Things You'll Need:
- Insulating plastic cones
- Mulch
- Tomato cage
- Stakes
- Cloth ties
- Aluminum foil
- Potassium fertilizer
- Phosphorus fertilizer
- Crushed eggshells
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Step 1
Plant tomatoes as soon as the soil temperatures reach at least 65 degrees F. If you want to be the first one on the block to harvest a ripe tomato, moderate cool night temperatures with plastic cones comprised of tubes that you fill with water.
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Step 2
Prune tomato plants of suckers that divert nutrients from the productive parts of the plant. Remove any shoots beneath the first flowering branch on the primary stem.
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Step 3
Apply a 3-inch layer of shredded bark, pine needles or straw to conserve moisture and smother the weeds that compete for nutrients in the soil. Wait until the soil warms to apply the mulch, as mulch can keep soil cool.
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Step 4
Stake your indeterminate tomato varieties to keep vines away from pests and diseases in the soil. Use a tomato cage, or tie the vines to a stake with cloth strips.
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Step 5
Speed the ripening of tomatoes with aluminum foil mulch. The foil reflects light and heat during the day, hastening the harvest by as much as two weeks. You can apply aluminum over organic mulches.
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Step 6
Supply potassium for strong stems and phosphorus for fruit production by amending the soil with ample amounts of compost. Limit the nitrogen you apply to tomato plants, or you'll sacrifice fruits for an abundance of leaves.
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Step 7
Prevent blossom-end rot by adding crushed eggshells to your watering can. This provides vital calcium to rapidly developing fruits. Watering plants evenly further prevents this malady from affecting your yield.
