flower will fall off. Lots of frustrated gardeners can't wait for the warm nights and get anxious when they see blossom drop in early summer. They'll try to hand-pollinate the flower, but to no avail. You can't rush Mama Nature; you just have to hope that we don't have too many cool nights when the tomatoes are blossoming. Hybridizers are developing strains that will overcome this.
Planting your tomatoes. There are a couple of tricks to planting tomatoes. The tomato is one of the few plants that will send out roots from the stem. So, in order to get maximum root development and use of the moisture in the soil, we plant them deep, right up to the lower set of true leaves. If the transplants are long and gangly, bend the stem 90 degrees and plant them. If possible, refrain from buying transplants that have matted roots. Tipping the plant out of the pot or cell pack before purchasing will reveal this condition. It's better to buy younger plants that have the root system just reaching the outer perimeter of the root ball. If older plants with matted roots are all that's available, loosen the soil ball and strip off the lower, older leaves prior to planting and then plant them deep as discussed above.
Giving tomato vines needed support. Supporting the growing tomato plant can be done by using tomato cages, either purchased or made from hardware cloth (hog wire). You can also consider using stakes, trellises, and wires dropped from the eaves to support the tomatoes. The taller growing, sturdier vines may require 6-8 foot high supports. Tie the vines to the supports with strips of cloth or plastic ties to avoid damaging the stems and tissues. If tomato vines are left to sprawl, the weight of the fruit opens up the bush exposing the fruit to direct rays of the sun and the tomatoes can get sunscald.
When will my tomatoes ripen? Ripening starts "X" days after transplanting. Early season tomatoes start ripening 50-65 days after transplanting, mid-season 65-79 days and late season tomatoes are ready 80-90 days after transplanting. This is assuming that you transplant your tomatoes when the soil is warmed up, usually in late April or early May.
What to do with tomatoes at the end of the season. Tomatoes will stay on the vine all winter if the weather is warm. But, all too often, Jack Frost nips the vines in late fall. When this happens, pick any half-ripe tomatoes and put them in a West-facing window to continue ripening. Green tomatoes can be made into relishes and of course, into green tomato pie, one of the greatest culinary treats in the world!
GROWING IN CONTAINERS
A whole new world opens up when we talk about growing tomatoes in containers. Containers can be boxes, tubs, 5 gallon plastic cans used to grow nursery stock or hanging baskets. You need at least 2 cubic feet of soil for optimum fruit production. Redwood tubs are popular, but use the 16-20 inch size. The small cherry or patio tomatoes provide sumptuous feasting when grown in containers. There are several varieties of patio or cherry tomatoes on the market. Our nurseries carry a good supply of them in the spring. Use only the commercial potting soils. This avoids problems with soil-borne diseases. Most potting soils have enough nutrients in them to support growth for three months. Some gardeners cut open a bag of soil mix and plant the tomato right in the bag. You can also use a Styrofoam picnic cooler with holes punched out in the bottom for good drainage.
Tomatoes really aren't that hard to grow if you give them a little care!