Using plenty of compost will greatly increase your chances of a healthy yield
It doesn’t take an expert gardener to appreciate the virtues of a homegrown tomato. But even experienced gardeners can sometimes experience challenges in growing these beauties to perfection. Here are some ideas you can apply this season to improve your tomato growing talent.
Start with great soil and a healthy plant. Although it sounds simple, you can eliminate most of your tomato growing challenges with these simple mandates. Well-amended soil, full of rich compost and other organic material can be your secret weapon to having the best tomatoes around. There is no man-made substitute for good old-fashioned compost.
To illustrate this point, last year I grew tomatoes in raised beds. I had amended the soil with composted manure and it was good, but not straight compost. Not far away, I had my compost bin, full of aged, rich dark compost. Growing from it was a volunteer tomato plant. I decided to let it grow to see how it would do. I did not provide any supplemental care.
Over the next two or three months, this composted tomato plant outperformed the competition in every way. In spite of my best efforts to nurture the raised bed tomato plants to perfection, the composted plant grew happily and undemanding. It never got diseased, stayed beautifully dark green, and the only pest was a tomato hornworm or two, which I easily picked off by hand. As the season matured, so did this plant. It was heavy with abundant large red tomatoes. This plant produced right up until the first frost, and the taste was outstanding.
While the results were undeniable, it is not necessary or even advisable to grow tomatoes in pure compost. First, you can derive the same benefits of compost without using all of it for growing plants. A little bit goes a long way. By volume, about 30% compost to the overall soil mix will be ideal.
Next, for tomatoes and all plants to perform their best, the soil should include minerals as well. Pure compost will lack some of the important minerals tomatoes and other plants need to perform their best. I buy a soil mix from my local landscape supply company that blends granite dust (my mineral source) with compost and top soil. That gets added to my base soil at about 10% by volume each year to renew the beds. I think come in with a one-inch layer of compost across the top and work it lightly into the top four-inches or so.
For a small amount of compost, you can easily make your own, as I do. However, while a little bit does go a long way, when you’re trying to incorporate 30% of the total soil volume with compost, that adds up quickly. Few people can make enough to meet that goal when trying to do so over several beds or a large garden. Fortunately, you can buy bulk compost at landscape supply companies. But one word of caution here. Not all compost is the same from one supplier to the next. My advice when purchasing in bulk is to seek out Certified Compost whenever possible. It’s the U.S Composting Council’s Seal of Testing Assurance (STA Compost). This certification is only given to compost suppliers that have their product put through a rigorous testing process to make sure you are getting the quality compost you’re paying for. Check their website to locate a facility near you. (Disclosure: I am the spokesperson for the U.S Composting Council. However, this mention is included here independently of that. I simply believe that when buying bulk compost, STA compost is your best option when available.)
This next point may seem obvious but it’s worth repeating. A healthy plant is a happy plant and a happy plant will taste best. By starting with disease free plants, you have a better chance of keeping them that way. There are many disease resistant varieties available. These plants are known as hybrids, and have been developed to make them more resistant to common diseases. However, I find that the hybrid varieties don’t compare to heirloom tomatoes when it comes to taste. The downside of heirlooms is that they can be more susceptible to disease problems. However, there are ways to minimize the risks.
Plant tomatoes deeply
Assuming you have provided rich well-drained soil, pick a sunny spot and don’t plant your tomatoes too close together. Tomato plants thrive in full sun and are healthier when provided good air circulation.
Plant your seedlings deep, very deep. Tomato plants are one of the few vegetables that will root along the stem. The larger the root system, the better the plant will be. You can bury a tomato plant up to the top set of leaves. I leave about two sets of leaves showing. This step will ensure a larger root area and a more vigorous plant.
In the planting hole, I add a tablespoon or two of dolomitic limestone and mix it into the soil. This step can help ward off blossom end rot in emerging fruit. Cover the plant and water it in thoroughly with a diluted mix of liquid fertilizer. This is the one of the few times that it is acceptable to soak the foliage. I prefer to use an organic blend of fish emulsion and sea kelp. This adds nitrogen and phosphorus to get the plants off to a good start.
Manage the water. Tomato plants like deep watering. A soaker hose is best for this because it allows the water to soak deep into the soil, without wetting the foliage above. Don’t over water, but make sure they are getting enough. As the plants get a bit taller, add mulch. For tomatoes, the most important role of mulch is to prevent soil born disease pathogens from splashing onto the foliage and spreading disease. Place the mulch to within two inches from the stem, in a layer two to three inches tall. I place my mulch right over the soaker hose.
As the plants grow up, make sure they are supported in some way. There are many options for this, but the plants will become tall and the weight of the fruit can easily bend and break the plant stems and branches.
These guidelines will get your tomato plants off to a great start. Like with so many examples in gardening and life, how you start out makes all the difference in the world with the success of the harvest.
About Joe Lamp'l
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
Hi Joe,
My wife and I have just retired and are moving back East next spring. Once there I plan to start a vegetable garden. One of the plants I want is the “Ten Fingers of Naples” for sauce. Since I will be building this garden from the ground up (raised beds) literally, I was wondering what ph level I should amend the soil to in order to get the best plants and yeild.
Ed, if you fill your beds with quality topsoil and amend with other organic matter, especially compost, you should have soil that is near a pH of 7.0 which is neutral. If you can get your soil to 6.5 – 7.0 you should be totally fine and if you do what I suggest, you’ll be there. Good luck!
You mention that compost should be about 30% of the mixture of the soil, but what % should the rock dust be? And any particular potting soil you would recommend be the remaining portion?
I’m planting tomatoes indoors in a large flower bed in a 30’x40′ room with about 350 sq feet of (non-UV blocking) skylights overhead, and I want to see how long into the winter they will produce. Interesting experiment, but I want to make sure I have the right soil in the 18″ deep bed before getting started. Recommendations?
I’ll hopefully pick everything up at the Southern States coop here in Northern Virginia.
Thanks!
Nature is strange to say the least. I took seeds out of a tomato and planted about a dozen of them. They are all in the same soil (purchased, potting soil mixed with compost), in the same size containers and get watered together. Only the one plant is behaving strangely as all the leaves are inverted and curling slightly. I transplanted it into the ground & added plenty potting soil & some fertilizer but it has shown no signs of improvement. It’s growing at the same pace as the others, but the leaves are upside down if I may call it like that & drooping slightly. Is this just the runt of the litter or was it possibly infected as a seedling by something. I have checked for aphids, spider mites, white fly & anything else living off the plant but it is clear. Just a little puzzled & would love to hear your views on this. All nutrients ever added are organic & I have sprayed it with an organic insecticide as I do with my other plants as well. I have 18 different veggies growing in the same soil medium & this plant has me beat. Kind regards, Vaughan, Johannesburg, S.A.
Vaughn,
It sounds like you have considered many of the options. From your description it sounds like a virus and I would recommend removing the infected plant. Congratulations on all your success. Best of luck to you.
Thanks for all the great tips Joe.
Last year I had a great crop of tomatoes. Very large plants with hundreds of medium size tomatoes. I live in California so the Growing season here some years can be long. Last year, in Late September, the first rain of the year was a gully washer. My plants were soaked and loaded with tomatoes. Within a week I noticed a black fungus creeping up the stems. Within two weeks the plants were dead. I lost hundreds of beautiful tomatoes. What should I have done to prevent this?
