How to Grow Organic Tomatoes

Organic gardening requires a little more work than other gardening methods, but the results of organic gardening are worth it. No store-bought tomato matches the rich flavor of a home-grown tomato and no pesticide-laced home grown tomato matches the pure, sweet flavor of an organic tomato.

Things You'll Need

• Certified organic tomato seeds
• Organic potting soil
• Biodegradable starter pots
• Watering can
• Soak-hose
• Organic top soil

Instructions

1. Place organic soil with a small amount of organic compost in organic, biodegradable starter pots. Soil should be moistened but not overly saturated with water. Place up to three organic tomato seeds per pot and cover with half an inch of soil.

2. Place the pots on a sunny window sill and keep soil moist. You will need to check the pots every day to make sure the soil does not dry out too much. When the seeds sprout, continue to water the plant and watch for signs that the tomato plants are getting adequate nutrition. If the leaves are very pale or turn yellow, this is usually a sign the plant needs more food.

3. Plant the tomato plants outside in soil that has been tilled and prepared with organic topsoil. Do this only when the temperature outdoors is warm enough (there is no longer a danger of freezing), and your organic tomato plants are at least 4 inches high or higher. Plant them about 7 inches a part. You can take them out of the starter pot, but if it is biodegradable, you can plant them pot and all. Make sure that you bury it deep enough. Cover the plant past the top of the pot--this will help keep the seedling firmly in the ground.

4. Lay your soak hose close enough to the stems so that the water will reach the root system of the tomato plants. Soak hoses are not necessary, but they are preferable over sprinklers because tomatoes don't like water left on the leaves. Water on the tomato plant leaves on a hot day can lead to scorching or fungal growth. Soak hoses let water gently seep into the soil around a plant.

5. Place tomato cages over each plant. This will help keep the plants from drooping as they grow.

6. Control insects by releasing ladybugs in your garden (ladybugs eat aphids and other insects), and by handpicking larger pests off plants daily. If you have problems with caterpillars and other crawling bugs eating your tomato plants, place coffee cans (with the bottom cut out) around each plant. Bury the bottom at least a couple of inches so that it does not get knocked over. This method won't completely guard your plants, but it will deter some chewing insects. If you use the coffee cans, you won't be able to use a soak hose to water your tomatoes; insect control is important, however, and will take precedence in some cases. Some bugs can destroy a plant in a day.

Tips & Warnings

• Check the pH of your garden soil before you plant the organic tomato plants outside. A pH of 6 is ideal. Some garden centers will check the pH for you if you bring a sample in. If your soil pH is not good for growing tomatoes, the garden experts can tell you what you can add to the soil to balance it.

• When you water, water thoroughly. Tomatoes need a lot of water to produce their fruit.