There’s something pretty special about serving up fat, delicious, juicy tomatoes that you grew yourself. Of course, growing the actual tomatoes can be harder than it sounds. We start off with the best of intentions, witness the young tomatoes start to appear and then for one reason or another, the whole crop goes to pot (looking at you pests and diseases!).
If you’re getting more tomat-no than tomato, try these growing tips for top tomatoes.
Planting position and soil preparation
Tomatoes require a sunny, well drained position in an area where tomatoes haven’t been grown previously over the last few years. At least 6 hours of sun per day and protection from strong winds is necessary for the plant to thrive. During very hot periods, consider shade cloth or some other method to stop the leaves and fruit from burning.
The soil should be rich in organic matter. To prepare your soil, incorporate compost and a chicken manure based fertiliser into your chosen planting position 2-3 weeks prior to planting.
Smaller varieties can be grown in large pots filled with good quality potting mix. There’s plenty out there that are specifically designed for tomatoes.
Choosing a tomato variety
This can be a difficult decision. If you’re in your local nursery, you’ll discover there are an overwhelming number of tomato varieties to choose from, both seeds and seedlings.
The best advice here is to choose a variety based on your desires and the space available.
If you want a large tomato for slicing and sauces, you may go for the traditional ‘Grosse Lisse’.
If you prefer small tomatoes for salads, seek out the cherry tomato varieties such as ‘TomatoBerry’.
Perhaps you don’t have a lot of space, in which case ‘Little Napoli’ may be for you.
You can even buy a mix of varieties in the same punnet which allows you to experiment with different types of tomatoes.
If you have a vege patch big enough, select several varieties of tomato to cultivate. You’ll have one for every occasion!
Whichever you choose, always check the seedlings are in good health. Avoid lanky, wilting, diseased ones.
Planting your tomatoes
Firstly, before thinking about planting, let’s talk about your starting point. Are you sowing seeds or selecting a seedling from your local nursery?
If sowing seeds, plant them in seed trays filled with good quality potting mix at a depth of 0.5cm to 1cm. Cover with the mix and water in. If you’re in an area affected by frost, protect them during the cold nights by moving them to a sheltered position (or even indoors).
Once you’re ready to transplant your seedlings (or if you purchased seedlings), take great care not to damage the root system. Plant the seedlings at a distance of 30cm apart to a depth that just covers the first lower leaves. This will allow the plant to produce additional roots.
In temperate areas, Spring is the best time to plant out your seedlings. If you’re in the sub-tropics, stick to Autumn and Winter.
As the plants mature, you may need to sacrifice some seedlings in order to allow the others to thrive. Air circulation is critical to avoid diseases.
Watering
Keep the soil moist during warm periods. This will likely mean daily waterings for the first week or two. As the plants mature, reduce to 2-3 times per week, depending on the weather. Be sure to give your tomatoes deep waterings less frequently as opposed to shallow waterings frequently. This encourages deeper root growth and less chance of the plant drying out.
Also water your plants first thing in the morning. This reduces moisture loss and the incidence of fungal diseases.
Support and training
Tomato plants can get large and heavy. A sturdy support is essential as the plant grows. You will need at least two stakes for most varieties or a trellis to carry the weight.
Tomato vines produce a large number of shoots. Remove any sucker shoots or shoots that form between the main stem and the main arm branches. The aim here is to encourage the plant to direct growth into these main branches. We don’t want a plant with lots of smaller, crowded offshoots. Once a week prune out the new, smaller shoots and continue to loosely tie the main growth to your trellis or support.
Ongoing care
Keep a good layer of mulch around plants at all times. Straw works. This will help to reduce moisture loss. Apply a liquid fertiliser once a month to replace any depleted nutrients. Once plants are starting to produce fruit, an application of potassium will assist with promoting good fruit growth. There’s numerous fertilisers specifically designed for this.
Pests & diseases
Tomato plants can succumb to pests and diseases quite easily if stressed in any way or if not regularly monitored. Some nasties to look out for include root knot nematode, aphids, fruit flies as well as various caterpillars, bugs and grubs. Remove these by hand if possible or take a pic and have a chat to your local nursery person.
Some common diseases include Grey Mould, powdery mildew and Verticillium wilt. Again, good air circulation is a must.
There are some varieties that state they are disease resistant (for example, the ‘Trussty’ variety). These can be a good start for tomato growing beginners.
If you spot something unusual, have a chat with your local nursery.
If you encounter a disease, remove all diseased parts on the plant (if possible) and dispose of in the bin (do not add to compost). Ensure tools are thoroughly cleaned to eliminate further spread.
Companion planting is also a very good idea. Plant marigolds and basil in amongst your tomatoes. These assist in keeping nasty predators at bay.
Harvesting
This is the best part… harvesting those juicy, home grown tomatoes!
Fruit will be ready for picking when it forms its mature colour (which differs with every variety). Pick your tomatoes off by hand or if you have a group of tomatoes, use sharp, clean secateurs.
And for the very best part… incorporating your harvest into a delicious bruscetta, soup, chutney, toastie or your favourite pasta sauce. Bon appetite!
