Growing Tomatoes: Fast Facts
Most backyard gardens are tomato friendly for seed and seedling started plants. Purchasing tomato starter plants saves the average gardener about two weeks worth of germination time and effort.
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Determinate tomato varieties grow as small bushes. Growth stops following the plant's flowering and fruiting stages. The picture on the left shows roma tomatoes, a popular determinate variety that produces meaty fruit.
Determinate varieties are recommended for small outdoor gardens and container gardens.
Indeterminate varieties are large vine plants that require a physical support system, such as a cage or trellis, to keep the vines secure and steady throughout their growth. Plant growth stops only after the first frost or the plant succumbs to a fatal disease. Otherwise, it continues to flower and fruit almost indeterminately. Many of the popular slicing tomatoes like beefsteak are indeterminate vine tomatoes.
Once the tomato variety is selected, plan on a two stage, indoor and outdoor, growing season.
Depending on tomato variety, the indoor growing season takes anywhere from four to six weeks. It consists of prepping the plants for outdoor growth. Healthy young tomato plants thrive on consistent temperature and lighting conditions. Keep to a standard feeding and watering schedule. After a week to ten days, gradually begin to reduce the artificial light and temperatures around plants by introducing them to natural light and temperatures. Putting the plants on the sunniest and warmest part of the porch or deck normally helps.
The outdoor growing season starts with transplanting the tomatoes into their designated area. Again, depending on the variety you choose, you will need to either stake the plants or provide a more elaborate support system. Look for flowering and fruiting behavior on the plants around two weeks after their transplantation.
Total time for a tomato plant to move from the fruiting to harvesting stage is also variety dependent. It can run any where from three to six weeks after the plants' flower. Finally, many tomato varieties will not fruit during extreme low or high temperatures. Your plants may exhibit some elements of stunted growth after flowering because of atypical weather.
You can easily minimize potential pest problems by starting your tomatoes in clean soil. Weeding throughout the outdoor growing season also contributes to healthy plant growth. Your local gardening center or agricultural extension service can provide additional information about specific soil and pest management strategies suited to your garden environment.
© 2007. Patricia A. Michaels