How to Grow Tomatoes Easily

Wondering how to grow great, juicy, sweet tomatoes? tomatoes are one of the easiest fruits to grow. That's right, tomatoes are actually a fruit. Although we tend to categorize them into the vegetable category due to their relative lack of sweetness compared to other fruits, they are indeed a member of the fruit family. Here are a few tips on how to grow great tomatoes.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tomato seeds
• Fertilizer
• Potting soil
• Water
• Sunlight
• Tomato stakes

1. Determine which type of tomato you are going to grow. Tomatoes come in hundreds of different varieties. Some of the more popular types include: Cherry tomatoes(bite sized and easy to grow), beefsteak tomatoes( extremely large), Roma tomatoes, Grape tomatoes(small and sweet), and Main Crop tomatoes which you will normally find in most home gardens. No matter what type of tomatoes you choose to grow, the same growing process can be applied to all varieties.

2. Start your tomato seeds inside. About 10 weeks before the last frost, place your seeds in small containers of dirt just below the surface. Make sure you place the containers where they will get plenty of sunlight. This is very import during the germination process.

3. Fertilize your soil. Whatever you do, make sure you don't over fertilize, this is the most common mistake made by home gardeners. Follow the instructions when preparing your soil for planting. I prefer using natural and organic fertilizers as they are easier on your plants. These can be found in many forms at your local gardening store. Mixing a couple of bags of miracle grow potting soil into your gardens soil will work just fine as well.

4. Plant your tomato plants about a week after the last frost. Space each plant about 3 feet apart for optimum fruit production. Adding a stake or tomato guide at this time is also a good idea.

5. Water your tomato plants regularly. Avoid spraying your plants leaves with water. The best way to penetrate the roots is to lay a hose by the roots and let it run for a minute. Repeat this process every 4 days for the best results.

6. When your tomato plants start to blossom, add a fertilizer high in Phosphorus to the soil. This will help concentrate on the fruit instead of the leaves. Time released stakes or pebbles work best by slowly releasing the fertilizer into the soil with every watering.

[jswana]

on 10/14/2009 I'd love to think that I could grow this lovely fruit so I'll give it a try. A very well constructed article. jswana 5*