My plants are loaded again this year and I don’t want a repeat of last year.
Hi Simeon. That is too bad! I’m sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, I don’t know what really caused the black fungus or if you could have reversed the damage in time. If it was actually a fungus, I would quickly apply a fungicide to the plants to prevent further spread. So in the future, I think that is the approach I would take if you encounter a similar problem. This sounds like an extreme and unusual case so I’m hoping you don’t see a repeat any time soon. I’m sure you feel the same way. Thanks for writing Simeon.
Hi Joe,
After doing some research I have determined that the fungus was Late Blight, which is the same fungus that caused the potato famine of 1845. I have taken some precautions this year to prevent the fungus from getting a foothold. Clipped up the older leaves to about 12″ from ground level. Keeping the suckers controlled. Covered the soil with mulch. And if we expect a heavy rain, I have some clear plastic ready to cover the plants. I again have hundreds of tomatoes that have yet to ripen. I will not be loosing them this year. Take care and thanks for the reply.
Hello Joe,
Thank you for posting this article on the web. Very informative!
Thanks again,
Brian
Before you recommend Miracle Grow for tomatoes, read the product components. Miracle Grow was a wonderful pdt with NPK of 15-30-15. Then it was acquired by Scotts. Immediately, the formula was changed. Scott’s philosophy is to put excess nitrogen in every fertilizer because “the stupid consumer will continue to buy if plants immediately green up”. It has worked for Turf-builder with so much nitrogen that its main purpose is to make you mow too often. The current MG for tomatoes is very close to 10-10-10, which is just cheap generic fertilizer. The basic MG has a formula with a horrible amount of nitrogen.
Frankly, I lost respect for your site when you recommended MG. Instead, please tell people to read formula, and try to get one with a ratio clise to 1-2-1.
Thanks Patty for calling this to my attention. And frankly I was very surprised to even know this was even mentioned in the article. It’s yet another reason to make frequent reviews of what content is posted on our site. While I don’t use it nor suggest it as an option personally, I don’t see it as a bad thing for all the folks that find success with it, especially when used in containers. But for the record, MG is not something I use or recommend for the same reasons you mention and more. I’ve updated the article as well to remove this reference. Thanks.
I purchased Scott’s potting mix for my indoor plants and they all died because the mix was Sa dry it didn’t absorb the water. I will never get that brand again.
A lot of potting mixes, not just Scott’s have peatmoss in them as the primary ingredient. While it’s great for holding moisture, you cannot ever let it dry out. If so, it has the opposite effect and won’t rehydrate. That sounds like what happened to you. Just keep it watered very consistently or look for something that has less peatmoss.
Hi! I couldn’t figure out how to make my own thread for a question so it’s in the reply!
Thank you for sharing your wisdom on tomato growing!! I live in Miami,FL and I have a hanging tomato plant holder hanging off my balcony which has full sun. I have tried to grow 2 tomato plants, one of which was even meant for hot climates and both died shortly after I planted them into the hanging container. So now I got a new one from that’s about 8 inches tall that I will replant once again. Do you have suggestions of how to keep this alive?? I water daily but do I have to fertilize?? Thank you for your help!!!
Hi Grace. I grew up in Miami and it can be challenging to grow tomatoes there without extra TLC. Yes, you need to give them a liquid fertilizer about once a week or every other week per the instructions. Containers dry out too quickly but you are watering every day which is good. But the nutrients leach out of the soil so fast, you have to keep feeding them or they won’t have the nutrients they need to be productive.
Hello Joe,
I am currently in Burlingame, Bay Area,California and I had sown tomato seeds in August first week . I am growing tomatoes for the first time and I am a novice to gardening. I transplanted and moved my seedlings to bigger container pots in early October.I have used Miracle-Go Moisture control potting soil and I fertilize the plants every 2 weeks.. My tomato plants have grown around 2 feet and are flowering well. I see tiny marble size 1-2 tomatoes on most of the plants. I was reading through various articles and realized that I started late in sowing the seeds. Since my current climate zone is 10, first and last frost date should be around 1st and last week of January. I am not sure if I have will have enough yield of tomatoes as I was late , also if my plants will survive the frost. Do you have any suggestions on what should I do to take care of my plants for higher yield despite being late and also how to manage the plants during the frost. Thank you
If a frost is coming and your plants are in the ground (vs. a container you can move inside), then wrap the plant if possible in plastic or a blanket, or something to keep the frost off the plant. If January is your frost date, you should have time to harvest some fruit I’m hoping. But with shorter days, and cooler temps, fruit will take longer to ripen. I would harvest as soon as they start showing color. This is called the “breaker stage” and is the safe point at which you can harvest and still get full flavor, color and nutrition off the vine as they ripen inside. So keep an eye on the forecast and leave fruit on the plant until the risk is imminent. Good luck and now you know, just start earlier next year to avoid this problem. But that’s what gardening is all about. Always learning!
Joe,
Can I plant tomato’s in the same place in the same garden every year ?? Or does the soil get “worn out” when you do that ?
Thanks,
Rick
The soil won’t get ‘worn out’ if you continue to replenish it with compost and other nutrients and minerals. However, there are many soil diseases that can persist and overwinter to wreak havoc on your tomato plants the following year. So the reason why you should rotate your plants to a new location yearly if possible (over a 3 or 4 year rotation), is to starve out the pest and diseases that thrive on tomato plants. True confession though from me: I don’t do this as often as I should. And I do pay a price with extra disease pressure from year to year. But when I do rotate and plant in a new location, those years are always better related to diseases.
I bought 1 tomato plant at walmart and it is suppose to produce 2-3 lb size tomatoes. Well, that plant grew to be 6 feet tall with really thick stems and I think I waited a bit long to prune the plant. Anyway the tomatoes only turn red 2 and 3 at a time about 2 weeks apart and the sizes is only from a little bigger than a golf ball to the size of a big apple. I was really disappointed beause I wanted to can some juice. What was wrong and why didn’t it produce like it was suppose to? Your response will help me next year
A common occurrence that happens a lot more than people realize is that plants are mis-labeled, either at the grower or somewhere between there and the retailer. I can speak from personal experience here. Lot’s of plants get the wrong tag stuck in the pot.
It can also be environmental, and that’s common too. Although the plant is genetically programmed to produce a certain size fruit, water and temperature can produce variability on the vine when it comes to uniform fruit size. It is not unusual to see various size, mature fruit on one plant.
Don’t let this deter you from trying again next year. Gardening and growing is all about working with the surprises Mother Nature will continue to send your way.
Many plants at Walmart are not as labeled. I bought seeds there that were not true to variety or had zero germination. Spend a little more someplace else. Why wait a season to find this out.
This is true not only at Walmart but all over Jerry. It is so easy for plants to get mislabeled during the handling process and happens all too often. With seeds, check the date on the package and buy from trusted brands.
This weekend I finished a raised planter box – 6’x2′ x17″ . I made it primarily for tomatoes. I now need to fill it with soil of some type. My research took me to your article. If I understand what you are saying, filling it completely with compost might be the best thing for my tomatoes. Is that so in your opinion?
