Tomato Planting & Harvesting Equipment
Growing tomatoes is a cherished tradition in America. Every year, millions of home gardeners grow these popular and easy to care for garden favorites. Very little is needed for planting and harvesting tomatoes, although home growers can make use of many accessories and helpful tools to make the process easier and to increase yields. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Basics
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All that is really necessary to plant and harvest tomatoes is some type of digging tool and your hands. However, many gardeners will tell you that to truly take advantage of the potential bounty offered by these marvelous plants, more tools are essential.
Tillers
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Before planting tomatoes, it is essential to prepare the ground. Tillers and cultivators are very important as they loosen the soil and aerate it, promoting strong root growth and therefore a healthy tomato plant. A powered rototiller is best for this, and many gas and electric models are available. Hand tillers or cultivators will also do the job, but with a greatly increased investment in time and hard work. In a pinch, a simple spading fork will loosen the soil enough to grow tomatoes.
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Tomato Cages
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Tomato cages are an invaluable tool for growing your tomatoes. Placed around the tomato when planted, they provide support for the plant as it grows and help keep the fruit off the ground as they ripen. This improves yield and helps with harvesting, making the tomatoes easier to find. Tomato cages can usually be found at any garden center or greenhouse that sells tomato seedlings.
Planting Tools
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Most gardeners rely on the basic shovel for digging holes to plant their tomatoes, but some prefer bulb-planters or even post-hole diggers.
Harvesting Tools
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Harvesting tomatoes is best done by hand. A ripe tomato readily comes off the plant with a firm twisting motion. Some growers prefer to snip the stem with scissors or small pruning shears. A basket for holding the tomatoes is essential, especially when harvesting large quantities.
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References
- Photo Credit Tomato plant image by Trombax from Fotolia.com
