How to Raise Healthy Tomato Plants
A healthy tomato plant will yield plenty of fruit for delicious salads and tomato sauces. With regular attention, growing tomatoes is fairly simple. Tomatoes are versatile and can be grown well both in gardens and containers. If your tomatoes are grown in a container, use a self-watering pot for best results. Once your tomato has produced fruit, be sure to pick it when it is ripe and store in a paper bag or on the counter. Don't refrigerate fresh tomatoes, since this can alter their flavor. If you live in a cold climate, wait until after the last frost to plant your tomatoes. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Plant tomatoes in a sterile container if you are using pots. According to Ohio State University Extension, tomatoes are susceptible to a variety of diseases, including tobacco mosaic virus, alternaria leaf spot and fusarium wilt. Some tomatoes are resistant to these diseases and will be marked with either a "V" or an "F" on their labels, so choose these varieties if possible.
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Use a balanced fertilizer to feed tomato plants, with even proportions of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. According to Cornell University's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, you should avoid fertilizers with a high nitrogen content in order to maximize crop production.
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Plant tomatoes in full sun and water frequently. As noted at Cornell University, dry soil leads to calcium deficiency. Mulch around your tomato plants to increase water retention. Tomato plants need at least seven hours of full sun, so keep them in a sunny location.
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Prune tomato plants so that the entire plant gets even amounts of sunlight. Staking the plant will also help encourage health and vigor. According to Fine Gardening, "A pruned and staked plant will produce larger fruit two to three weeks earlier than a prostrate one." Tomato plants should be staked when they start to flower.
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References
- Photo Credit tomatoes image by rafalwit from Fotolia.com