The suggestion I have been getting is rock, and potting mix. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
Bryan – Toronto Ontario
Hey Bryan. I went back and looked at that article and I see why you came to that conclusion about using all compost for planting your tomatoes. Actually I don’t suggest that long term and I will update the article to clarify. While compost is fantastic as a soil amendment, It should not be the sole source of soil for growing any plants. Soil also needs minerals and other things not found in just compost. While you can go heavy on the compost, next chance you get to amend the soil with a mineral based product, I’d suggest you do so. It will give you a better foundation and overall balance for your plants going forward.
I have several articles that explain this further and I think they would help you. Start with this link but just type “minerals” into the search bar of the website and you’ll get the others too: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/rock-minerals-as-soil-amendments/
Is it okay to plant two seedlings together. I started from seed, and they are within half an inch, and I dont want to try and separate the root and damage both plants
Yes, but I would cut off the weaker plant with scissors or such at ground level once you know which is the stronger plant. You don’t need them competing with each other as they mature.
Hi Joe,
I planted Heirlooms last year in large planters (formerly used for small trees). This year, I’ve re-used the soil from last year which a mixture of compost and “zoo brew” (a herbivore manure based compost).
This year I turned the soil and added a small amount (about an inch) of compost to the top layer, as I didn’t have a lot compost this year, and planted the tomatoes.
Should I try re-plaining in new, and fresh potting soil or will my use of the once-used soil from last year be okay?
Used soil is fine Brad. The key is to continue to add new organic matter to constantly improve and restore the microbial life in the soil. As long as you add back beneficial inputs as you are, you should be fine.
When can I plat them to be a good
Hello! I recently acquired a Cherokee purple tomato plant. Will these guidelines work for that specific plant as well? Can tomatoes be planted in large pots, or must they be planted in the ground? I live in a rental property and don’t want to dig up the yard but I also don’t want to give up my favorite veg plant! This my first tomato plant and I’m fairly new to gardening in general, and honestly I just want it to survive! Thank you so so much! I’ve taken notes on all of your tips listed here and bookmarked this page.
Containers are fine for growing tomatoes Ashley and the tips from this article certainly work for Cherokee Purple as well. The key with container grown tomatoes and all plants is that they need extra water as the soil dries out quicker. They also need to be fertilized a lot more as the nutrients will leach from the soil with each watering.
Hi, Joe. Please tell me if it will hurt to plant tomatoes in a hill of dirt. My son is insistent that this is how the tomatoes should be planed , my daughter in-law is suggesting that they be planted in a hole and flat. I am not sure as I just planed theism. Ha. Thank you.
Darlene
Darlene, tomatoes are very forgiving in how you plant them. You can plant them on a hill, in a hill, sideways, or very deep. Literally, any of those methods and more will work. The trunk has tiny white fibers that will become roots when they come in contact with soil. Just keep the soil moist for it to take off. You’ll be fine no matter how you planted them.
Wouldlike to get e mails from you. Frank
There are 2 email newsletters that I send to keep my subscribers in the know. One is for Growing a Greener World and the other is for my new gardening intensive website launching later this summer. Here are the links:
https://growingagreenerworld.leadpages.net/subscribe/
http://joegardener.com/
enjoyed your comments on getting tomatoes to thrive. Here in Southern Nevada, I have enjoyed JULIET grape tomatoes, but this spring I had to pull out three plants due to what I believe was Verticilium Wilt. What do you suggest for future planting so as to minimize its presence in my soil? (They were not planted in this spot the previous year). Thanks in advance for your comments!
Hi Bobbe. Look for tomatoes that include letters after the name of the variety. You are looking for “V”. This indicates that tomato variety is “resistant” to Verticillium wilt. It is not immune to it though, so just know this going in. You could likely do an online search ahead of shopping to find a list of varieties that are disease resistant to this. Generally many of the hybrid varieties have been bred for disease resistance.
Dear Joe what is rhe best way to prevent red spider on tomatoes?
Hi Solob. I don’t really know. I’ve never had to deal with this and I don’t know the extent of damage they do to the plants. For me, if they didn’t damage the fruit to make it inedible, I would tend to leave them alone. Spiders in the garden can be a great helper in managing your pests.
Red spiders will destroy a tomato! I wrap my hand around the entire tomato and crush them. That doesn’t get them all, but if you keep at it, most of your tomatoes will survive.
Dena,
Thanks for sharing your method for controlling spider mites. They can be difficult to control
and I like your approach. Happy gardening!
Hi Joe,
Thanks so much for your informative shows and articles. Your expertise has been very helpful in answering a lot of concerns that folks have regarding their gardening ventures. I started a garden area when we moved to central, Fl 15 years ago. I have had successes and failures. Now I am trying growing in a few hay bales. I would appreciate your input on Hay vs Straw bales and any info you have on this subject.
P.S. This is personal information that you will probably not want to post. I grew up in south Miami when your family lived there many years ago. I was friends with your oldest brother at Riviera.
Hi Janet! Wow, small world isn’t it!
To get you a really good answer on the diff. between straw and hay bales for growing, I went to the source, my friend Craig LeHoullier. He wrote my favorite book on tomatoes: Epic Tomatoes. He also wrote a book on straw bale gardening. Here is his response:
“Under the terminology that I understand, straw is a thick stemmed wheat grass that dries hollow and stiff and a bale of which holds up throughout a season, keeping its shape – it breaks down slowly. Hay is composed of long grasses, often contain considerable seed, breaks down quickly and does not hold its shape well, so is far less effective for bale gardens”
So there you go Janet. Hope that helps and thanks for your kind words.
Joe,
I tested my garden plot with the vinegar/baking soda test for the PH. and it shows Neutral around a 7. will it hurt to go ahead and lime the soil? before planting?
KK
Kent, if you’re pH is 7, there’s no need to add lime. Doing so what push the pH higher and you don’t want that. A pH of 7.0 is exactly in the middle so it’s perfectly neutral. That’s right where you want to be (or slightly lower). People use lime to make their soil less acidic, to raise the pH level closer to 7 or neutral. You’re already there. Once you go above that, certain nutrients in the soil won’t be utilized by the plants.
Hi Joe,how long does tomato plant lives?Does it have an age limitation?
Is it okay to plant these in a pot with vine support?
These are my questions…
Thanks for sharing the idea of planting tomatoes..
I hope you’ll reply .
Hi Brams. With proper care, tomato plants can live a very long time. I know of one on display at Disney’s Epcot Center that is decades old and looks like a tree! But in normal circumstances for average homeowners, they only live a season since they don’t survive cold weather and often succumb to pest and disease issue. But mostly it’s the cold weather that leads to their demise. If you have a plant that’s hanging in there now, keep doing what your doing and don’t allow it to be exposed to cold weather.
To your question about pots and support, yes–your plants can do fine in containers and they do need support. So whatever you provide there will help. Keep in mind, plants in containers dry out more quickly so more frequent watering and fertilization will be the most important things you can do to keep it healthy and happy. Use a liquid fertilizer about every 2 weeks. If it’s outdoors, use the mix as suggested on the package. If your plant is indoors, mix at half strength.
