Planting Tomatoes

Tomato Planting Tips

Master gardener, William Moss, has some helpful tips in this video about planting tomatoes. Be sure to watch the related videos for more tomato growing and gardening tips.

If your tomato plants get too large to set out, just cut off the top go ahead and set out. It will make you have good strong vines. Just as long as they have roots they will grow.

By mamacrafter from TN

Keep chopped banana skins your refrigerator or freezer until there is enough to fill a blender 2/3 of the way. Add a cup of water and blend to a slurry. Place slurry into a normal sized bucket (9 litre) and fill half-way with water. Mix well and apply a cup fortnightly (every 2 weeks) to tomato seedlings and the base of growing tomato plants. The liquid contains magnesium, phosphates, calcium and other minerals. Because of it's sulphur content, it is also suitable for all brassicas (Cabbage, Cauliflowers, Broccoli etc)

Source: Experimental adapted in a new form for different plants for Companion Planting in Australia by Brenda Little

By Roger from Adelaide, South Australia

When planting tomato plants, especially tall leggy plants, in a very windy area, dig a deep hole, about twice the size of your plant and at least a shovel width wide. Set the plant in the bottom center of the hole and add just enough soil to cover roots and about an inch of the stem. Add water to the hole as needed to keep moist. The added protection from wind and warmth from the dark soil allows the plant to grow quickly.

As the tomato plant continues to grow, add more soil to the hole, 2-3 inches at a time, breaking off bottom leaves as necessary until the plant grows completely out of the hole, and the soil line is nearly ground level. Leaving a slight depression around the plant creates a "well" for watering and fertilizer as needed. Your tomato plant will be extremely sturdy and will form roots along the stem underground to take up water and nutrients.

I also like to put a gallon can by each plant with both top and bottom cut out. Sink it in the soil about 3 inches. Use the can to water and add fertilizer as needed. This makes it easy to water the plant without spraying the whole plant or garden.

By R0cknchr from Central NE

An old Italian man lived alone in the country. He wanted to dig his tomato garden, but it was very hard work as the ground was hard. His only son, Vincent, who used to help him, was in prison. The old man wrote a letter to his son and described his predicament.

Dear Vincent,
I am feeling pretty bad because it looks like I won't be able to plant my tomato garden this year. I'm just getting too old to be digging up a garden plot. If you were here my troubles would be over. I know you would dig the plot for me.
Love,
Dad

A few days later he received a letter from his son.

Dear Dad,
Not for nothing, but don't dig up that garden. That's where I buried the BODIES.
Love,
Vinnie

At 4 a.m. the next morning, FBI agents and local police arrived and dug up the entire area without finding any bodies. They apologized to the old man and left. That same day the old man received another letter from his son.

Dear Dad,
Go ahead and plant the tomatoes now. That's the best I could do under the circumstances.
Love,
Vinnie

By Terri