tomato tips

Moisture: Moist, but not waterlogged.

Fertilizer Needs: Heavy feeder. Use starter solution for transplants. Sidedress 1 to 2 weeks before the first tomato ripens with 1-1/2 ounces 33-0-0 per 10-foot row. Sidedress again 2 weeks after the first ripe tomato with a balanced fertilizer such as 5-10-5; repeat 1 month later.

Do not remove the containers if they are peat or paper pots, but open or tear off one side to allow roots to get a good start.

Growing tomatoes in wire cages is a method gaining in popularity among gardeners because of its simplicity. Cage-growing allows the tomato plant to grow in its natural manner, but keeps the fruit and leaves off the ground, offering the advantages of staking as well. Using wire cages requires a large initial expenditure and a large storage area, but many gardeners feel that the freedom from pruning and staking is worth it. The cages, if heavy duty, will last many years. Be sure to get fencing with at least 6" spacing between wires so that you can get your hand inside to harvest the tomatoes. If tomato plants in wire cages are pruned at all, once is enough; prune to three or four main stems. Wire-cage tomatoes develop a heavy foliage cover, reducing sunscald on fruits and giving more leeway when bottom leaves become blighted and have to be removed. Many staked plants are nearly naked by late summer. Caged plants are less prone to the spread of disease from plant handling, since they do not have open wounds and must be handled less frequently than staked plants. However, it helps to space the plants somewhat further apart (three feet is good) to allow good air circulation between plants; humidity is higher because of the foliage density, and diseases such as late blight spread rapidly in humid situations. If well-nourished and cared for, caged tomatoes can produce exceptional harvests and make up for the extra space with high production. This type of culture is especially suited to indeterminate varieties.


Harvest fully vine-ripened but still firm. Most varieties are dark red. Picked tomatoes should be placed in shade. Light is not necessary for ripening immature tomatoes. Some green tomatoes may be picked before the first killing frost and stored in a cool (55ºF), moist (90% relative humidity) place. When desired, ripen fruits at 70ºF.
Approximate yields: 15 to 45 pounds per 10-foot row.
Amount to Raise: 20 to 25 pounds per person if used fresh; 25 to 40 pounds for canning.
Storage: Medium-cool (50 to 70° F), moist (90% relative humidity) conditions for 1 to 3 weeks for green tomatoes. Cool (45 to 50° F), moist (90% relative humidity) conditions for 4 to 7 days for ripe tomatoes.
Preservation: Can or freeze as sauces or in chunks (whole or quartered), peeled.