Hi Joe,
1st off; thanks for the very informative article. There’s a lot of good ideas I will be implementing this season.
2nd; thanks again for continuing to reply to an article that appears that you posted at least 4 years ago. It’s rare to find someone so open to help people like that.
Finally, my question; I’m a small time gardener. I have 2 raised beds next to my driveway, and I mostly grow tomatoes, peppers and eggplants. Last season I grew a few brussels sprouts, but that was all of my variety. Should I be concerned with a lack of variety for crop rotation? I have limited space, and I’m about to use what extra space I have to put a new raised bed in for strawberries. I’ve never had any issues with my crops before, and I religiously dump my used coffee grinds into my beds and I use shredded leaves in the fall for mulch.
Hi Wayne. In a small garden setting like yours, where you’re doing this for fun and have limited space, don’t worry about crop rotation so much. However, it’s not a bad idea to alternate beds each season so you do mix it up a bit. Also, your tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant are all in the same family. So in the perfect world, you would not want to continue to plant crops from the same families in the same beds year after year.
In your case, the Brussels sprouts could be the alternate crop.
So while mixing up your plants between bed would be good between seasons, no matter what, keep working on improving your soil as much as you can to return nutrients there and nature will take care of a lot of the potential problems for you.
Has anyone out there read Charles Wilbur’s book about growing World record tomatoes (yield per plant)? Very detailed instructions are given by Charles to help you have a chance to beat his 342 lbs per plant record.
Good tip Robert. Thanks for sharing that info with us.
Hi
Please do not use miracle grow or simular products meant ornamental flowers – toxic to humans – cancer causing!!!
Thanks for the info
Excellent blog written by Joe lamp’l. I read this article very carefully. It very amazing and very helpful for me. I really want to grow the tomato crop in my backyard. thank you so much to sharing this info.
Hi Joe,
You are doing a wonderful job with all the help you are giving to people. God bless you.
Please I am in Ghana, West Africa, and I want to go into tomato producting using greenhouse. My biggest challenge is where to source good quality polycarbon (UV protected) to buy to cover my greenhouse. I need both the plan sheet and the perforated sheet (that will restrict insect).
Please any info on this. Thank you Big Joe
Gosh Abu, you drive a hard bargain. I would love to help you. But the truth is, I have no idea where you can source product like that where you live. Have you made friends with local farmers or the Agricultural department or universities in your area. Surely there are people that would love to help you and have the experience to know of suppliers in West Africa that can help you. I’m sorry I can’t be of more assistance Abu. Best of luck to you.
google growers supply companies or green house supply companies if you haven’t already done so add the” near________” or else you might get the co. 20 miles from where i live state side.
Joe
We are going to plant from seeds our tomatoes this year in a greenhouse. We have the small trays and we’re looking for advice of the soil content for accomplishing this. Do you recommend growing tomato seeds in these small trays or utilizing larger pots for tomatoes. Thanks
Hi Jo-Anne. I think it comes down to how often do you want to transplant them? The small trays are fine for germination. But you will soon need to move them to larger containers as they continue to grow and expand their roots. In larger pots, they may not germinate as quickly if you don’t have bottom heat to warm the soil around the seeds. So it’s a small tradeoff. The other issue is space. If you have the room, larger containers are nice. But either way, use a sterile “seed starting” soil mix. But keep in mind, there are no nutrients in this mix. So once the seedlings put on new leaves, it will need additional fertilization from you. And expense-wise, it can cost more to fill a lot of larger containers with the sterile seed starting mix. So that may be another consideration for you when selecting your options. In both cases, once you transplant you tomatoes to a larger container, use a potting mix, vs. just seed starting. It should have added nutrients. But if not, it’s still cheaper typically. Sorry for the ramble.
Hello Joe – While spading manure into my raised beds, I found that the fine roots from my previous tomatoes were extremely thick in the soil. So thick that I really had to work to get a pointed shovel into the ground and turn the soil. I pull the old plants in the fall and this removes the main roots. Is this a problem? Should I make an effort to clean them out or will they just eventually decompose.
Thanks for your advise
Lesley
Hey Lesley. Pull out what you can but don’t worry about leaving roots in the soil. They will eventually decompose and add organic matter to your soil.
Hi Joe. I have tomato plants with lots of flowers but they don’t seem to be developing into tomatoes. What can I do to help the plants along?
They will in time. You can speed the process up by helping the pollination process. Take a cheap electric toothbrush and briefly touch it to the flowers while running. This will vibrate the flowers to release more pollen.
The other issue is weather. Tomatoes need a certain temperature range to continue the process of producing and ripening fruit. If conditions go outside that range, the process will be delayed. I wrote an article about that here: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/tomatoes-slow-to-ripen/
Hi Joe – Great info, thanks. Will follow compost and mulch suggestions for soil prep. But, can/should I do anything to treat the soil in the fall to deal with significant tomato blight problem I’ve had the past two years?
Hey George. Assuming it’s a soil-borne disease, the best thing you can do is find another place to plant your tomatoes for the next 2-4 seasons if possible. The idea behind not planting in the same place every year is to starve out the bacteria in the soil that overwinter and thrive on those same type of plants each season when you bring back in their favorite host plants (tomatoes in this case). It falls under the practice of crop rotation that farmers have been using for centuries to combat this very issue. If you google crop rotation, you will learn all you want to know and more.
But blight is a very common problem of tomato plants and can result from non-soil borne diseases. A generous layer of mulch, regular use of compost, no overhead watering, and good air circulation between plants can help a lot. But even then, tomato diseases can still get ahead of you. I practice all the things I suggested you do but it still happens. It’s part of the challenge that I love about gardening. Good luck.
I have 60 beautiful tomato plants. However, all my tomatoes are bottom/bloom rotting. I’ve tried everything. Yesterday a neighbor suggested putting lime on the bases and watering. Is it too late to add lime? Thanks
It’s called “blossom end rot’ and it’s due primarily to inconsistent watering. While lime is good to add to adjust the soil pH when necessary it won’t fix this problem. Calcium is the additive that most people turn to when planting to add a little to the hole. But most soils have enough of that. It’s just making sure the plant gets a steady flow of moisture so the calcium can do its part to strengthen the cells of the fruit and more.
At this point, pull off all the tomatoes that have this end rot. The remaining tomatoes should adjust. This condition occurs, it almost always happens mainly on the first flush. From here out, just make sure your soil stays evenly moist, as in not too much or too little. Don’t let it dry out completely. It should fix itself.
I put about 1 tsp of Epsom salt in the hole when I plant the tomato plant and never have end rot when I do this.
Hi Joe , I have my garden growing very nicely it is about mid season for my tomatoes. All looks good however it is my first year growing. I am trying to judge how healthy my plants are are there any things to look for other then problems to tell how good things are doing ? Thinks in advance
Aaron, with tomatoes, I mainly look for spotting and/or yellowing on the leaves. It usually starts from the bottom and progresses up the plant. Stay proactive and start removing those leaves and branches as soon as you see a sign of this. Otherwise, consistent irrigation so the soil is moist but not wet will help, combined with mulching at the soil surface. As for pest, the most common is the tomato hornworm. Look at the tops of your plants for leafless chewed off stems. When you see this, then start looking hard for the well-camouflaged hornworm. I simply pull them off the plant and toss them out of the garden for the birds. But you can also use a safe, organic product referred to as B.t that will stop them in their tracks.
to cure the blossom end rot go and purchase some “yield booster” and follow the directions for mixing and spray the plants every two to three weeks and that will resolve the problem .
