Gardening is an amazing journey and as a beginner, you can grow tomatoes indoors and even outdoors. Today we are going to focus on growing tomatoes outside and what is needed to do so.
Tomatoes are one of the most simple vegetables to cultivate in a vegetable garden at home. You will have a plentiful harvest of homegrown tomatoes all season long with little preparation before planting and constant care! No worries if this is your first time growing tomatoes! Let me tell you how to cultivate tomatoes in your own backyard.
When to plant Tomatoes outside?
In the subtropical zone, tomatoes grow. To thrive, they need a daytime temperature of at least 55°F and a nocturnal temperature of at least 45°F. Don’t only go by your area’s last frost date. Wait at least a week or two before putting the tomatoes in the garden outside.
Tomatoes planted too early in the spring will stunt the plants’ growth and delay their maturation.
How much sun do Tomatoes need?
Tomatoes require a minimum of 8 to 10 hours of direct sunlight per day. They do best in full sun, but some kinds can be grown in a shady spot or in the afternoon sun. Plant the tomatoes on the north side of the garden bed so they don’t shade out other smaller plants, as the tomato plant can grow up to 7 feet tall.
How to prepare soil for a Tomato plant?
Tomato plants want nutrient-rich soil that is loose and well-drained. Also, make sure the ground is flat and well-drained. Because tomato plants have longer roots than other crops, a raised garden bed should be 8 to 12 inches tall.
Tomatoes prefer a pH range of 5.8 to 7. Before planting, do a pH test on your raised bed, garden bed, or potting mix. Adjust the pH of the soil between 5.8 and 7.8 based on the results of the pH test.
Make sure the container is at least 12 inches wide and 16 inches deep when planting a tomato plant in a pot. To grow tomatoes, use the best potting mix available. With organic potting mix and a 20-inch planter, there is wonderful luck growing tomatoes.
Growing Tomatoes Outside?
Tomatoes grow best in humus-rich soil that is light and well-drained, and that has been treated before planting. Plant tomatoes in your vegetable garden or in your flowerbeds; they’re as beautiful as they are delicious!
- Make large holes in the ground. Tomatoes should be planted 50 to 60 cm apart.
- At the bottom of each hole, place two large scoops of compost.
- Water thoroughly.
- Fill the hole halfway with dirt and place the plant in it. When tomato plants are buried in the ground, they have a unique characteristic of producing roots all the way down the stem.
- Re-wet the leaves thoroughly, taking care not to over wet them.
- Remove any flowers or little fruits from your plant first to encourage root development.
- To keep the soil moist, wrap a layer of straw over each plant for 5 to 10 cm.
- To support the plant, place a 1.5-meter stake that has been cleaned and disinfected.
- If you’re planting rows of tomatoes, space them out by 80 cm.
How To Care For The Growing Tomato Plant?
Here are some helpful tips and best practices for growing a healthy, productive tomato plant.
- Watering
When the moisture level in the soil is maintained, the tomato plant thrives. Make sure your tomato plants are well-watered on a regular basis. Watering the tomato plants every other day, saturating the earth around the root area, is preferable than daily shallow watering.
- Mulching
Tomatoes are plants that thrive in the heat. Warm roots are important to them. When planting the tomato, it’s a good idea to cover it with a plastic weed barrier or mulch. To regulate the moisture and heat levels in the soil, sprinkle straw, wood chips, or rocks around the tomato plant.
- Pruning
Pinching suckers from tomato plants are recommended unless you wish to raise your tomato plant without any support. The new branch that emerges from the middle of an existing leaf and the main stem is known as a sucker. This new leaf will become another main stem of the plant if it is not clipped.
- Fertilizing
Tomato plants consume a lot. It should be fertilized on a regular basis after it has established itself in a permanent location, in addition to applying fertilizer after planting it.
