How To Plant Tomatoes In Ground?


There are different ways of growing tomatoes. You can sow the seeds indoors or buy a young plant from any nursery. You can grow this popular crop in a greenhouse, in the ground, or in pots. 

For fresh, sweet, juicy, and healthy tomatoes you need a warm sunny site for growing them. If you want a regular supply of tomatoes for your kitchen during the summer season then you have to do some effort. 

Tomatoes need protection from frost and regular feeding. You should maintain a frequency of water and never let the soil dry to maintain the moisture level of the soil.

How Much Does A Tomato Plant Yield?

It is not easy to estimate how much a plant produces tomatoes.  But you can maximize the yield of tomato plants by installing proper support. There are many benefits of installing support. 

A trellis or stacking makes it possible for your plant to get proper airflow. It will reduce the danger of different fungal diseases that can destroy your tomato plants.  When your fruits are mature you can easily pick them because of proper support. 

A tomato cage makes your plants more productive than a stake. A stacked tomato plant produces 8 pounds of fruit on the other hand. If you install a trellis or cage then your plant will produce 12 to 20 pounds of fruit. 

When To Plant Tomatoes From Seed?

Homegrown tomatoes are better than store-bought tomatoes. The ideal time for sowing the seeds of tomatoes depends upon the last frost date in your area. If you don’t know the last frost date then you can ask any local nursery. 

They will guide you about the frost date. The best time for sowing the seed is in March and April. You can also get all the information about sowing seeds on the packet of seeds. 

Tomatoes love to grow in warm environments so the best temperature is between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit or 21 and 24 degrees Centigrade. 

Can We Plant Tomato Seeds Directly In The Ground?

When spring comes then it is the best time of growing tomatoes to get an early supply. If you are living in a warm climate then you can easily so the seeds are directly in the ground. 

For those who are living in a cold climate, start tomato seeds indoors and transplant them outside in the ground. Frost is not good for your tomato plants if you are sowing the seed directly outside in the ground then you can do it after a few weeks of the last frost. 

You should avoid planting tomatoes early in the ground. The seeds will not germinate because the soil is too cold. In case the seeds will germinate then due to lower temperature this will lead to a delay in the development of young tomato plants. 

If you sow the seeds late in the ground then the heat of the sun can destroy the young seedlings of tomato plants. When you start seeds directly in the ground then you will get a later harvest of tomatoes. 

Following are the simple steps that help you to sow the seeds directly in the ground.

STEP 1: PREPARE THE SOIL

  • The selection of the area is very important. The spot you choose must have well-drained soil and receive plenty of sunlight.  If you are sowing the seeds early in the spring season then you must avoid choosing a shaded area.
  • If you want your tomato plants to nourish well then you must improve the quality of the soil by adding compost. When you add organic matter to the soil then it will attract beneficial earthworms and nitrogen-fixing bacteria.
  • Before sowing the seeds, you should apply fertilizer. It is better to do a soil test before adding fertilizer because it will help you to understand the needs of the soil.
  •  If you find any rocks, roots, and stones in the soil then you must remove them. The presence of such material in the soil stops the spreading of roots of tomato plants.
  • You should wait until the temperature is over 50 degrees Fahrenheit or 10 degrees Centigrade. A suitable temperature will improve the germination process of seeds.

STEP 2: PLANT THE SEEDS

  • Sow the seeds at a depth of 0.25 inches in the soil. If you are sowing the seeds in a row then make sure they must be 2 feet of space between each plant.
  •  As you know tomato plants need support for their fruits.  Before planting the seeds you must install a trellis or tomato cage or stakes.

Keep Reading

  1. How Many Tomato Plants In A 4×4 Raised Bed?
  2. How To Grow Roma Tomatoes In Pots?
  3. Can You Grow Tomatoes From Supermarket Tomatoes?

How To Start Tomatoes  Indoors And Transplant Them In Open Ground?

When you are preparing the young seedlings indoors then you can sow the seeds 6 weeks before the last frost. For starting tomatoes from seed indoors you need the following things.

  1. Seed-starting trays
  2. Potting mix
  3. Tomato seeds

Following are the simple steps for starting seeds of tomatoes indoors.

