YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCckF4QEozMeLrNsy_RUVYOw?sub_confirmation=1
Nutritive value: tomatoes are the most popular home garden vegetable, easy to grow and thrive under a variety of growing conditions. Tomatoes are an excellent source of vitamin C and A and also contain high amounts of magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, copper, iron, and cobalt.
Varieties: there are several types of tomatoes: garden tomatoes, cherry, roma, and heirloom.
Transplants: plants in individual pots suffer less transplant shock because the roots do not have to be disturbed when planting. Choose plants that are dark green, short, and compact, with sturdy stems about the size of a pencil. Avoid large plants growing in small containers.
Seeding: tomatoes can be seeded directly into the garden. All types of tomatoes can be started indoors if you want to experiment rather than buying transplants. Use clay, plastic, or peat pots, milk cartons, paper or plastic coffee cups, or similar containers, and make sure they have drain holes in the bottom. It is best to use potting soil from a greenhouse, which is free of weed seeds and harmful disease organisms.
Planting: late April to May is the suggested transplanting date. Tomatoes prefer a deep, loamy soil with a pH of 6.2 to 6.8. Tomato plants should be set in the ground slightly deeper than they grew in the original flat or pot. Pour about 1 cup of starter solution around each plant.
Staking: large vined types require pruning and staking, tying, or “cage” culture to conserve space in small gardens. This practice usually produces earlier tomatoes because vines are pruned, which promotes fruit growth.
Mulching: benefits growing tomatoes by retaining soil moisture, reducing soil compaction, helping to control weeds, decrease fruit rotting, and foliage diseases. Plastic mulches can be used early in the season before planting to warm the soil and encourage early growth. Apply straw, compost, leaves, and grass clippings in mid-June at the base of each plant.
Care: tomatoes require full sun for a half-day or more, about 1 inch / 2.5 cm of water per week, which can be supplied with sprinklers, soaker hoses, drip irrigation, or furrow irrigation. Control weeds when they are small by hoeing. Use shallow scraping and avoid deep cultivation.
Fertilizing: tomatoes benefit from additional applications (sidedressings) of nitrogen when” 1) the tomato fruits reach full size but are still green; 2) two weeks after the first fruit is harvested; 3) and one month after the second sidedressing.
Harvest: for optimum color development, pick tomatoes in the pink stage and allow them to ripen indoors. After tomatoes have ripened, they can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks. Just before frost, remove green tomatoes from the vines, detach stems, and wipe with a soft cloth. Wrap each tomato in newspaper or waxed paper. Store in a cool, dark place, checking frequently to remove decaying or damaged fruit.
Source: https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/pubs/mf312.pdf