What kind of mulch do you recommend for container tomatoes?
Any kind of mulch will work in containers Maggie. My preference is a natural wood product like shredded bark. But you could use rotted leaves grass clippings etc. Your objective with the mulch is two-fold: to provide an insulating barrier to help retain moisture in the container, and to prevent any potential disease pathogens that may reside in the soil from splashing up on your plants. You have many options. If you go to a garden center or nursery, anything labeled as mulch will work for this purpose.
Can you tell me if there is a “preferred” mulch that should be used for potted tomatoes? I live in a hot dry climate.
Thanks so much!!
Maggie, pretty much anything is better than no mulch. You need a layer of organic matter like shredded bark or leaves, compost, or other products marketed as mulch. I would you more finely ground or shredded products. Keep in mind, containers have exposed surfaces all around the roots so even with mulch, you’ll need to stay vigilant with watering. But the mulch will def. help.
Can I plant tomatoes in the same soil and the same spot every year?
You can. However, many people would advise you to rotate the planting area so you are not planting the same crops in the same place year after year. The reason is that certain crops will deplete the nutrients most needed, and pests and disease populations that are attracted to that crop will build up there and overwinter to come back even stronger next year. That is true but not a guarantee. Commercial farmers would more likely rotate crops because the have the space and the can’t afford to take chances. Personally, I don’t have that room to do this so I plant in the same spots each year with success. If you have the luxury to rotate, that is always the best option. If you want to learn more, search “crop rotation” in your browser.
Joe you said to plant the tomato plant deep even up to the fist leaves. Do you make the hole deep enough for the plant stem ?
I have been told just to dig a trench and then lay the stem in the trench and bend the plant up out of the trench.
That works too George. I’ve done both and they work equally as well. As long as the stem is below soil level it doesn’t matter.
George,
One important thing about putting a tomato plant in a deep hole is that means the roots will be so far down that the heat of July and August won’t bother it. When the roots are shallow like they would if you lay the plant down, they could dry out.
When I start my heirloom tomato seeds in January and they sprout the first sets of “real” leaves I move the growing plant to a larger container once it has doubled in size. Once again, after the plant grows to be about double in size I move it to a next larger container. I repeat the process until after the ground is warm and the plant has grown to be 2 or 3 feet tall. Then I dig a hole deep enough to accept the whole plant except the topmost couple sets of leaves. Once I trim off all of the other leaves and branches the plan goes way down into the hole. Leave 5 or 6 inches of bare stem for air circulation and room to add mulch as mentioned in the above article.
I do not put the dirt into the hole that came out of it because it usually is not very beneficial.
Instead I use “Mel’s Mix” as found on the Square Foot Gardening website:
1/3 vermiculite
1/3 compost (I like mushroom compost that I find at Lowe’s)
1/3 peat moss (some folks like coconut coir because it is sustainable)
Measure out by volume by filling 5 gallon buckets with each of the three main ingredients.
I also add a couple scoops of play sand and some basalt rock dust (for trace minerals).
Add some Epsom Salt to the mix to help ward off blossom end rot.
Mix well. (I like a US $12 plastic tub designed for mixing concrete found at Lowe’s or Home Depot.)
Use the Mel’s Mix in a raised garden, containers or as I mentioned earlier, to fill in tomato holes.
Hang up a 10×15 foot woven nylon net that you can find at garden centers. Then as the tomato plants grow, weave their horizontal branches into the webbing. This way the plants will support themselves. As a matter of fact, you can grow melons using a net, too because the plants will actually adjust to their own weight by growing thicker and stronger “arms”.
Then stand by and be ready for a bumper crop of fruit that will keep coming until frost.
Be sure to save seeds from your best tomatoes to use the next season. Over the years this will give you high yielding plants that like your growing conditions.
Extra Tip: put crushed egg shells around the base of each tomato plant to help ward off slugs which do not like the sharp edges.
Terry Thomas
Brookhaven Gardens
Atlanta, Georgia USA
I put landscape fabric on my soil (raised beds) and put mulch on top of the fabric (cedar mulch). What’s the best way to add some fertilizer to feed my tomatoes? I was thinking about trying fish emulsion, like you suggested. Should I just pour it on top of the mulch & fabric? It should seep through. Thanks!
Mike, the liquid fertilizer “should” seep through. But, one of the downsides to using landscape fabric is that eventually the pores clog, inhibiting and preventing the flow through of liquid. If you can apply the fertilizer at the base of the plant where I assume you have room to make direct access to the soil without going through the fabric, you will have better results.
I was told to take the flowers off of the plant to make the plant grow bigger and have more tomatoes Is this true.
Bob, picking the flowers off the tomato plants is ok to do when the plant is very young and late in the season. The reasoning is the same. You want the energy of the plant to be directed to what remains on the plant. When it’s young, I like to see the plant grow bigger before it starts taking on the added burden of fruiting. So I do pick off the first couple flushes of small flower clusters.
Late in the season, you want the developing tomatoes that are already on the vine to continue to mature as much as possible before first frost. By removing new flowers and even small, very immature tomatoes, you allow the energy of the plant to be concentrated on the remaining fruit.
Yo joe, what’s the best Ph for growing tomatoes and what size pots are best for transplanting into.
Thanks
Hey Anthony. Tomatoes prefer a neutral pH, so shoot for 6.5 – 7.0. As for the containers, the bigger the better is about the best I can say. The key is to make sure they get consistent water. If you can rig a drip system on a timer, you’ll be in great shape. Otherwise, try and not let the soil dry out. Which means you’ll have to likely water every day. And by the way, there are varieties that will stay smaller, so you won’t need as big of a container. Look for varieties that indicate their size in the name, like “patio”, “container”, “bush”, “litte”, etc.
Hey Joe, I just have to tell you that your show GAGW is the BEST show EVER on PBS!!! It’s my fav. and I don’t think I’ve missed an episode. Great information for anyone and everyone of all economic situations and I can’t seem to get enough of it. I LOVED the episode on modern homesteading! Those chicks really know their stuff. I’d like to see a behind the scenes show someday because I always imagine how much fun you all must be having during the making. Ok so my question on tomatoes is: I planted three heirloom seeds in a big container pot and now have three 2ft plants with little yellow flowers ready to be yummy tomatoes,,, should I transplant them into their own individual pots or can I leave them in the same container? I’m worried they’ll cramp each others style,,, if ya know what I mean. Thanks Joe
Hey Ginger. First, thanks a bunch for your very kind words. I LOVE reading comments like that! And did you know we DID do a behind the scenes show? Here’s the link to watch it:https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode326/
To your question: I would give each plant its own container if you can reasonable still dig them up. While 3 plants in one container isn’t terrible, if your varieties are “indeterminate” they will grow very tall and possibly bushy (again depending on which varieties).
