Planting tomatoes

In another 6 weeks or so it will be time to plant our tomato starts. I thought I'd give you some methods I use. There are many ways to plant tomatoes, but I am going for the faster growing and heaviest producers. First we need to consider the location for planting the tomatoes. I have a specific way I prep the field for my garden. The area should be prepped several months before you plant by tilling and adding any amendments (see prior blog post). If you only have a patio or deck and are using containers there are a couple of concerns to think about. One is the size of the pot or container. What I have experienced is that the container needs to be as large as a 5 gallon bucket or larger to have enough room for the roots. The container must have drainage holes so you do not drown your plant.

Back to planting your tomato. I dig my hole approximately 12" deep and loosen the soil in the bottom of the hole. Next are the amendments to the soil. This can vary from person to person. I like to mix in a large handful of compost. In some holes I have tried a dead fish carcass. I like to fish and after filleting the fish it is a good way to dispose of the remains. I try to dig the hole even deeper if I am using the fish due to animals and you should not let the roots come into direct contact with the plant. I place the fish in the bottom of the hole and cover with 4" to 6" of soil. The last amendment that my buddy Tony Haynes uses is Epsom salts. He mixes in about a Tablespoon per hole thoroughly mixed into the soil. It is my understanding that the magnesum promotes root growth.

Now we finally get to plant a tomato. First remove your tomato front the container, gently. If the start is in a peat pot you can break up the bottom of the pot to expose the roots. Next pinch off the bottom 2 or 3 limbs from the bottom up on the plant. This part of the plant will be buried and create more roots. Now put the plant in the hole leaving only about 1/3 of the plant above the ground. Break up the soil and fill in the hole around the plant. Pat the ground firmly around the plant without packing the soil to remove voids. Mulch around the plant with straw or grass clippings and water the plant.

This should be a good start for your tomato.