  • Take small trays and fill them with high-quality potting mix. 
  • Now you need tomato seeds. Sow them 1/2 inch deep in the potting mix.
  • Now the seeds need water to adjust to the new environment.
  • You can grow multiple varieties of tomatoes but you should label every variety.
  • To keep the potting mix moist you can use plastic wrap. You should examine the potting mix if it feels dry then water them otherwise they don’t need water and germination.
  •  Place the seed starting trace in a warm dark location that suitable temperature for germination of seeds is between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • When you see the young seedlings start emerging from the soil then you can place the trace in bright light To make seedlings more strong.
  • When the young seedlings have two sets of true leaves then you can transplant them in their permanent location.

HARDENING OFF TOMATOES

Before transplanting the young seedlings outside in the ground. You have to first harden them off for a week.  On the first day, set these young seedlings outside in the shade for a few hours. You can increase this time so the seedling can face direct sunlight. 

TRANSPLANTING TOMATOES

  • Now you can transplant your tomato seedlings into the ground. Make sure the temperature of the soil must be 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Before planting, you must install the tomato cages or trellis in the soil. Proper support keeps the developing fruit off the ground. This will also help to prevent your tomato plants from diseases and pests.
  • You should apply a handful of organic tomato fertilizer to the soil to make it more rich. You should avoid using fertilizers that contain high amounts of nitrogen. This will promote luxurious foliage, not healthy fruit. 
  • After preparing the soil now the next step is transplanting. You can dig a hole in the ground according to the size of the root ball of your young tomato plants.
  • Before planting, it is better to pinch off the lower leaves.  If these leaves touch the ground then it can spread disease in the plant.
  • Make sure there must be 2 to 3 feet of distance between each plant. If you grow the plants close together then they will not get full sun exposure and you will not get the desired amount of fruit.

Maintaining Tomato Plants

  • Tomato plants need 1 to 2 inches of water weekly. Deep watering encourages a healthy and strong root system. Never let the soil dry and keep it moist by regular watering. 
  • If you want to maintain a moisture level of the soil then you can apply a  2 to  4 inches layer of mulch. This will also help in controlling weeds. Weeds are a big problem for any plant as they can steal nutrients from the soil.
  •  Make sure your plant is receiving 6 hours of sunlight.
  • Tomatoes are heavy feeders so they need to be fertilized every 4 to 6 weeks during the growing season. 
  • Regular pruning will encourage the new growth of leaves and fruits and it will also prevent your plant from different diseases.

Harvesting

  • When you see the color of the tomatoes is red and they are firm. You can pick them up without thinking about the size. 
  • In case, the temperature is dropping and your tomatoes are not ripening then you should not worry just pull the tomato plant and hang it in your basement or garage. You can also wrap these pale green tomatoes in a paper bag and place them in a cardboard box. 
  • You can store fresh garden tomatoes in your freezer. Never store your tomatoes in the refrigerator because it can spoil the flavor and texture of homegrown tomatoes. 

Recommended Varieties Of Tomatoes

The size, flavor, and texture of the fruit are different for each variety of tomato. You can choose the variety according to your desire and taste. Before selecting the variety, you should also consider the location and space you have for growing your favorite tomato plants.

1- CARMELLO

This indeterminate variety produces heavy clusters of tomatoes.  Carmello produces medium to large tomatoes that are sweet in flavor.  within 70 days you will see your Tomatoes are ready to pick.

2- BEAUTY

This is also an indeterminate variety that produces fruit within 78 days. Beauty is a highly productive variety. These fruits are very juicy and sweet. You can use them in salads, sandwiches and other recipes.

3- CHEROKEE PURPLE

If you are looking for a variety that produces large, rich and juicy tomatoes Then you can choose Cherokee purple. The colour of tomatoes of this variety is dark purple.  

4- EARLY WONDER

This is a high-yielding tomato variety that is ready to harvest within 55 days. Early wonder produced dark pink and round tomatoes. If you are living in a short-growing season region then you must use this variety because it will produce fruit within 2 months. 

5- STUPICE TOMATOES

This indeterminate variety matures between 55 to 85 days. Stupice tomatoes can tolerate drought and high temperatures.  You can easily select this variety for your vegetable garden.

6- BLACK KARIM

Medium-sized beef steak tomatoes with dark maroon skin are produced by Black Karim tomatoes. These extremely tasty tomatoes take about 80 Days for maturity.

7- TANGERINE

This variety produces sweet and delicious tomatoes with orange skin.  Tangerine is a determinate variety that produces mature fruit within 68 days. This is a disease-resistant variety that can easily tolerate hot weather. 

8- VIRGINIA SWEETS

Virginia sweets produce large-size sweet tomatoes.  You can harvest these tomatoes after 80 Days. As the size of the fruit is very large so it is better to install tomato cages to provide proper support. 

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