Another issue is air circulation. I like to give my plants several feet between each other to promote maximum sunlight and air flow so they grow well and stay healthy. it’s not too late to add more plants in new containers if you don’t want to dig up the 3 plants you started with. Good luck and hope you enjoy the behind the scenes show.
Hey Joe,
We had a very wet April here in Alabama. I planted peppers and tomatoes in raised bed for the first time. My moisture meter continues to read a constant “moist” even without watering for a day or two. Drainage seems to be good a lot of water flows out the bottom when I water. I just installed a drip irrigation system in the bed and was wondering how long I should run it and how often?
The hose says it puts out 1/2 gal per hour and my bed is 8ft X 4ft X 27″ deep. I planted around April 15 and I have 5 tomato plants and 5 pepper plants planted along with marigolds to keep critters out. Not a lot of growth so far but its real early and we have had a very cool April here in Birmingham. Thank you for your help. Sorry for the long post.
Hey Cody. Good for you in using a drip irrigation hose. I do that too and find in my raised beds of 4′ x 12′, I only need to run it about 10 mins before the water is running out the bottom of the bed, which is fine with me. The goal is to deliver about an inch of water per week to your plants. Another option is to try and keep the soil moist but not wet. My rule of thumb is to pay attention to how the soil looks and feels. Obviously you can’t see what’s going on below the surface. So, when in doubt, I stick my finger into the soil down to the middle joint if possible. If my finger comes up clean, it needs water. If soil is attached, there should be enough moisture.
Also make sure you are mulching your bed. That helps tremendously with retaining moisture in the soil. So bottom line, don’t over water but pay attention. A drip hose run for 3 times each week for about 15 mins a time should be more than enough, especially if using mulch.
This is the best article and discussion about growing tomatoes that I have found.
One question: can finely chopped egg shells provide the calcium that tomatoes need? If so, how much should be used, and should it be put on top of the soil or mixed in?
Thank you!
Hi Shirley. Crushed egg shells are fine to add to your soil. If you have the option, I would mix them into the top 3-6 inches of the soil or in the planting hole. While they will help over time, they are slow to breakdown. So getting a soil test will help you know what nutrients you need to add. Dolomitic limestone would also be a good source of calcium and it more readily available. That might be a better option. Keep in mind though, it can raise your soil pH. That may be just fine but you won’t know until you do a soil test.
Looking to grow tomatoes in totes on the roof but I’m kinda worried about weight. How many gallons of soil per plant? Is straight steer manure the ticket in pots as well? Maybe a bit of peat to lighten the load? Would the same soil composition be suitable for cucumbers too. I know you are getting bombarded and I thank you for all the information you have provided so far. Be well Joe.
Hey John. I would use a “container” mix or “potting” soil that you will find in any garden center, box store or nursery. It will be labeled this way. These are lightweight, usually include slow release nutrients, and even moisture retention granules. Straight steer manure is too much nitrogen and not balanced. And I would not add peat randomly. It can hold too much water or worse, if it dries out, it’s hard to get it to rehydrate. The engineered soil mixes I mentioned above are lightweight and will do the trick. Just keep them watered. A container on a rooftop will dry out quickly…like every day!
Hi Joe,
First of all, thank you for such a wonderful article. Believe me, I read through many and I ended up more confused. This information helps. I do have a question. I live in Boston as you know its still a bit cool here during the day its 65 and at night it around 40 degrees.
I started growing my tomatoes in-door and this year I was successful. About 95% of my seeds germinated and I have more plants then ever!. What combination would you recommend for soil? I find so many different kind are home depot and I never know which one to get. I would like to mix my own but not where I should start!
Thanks Sam for the kind words.
For your soil, if you are growing your plants in containers, then def. use a soil made for that. It will say “container mix or “potting soil” on the bag.
For plants going into beds or in the ground, just make sure it is well-drained. Lots of organic matter is the key to that: compost, cow manure, shredded leaves, finely ground mulch, etc. I usually just make sure I have a nice blend of purchased bulk topsoil, compost, and purchased bagged cow manure. I have an article on my website that goes into more detail. Search for soil and you will see a lot more info.
Hello!
Last year I had a 10+ foot early girl in a 3x3x3 redwood box filled with organic bagged soil and compost mix from a local garden store. It was located on my porch on the southeast side of my las vegas home with lattice on the sides facing out, and shade cloth over the top. It grew so large, I had fruit all the way up until Jan. when we moved to NM. Now, I’m working with heavy clay soil, and planter beds that are so old, that I have to dig all of the dirt out of them and start over. A local horse stable has organic compost for sale. What should I mix with this? The planter beds are 4ft wide, 50ft long, and 4″deep. There are 8 of these on the NW side of the house. I tried mixing compost, garden soil, and mulch into the clay on the NE side to plant lettuce and snow peas in, but it still crusts over so hard that the plants have trouble popping through the surface. I refuse to give up! Hahaha! I could really use some advice on the planter bed soil…
Thanks so much for your time!
Julie, the quick answer is to add more organic matter to improve the soil. Compost, shredded leaves, rotted mulch and horse manure will be great options. Just be careful on the horse manure that it really is organic. I have horses that eat hay that is sprayed with an herbicide that killed my vegetable plants. If you want to read more on that, search for “killer compost” on our website for a lot more info.
You also have to add about a 2″ layer of finely shredded mulch over the soil surface to prevent or at least reduce the chances of the soil surface crusting. It will make a huge difference. If you’re really picky, mulch the bed but leave the strip where you planted seeds free of mulch and cover the row above where the seeds are planted with more seed starting mix. It will serve the same purpose but is very light and won’t inhibit the seeds from breaking through. Just be sure to keep it damp until germination. Then you can add the mulch around your seedlings.
Lat year I mixed Miracle Grow soil with my soil in the garden. I grew the most and best tomatoes ever. Should I add any other type of compost this year? If so what typt\e. Also should I add lime and fertlizer with it? Thanks
Hi Ashley. If you want to “feed the soil” which is what I advocate, vs. “feeding the plant” you will certainly need to add something such as compost–the best soil amendment in my opinion. Miracle-gro works but does nothing to improve your soil health and quality. Compost does that. Healthy soil, healthy plants.
The best way to know if you need to add lime and/or fertilizer is to get a soil test through your county extension service. You can type “soil test” into the search bar on our website to learn a lot more about this and how to do it.
Miracle Grow, is not organic is it? I can’t use fish immulsion because our garden does not have a fence around it and the small critters like rabbits and racoons would most likely love that stuff. We amend the soil every year with composted manure . Is there a organic solution to feeding the tomato plant that would not draw in the critters? Thanks and I’m really happy that I looked up your website after watching a recent show.
Hi Anne. MiracleGro is definitely not organic. You might still want to try fish emulsion. While it does have a bit of an initial odor, it’s short lived in my opinion and I’ve never experienced any critter issues after using it.
Alternatively, you could use a product from Espoma or other companies that sell a dry granular product. They will be marked as “organic”.
You sayallcompost is good but can took much hurt ? Presently i have a bin w fall pumpkins and leaves plus adding sraps apple cores and peels. Egg shells coffee grounds. All vegitable fruit scraps plus dirt . Will ithurt my tomatoes?
Too much compost won’t “hurt” your plants, but it the best growing environments include a mix of compost (organic material) and minerals (mostly native soils).
