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Gardening Tips for Planting Tomatoes

Tomatoes! Growing tomatoes is probably one of the first gardening activities most people try, whether in a pot or in a big vegetable garden. (Yes, I know, technically tomatoes are a fruit, but most people think of them as a vegetable.) Tomatoes are delicious and can be used in so many different ways – fresh, cooked, canned, in sauces and on and on – that it’s no wonder they’re so popular.

Not only do they produce great food, they’re easy to plant. There are so many different kinds of tomatoes you could have a huge garden and every tomato be a different type. With over 25,000 varieties to choose from, there’s a wide choice for your gardening pleasure.

Gardening Advice for Tomatoes

The best gardening advice, however, to narrow your choices down by planting those varieties known to do well in your area. Typically, that choice is already narrowed down for you if you buy plants locally, as stores usually stock varieties that do well in that gardening area.

When you purchase tomato plants, they’re obviously already growing and ready to plant. If you start your tomatoes from seed, another fun gardening activity, you’ll need to start six to eight weeks before the last frost is expected and you can plant the tomatoes out in the garden.

Seed packets in stores or information in gardening catalogs on specific varieties will tell you how long they need to germinate and how much time seedlings need to grow before being put in the garden.

Taking time to harden off your plants once the weather warms up and it’s time to plant them is another important gardening activity. Start by sitting them outside in the shade in the pots or whatever planting container you have them in, and gradually move them to full sunlight. If you plop them directly in the ground after growing them inside, the leaves will burn and the plants may die.

Gardening Tips for Planting Tomatoes

When choosing a planting location, look for someplace with a lot of sun. Tomatoes love heat and sun, so be sure they can have plenty of both. Also keep in mind you may need to water them if you have a dry spell, so it’s a good gardening idea to plant in a location handy to a water source.

When the soil is ready and the weather is warm, dig holes for the tomatoes and plant them 3 or 4 feet apart – there’s usually instructions with the plants that tell you how far apart they need to be.

To give the plants a solid start, one trick when planting them is to strip off the bottom set of leaves, then lay the lower half of the plant in a trough, giving the tomato an opportunity to build a bigger root system. This allows for a sturdier plant.

Whether you do this or not, allow time after planting for the tomatoes to establish themselves before you expect them to start growing.

Once all that’s done, your gardening chores are to water the plants on a regular basis and watch them grow.

And the very best gardening idea? Enjoy eating some fabulous homegrown tomatoes!