How to Grow Perfect Tomatoes in Texas

Tomatoes grow well in hot Texas weather, but watch for higher levels of diseases and pests.

Texas' long growing season enables an abundant yield of tomatoes but also leaves the plants more susceptible to pests and diseases. Successful tomato gardening in Texas requires awareness of conditions particular to your region and choosing cultivars and methods well suited for regional soil, climate and conditions. Because conditions vary greatly across Texas, a county extension office can provide resources specific to your location and help you to produce the best tomatoes in Texas.

Things You'll Need

• Soil test kit
• Fertilizer
• Tomato seedlings
• Shovel
• Watering can or hose

Instructions

1. Plant tomatoes in well-drained soil that gets at least six hours of full sun daily. If these requirements are met, tomatoes will grow well throughout much of Texas, according to the Texas A&M University Extension.

2. Plant appropriate cultivars. Tomato variety trials conducted by the Texas A&M University Extension found that the Merced and Surefire cultivars produced the best-tasting tomatoes with high levels of fruit ripening and minimal problems. Sunmaster, Surefire and BHN 444 all produced yields exceeding 10 pounds per plant. Contact a county extension office for more information on what cultivars perform best in your region.

3. Collect a soil sample for a soil test. Soil tests reveal nutritional deficiencies, pH problems or soil structure concerns that could impact healthy plant growth. The test results will indicate what fertilizers or amendments to use to improve the soil. Nematodes also can create problems in Texas soils, so a nematode test may be warranted.

4. Apply fertilizers and amendments to the soil as advised by the soil test results. Mound soil in rows about 6 inches high.

5. Transplant tomatoes to the garden one to eight weeks after the final frost date. Contact a county extension office or consult the National Climatic Data Center for information on frost dates in your region of Texas.

6. Transplant tomato plants on an overcast day or in the evening. This reduces wilting because of transplant stress. Dig a hole 3 to 4 inches deep into a raised row and fill the transplant hole with water. Once the water has drained into the soil, settle each plant into the hole, slightly deeper than it had been growing in the starter pots. Backfill the hole with soil, leaving a small indentation around the plant to help catch water.

7. Apply 3 inches of mulch around the base of each plant to control weed growth. Carefully hoeing and cultivating around the plants controls weeds that emerge, but the Texas A&M University Extension cautions gardeners to use care and avoid hoeing or cultivating deeply, which can damage tomato plant roots.

8. Install a tomato cage around young plants. Tomato cages help contain and support growth, and caged plants do not require pruning.

9. Fertilize the plants every three to four weeks with 2 level tbsp. of 10-10-10 fertilizer, or follow the fertilizer recommendations from the soil test. Tomatoes should receive 1 inch of water per week, soaking to a depth of 6 inches.

References

• Texas A&M University Extension: Texas Home Vegetable Gardening Guide
• Texas A&M University Extension: Easy Gardening -- Tomatoes
• Texas A&M University Extension: Tomato Variety Trials 2001

Resources

• National Climatic Data Center: Frost/Freeze Data
• Texas A&M University Extension: Tomato Problem Solver