Hi Joe
I live in Dallas TX and I grow all my. veggies in either raised beds or suitable containers. I’ve used cow manure compost as part of my soil prep in the past with good returns, but I’m thinking about trying a mushroom compost along with some worm casings this year, especially with my tomato plants and would like thoughts on this. Also, I have purchased a few tomato plant seedlings from my favorite nursery, but we’re having some unseasonably cold weather for Dallas right now, so I can’t plant outside yet. We have a sunroom that gets plenty of late afternoon & evening sunlight. Can I container and grow them in the sunroom until the weather is consistently suitable to move them outdoors. Please Help! Thanks
Nita
Nita, mushroom compost is a favorite soil amendment for many gardeners I know. But like everything else, use it in combination with other soil amendments. It can be a little on the “heavy” site and hold excessive moisture. That’s why mixing it with other soil ingredients helps to balance it out.
As for starting your tomatoes in a sunny spot inside until the weather warms enough for growing your plants outside, I think that is an excellent idea. The more sun the better. Make sure they stay watered as growing them in containers in an indoor, dry environment will need more attention to watering. Just don’t over do it. Good luck!
Hi Joe,
I’m going to put in a 4x4x11″ raised bed next spring for my tomatos. What would be a good soil mixture for the bed?I live in Concord NC.
Thanks,
Joe Liebdzinski
John, I’d use about 65% good quality topsoil (not the stuff that comes in dollar bags). Then add some high quality compost, about 20%. (I use my own and purchase “certified compost” from a bulk supplier nearby. I also purchase composted cow manure. The brand I find and love is Black Kow (in the yellow bag). You should be able to find this at the box stores in NC. Add several bags to each bed. That will be about 10%. For the remainder of the bed you should add more organic matter or minerals. I would first shoot for something that has minerals in it, such as granite dust. I buy a mix from a bulk supplier that includes compost, composted bark, and granite dust. The minerals are very important for necessary nutrients that wont be found in straight organic matter. Additional items you should consider adding to round out the total would be worm castings (look for this by the bag at better garden centers), or shredded leaves or finely ground mulch.
The goal is to have a well-blended mix of compost, organic matter, manure and minerals.
BTW, do NOT use horse manure unless you can be sure it does not contain persistent herbicides. If you want more info this last mention, go to ggwtv.com and search for “killer compost” or “persistent herbicides”.
Good luck Joe!
Hello! Enjoy your articles! My question is about mulch. I am confused on what type of mulch to use on raised bed? Everyone suggest’s mulching but don’t say what to mulch with. Thanks!
Hi Pam. Let’start with what I’d never use: rubber mulch. My general rule for what type of mulch to use, in raised beds or elsewhere is that it must be natural and decompose to improve and build the quality of the soil eventually. The options are many. Anything like rotted leaves, shredded / fine pine bark, clean straw, grass clippings, ground wood mulch, etc.
I’ve used all of the above at one time or another. Perhaps that’s why you don’t find much info on what type of mulch to use. I think it comes down to personal preference.
Hi Joe!
This past season, I planted 4 varieties of tomatoes in large containers. Unfortunately, when they ripened, all of the tomatoes tasted great, but they all had very thick skins. What did I do wrong?
Thanks in advance!
Julia
Hi Julia. It could be a few things. My hunch is it was either the variety (some are bred to be tougher) or it could be an excess of calcium in the soil. That will build up the thickness of the skin as well and can result in thick skins. And overall, the tomatoes I grow in containers work well in most cases, but I find in general, the skins are tougher. Hope that helps.
Why are my tomatoes bad on the bottom help
It’s a condition known as “blossom end rot”. It’s a calcium deficiency and inconsistent watering. If you put the term “blossom end rot” into the search bar on our website or google it, you’ll learn more about it and the specifics of how to treat it.
Sir… This the frst time I take up idea to grow tomato in South India. …. and I wud like to know what are the measures and compost to be used while planting in the garden…..
Harish, I never use measurements for my compost. Just know that a little bit goes a long way. That said, if you can blend about a inch of compost into the top six inches of soil, you will have a very nice ratio of compost / organic matter to improve your soil and help your plants. Adding a half inch to an inch twice a year would be ideal.
As far as the type of compost to be used, my definition of compost is a blend of natural and organic matter broken down to an unrecognizable state. No matter where in the world you are, if you blend plant debris and yard waste, food scrapes and paper products, you will have compost eventually. Just keep out meat, dairy, grease and diseased plants or products that have known items you would not want in your compost. Good luck.
Hi Joe,
Stumbled across your site looking for help on why my tomatoes aren’t ripening. I have spent the better part of the night checking out other articles, and am hooked! I am new to gardening (cant get enough of it!) and wondering is there such a thing as too much compost? I added Mater Magic last week to my plant and didn’t know if a layer of compost and mulch may be overkill? Thanks again! So excited to grow more and learn more!
Hi Elizabeth. Glad you found us. Although I’ve likely been guilty of saying “you can never have enough compost”, the fact is, you shouldn’t make it your only soil medium either. Although it is the single best ingredient for your garden soil, it lacks important minerals that come from other sources. Fortunately, a little bit of compost goes a long way. If you mix an inch into the top six inches of soil, you will have done a lot to improve the soil. How much is too much? I don’t know.
I’ve seen plants growing happily out of pure compost and looking fantastic in the process. So is 50% too much. I don’t think so. But I do think that much is not necessary. I’ve never met a person that has too much compost. Keep in mind the average native soil has somewhere between 0 and 5% organic matter to begin with. Compost is all organic matter so keep that in mind as you’re adding it to your soil. Soil scientist say that striving for 5% total organic composition in your soil is a good target.
Thanks joe for the help !! My neighbor has really nice, big and beautiful tomato plants which r jet star,I have premio plants which r putting out good fruit but looking puny , he swares on using miracle grow every 2 weeks, do I do it that often or every week ?
I live in bixby Oklahoma,in which we call it green country.i have grown a lot of tomatoes with good success with celebrity, champion,super fantastic and mountain fresh.this year I planted premio and they look ok but kinda of puny looking, I have fertilized twice and it seemed to help.have u heard of premio and is it a good tomato ?
I live in bixby Oklahoma which we call it green country, I have a small garden, I have tried diff tomatoes,such as celebrity,super fantastic,champion,and mountain fresh but this year I planted premio,they r doing ok but kind of puny lookin and I have fertilized twice , I was told to water once a week. What do u think and what’s the best tomatoe to grow from a small plant ?
I have raised beds my beans r doing great and my peppers r slowly comin around,I put 2bags of cow manure and a bag of compost in a garden that’s 4by6 did I do enough or more next year ?
Always continue to amend and improve the soil Marc. As plants grow through the season, they continue to take up the nutrients that are in the soil. So adding more a couple times of year in the form of compost, composted cow manure, etc is a good way to keep your soil in top shape and provide nutrients to your plants. Compost should have all your plants need. However, I will often supplement my plants during the growing season with liquid fish emulsion.
Hey i had a question about kale. I live on the west side of the cascades in WA. I planted some kale back about a month ago and they are about 4 inches tall. Will they tolerate the direct sun when the leafs are bigget and do you think they will make it through the summer altogether? Thanks.
I heard through the tomato vine. .pun.. that mixing Epson salt in your soil is beneficial. . Any truth to that?
I planted a early girl 60 about 3 months ago. I water daily and pick the suckers and it is a beautiful dark green with blooms and stands about 3 1/2 foot tall but it has not produced one single tomato… HELP
If it has blooms, it should form tomatoes. The blooms are what become the tomatoes. You should not have to do anything. However, it wouldn’t hurt to go out and tap or shake your plant a little to release pollen from the flowers. Although they are self-pollinating, stirring things up a bit won’t hurt and could help. Also, you didn’t mention fertilization but if you are, don’t use one that has too high of a first number, like 25-5-5. That will promote too much green growth at the expense of flower and fruiting. Make sure the middle number is as high or higher than the first number. Otherwise, be patient. Flowers should progress to tomatoes.
just got tomatoe plants from daughter, can’t plant for another day or two. Should I water them in any way before put in pots so they don’t die?
Sorry Sally for the late reply. Hopefully those plants are in the ground now. But yes, always water plants in pots, especially. They dry out quickly. That’s a must to keep them viable until planting. Then continue to water once they’re in the ground but not as much. They won’t dry out nearly as quickly, once they’re in the ground. Just monitor the soil moisture or watch your plants. They’ll show you when they need a drink. Good luck.
Do i take all the suckers off or leave just a couple to become secondary main stems?
remove all the suckers Nathan.
Hey joe thanks for all the great advice. Ive been reading about pinching off all the nods that come in between the branch and stem except for one secondary stem. Is this true? I have a couple nods that are fruit bearing but should i just stick to the main stem and secondary stem as only fruit bearers?
I remove all the suckers. The energy from the roots will be used for the strongest part of the plant. The net effect is a stronger plant without loss of fruit in my opinion. If you want to leave a fruit bearing sucker, be sure to make sure it has sufficient support. They will not be able to support the weight of fruit.
when you are building a raised bed and you say you amend the soil with compast are you digging into the existing ground and blending the compost?
I do dig into the existing ground, simply to break up the surface and allow the new soil to blend with it. But when I add compost to a raised bed, my purpose is to get it mixed into the area where the roots will be growing. That is the most important thing. I do like to mix it with all the soil in the raised bed. But as long as you have it in the root zone, that is your primary objective.
Are you supposed to mulch your tomatoes in containers? ?
Mulching is good for tomatoes no matter where they are growing. Having said that, I’m guilty of not mulching my tomato grown plants. But I should. It helps hold in moisture (even more important in a container), and it controls diseases better. But, “container mix” or “potting soil” that you should be using for growing your plants in pots, is “cleaner” and doesn’t have the diseases that soil has when we plant in the ground or raised beds using garden soil. So I know this is a long answer to your question, but I wanted to give you the whole story. Mulching never hurts, so yes I would do that. But again, I’ve had great success in containers without it.
Hi, Joe. I’ve got a 3 x 3 raised bed with Roma tomatoes and basil. A few of the tomato plants are growing (what I think) too close together. In such a small, raised bed, how far apart should I separate the tomato plants? Thank you!
Hi Melissa. I’m sure this is a little late in responding to you but as a rule, I try to provide at least 2 feet of spacing between tomato plants. In your case, that barely works. Triangular patterns help give you a little more mileage in a tight space. With tomatoes, they really benefit from lots of light and good air circulation. By planting them too closely together, you prevent those ideal conditions. Good luck.
I plan to plant 4 grafted tomatoes in 5 gal.buckets with rich soil including compose and manure. Will I have a problem ?
It just depends on the quality of the manure Doyle. I assume that is your reference to your question. You can buy composted cow manure in bagged form which typically is clean, such as Black Kow. But if you are using locally sourced manure, I advise doing testing it first by planting seeds in the suspect manure first to observe it’s growth over the following few weeks.
my tomatoe raised bed is covered with green moss. Should I put lime down before planting the plants?
I grow my tomatoes in large pots in the greenhouse, last year I decided to have the pots in
large bowls, instead of watering from the top I made sure they had water at all times in the bowl,
could you please tell me if this is the best way from stopping them from getting to dry or over watering.
Bottom feeding or irrigation is a good way to allow the plant roots to have a steady supply of water. it’s an effective way to maintain plenty of soil moisture without wetting the plant foliage (a huge advantage). As long as you keep the bowl full of water this system should work. Another option is drip irrigation using tubing and micro emitters to direct water at the soil level right to the roots. But whatever you do, overwatering is bad and can lead to a plant’s early demise. Good luck.
Very useful. I had tomatoes coming out my ears last year. I sued red plastic mulch. Tomatoes love the color red. I am using compost as a top dressing followed with the red plastic mulch this year.
Fantastic information, thank you so much for taking the time to add this post. This is only my second year of growing tomatoes, and I was wondering whether I could get away with using compost rather than purchasing grow bags. This post has helped a lot. 🙂
Excellent post, but I just got a trojan notice from going to this page.
Is that normal or could that just be a mistake? I am not real technical and I’ve had all of 3 viruses since I’ve had this Computer, so notices like this make
me anxious. Just wanted to let you know. Once more, great article, please write more!
Hi
I am planting tomato plants in pots in a greenhouse, what is the best type of compost mix to use and do I mix it with soil or just straight compost
Many thanks
Hey Phil. I would mix compost with some potting mix or container mix (whatever it’s called based on what you buy. All compost is great, but in this case, you need to make sure the containers drain well and still hold moisture. The container mix will help a lot with that. I would mix about 25% compost in with the purchased soil. But don’t use regular garden soil, even if it’s purchased. That is a bit too heavy and not made for container growing.
Good luck!
I really enjoy ur show Joe….got some really good tips….tryin to go more green…think u do a great service ….tell the chef…he smiles too much…my woman loves him…take care…Doc
We have planted tomato plants in plastic circles with holes for the plants in the garden. I really don’t know what their purpose is unless it is to concentrate the watering process. Are these beneficial or detremental to the plants?
Hi Brady. Those rings and collars at the base of your plants are designed to reduce the risk of cutworm from attacking the base of your plants. They may not be necessary and I don’t use them. they don’t harm the plant in any way, as long as water is getting to the roots underneath the circles.
Hi, Should I roto-till my raised beds or just rake them into shape in the spring. Does rototilling disturb any properties in the soil?
Arthur, glad you asked and something tells me you already suspect the right answer. Rototilling is now known to adversely affect existing soil properties, drainage and contributes greatly to increased weed populations by exposing thousands of dormant seeds to the light of day, and a green light to germination.
So my advice is to not rototill. Instead, add an inch or two layer of compost across the top before planting time and allow nature to do the rest. Be sure to add a layer of mulch on top of the compost and you’ve done the best things possible for your soil and spring garden.
Some good tips there Joe.
I also find heirlooms give great taste, my plant in my upside down planter seems to be always bending up towards the light, so I have a wire to train it around for the first month, I will have to check out your advice.
how do i grow tomatos in an upside down bucket?
Hi Bill. We demonstrated how to do this in episode 115. Here’s the link. Good luck.
https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/episode115/