Pawel Kalkus


g juicy organic tomatoes is not hard to do. The hardest part about it is going to be keeping the insects from destroying that tasty fruit when it comes time for the plants to bear.

Home grown tomatoes are the absolute best. There’s no doubt in my mind about it. The only thing that makes them better is when they are grown organically without the use of pesticides. The first thing you want to do when growing organic tomatoes is to find a good seed. The local nursery or garden center will have some valuable information to give regarding the variety of tomatoes that grows best in your area. Don?be afraid to ask them questions. They are happy to help you!

Now, you’ll want to plant the seed perhaps an inch deep in loose compost. You can do this anywhere from 5 to 7 weeks before the last frost hits your area. You want to make sure that the soil stays damp while you are awaiting germination. You will notice that seeds germinate around the 10 day mark ( possibly day or 2 earlier or later ). After the seeds have germinated and grown 2 more leaves other than the germination leaves, you can transplant the seedlings to a different container by themselves. Plant band or cup can make a good container.

The location you choose outside for the plants should be carefully considered. Organic tomatoes prefer aerated soil that contains a lot of rock minerals. The soil needs to drain well and should also contain a lot of compost. Fallen leaves are a good suggestion to use as compost.

After about 7 weeks, your plants will be ready to transplant into your outdoor bed. You want to make sure that you include a handful of compost to each plant when you transplant it, and do so with great care to minimize the shock. You should place the plants about 18-24 inches apart and plant them deep. The role of stake is to support the plant as it grows by tying it around. This keeps them off the ground. Use a soft yarn to tie them off.

Feed the plants once about every three weeks when waiting on them to start bearing. Once the fruit sets, you’ll want to feed the plants about once a week or so. Water them on a daily basis, but not too much. Too much is just as bad as not enough. Keep the soil moist and you’ll be fine!

Chris

Gen Wright


, beginners to organic gardening are excited by the whole concept of “organic,” but don’t know where to start. I remember when I first contracted “organic fever”; I was so excited that I was reading everything I could find on the subject. Some articles were very entertaining but gave little practical information. Other articles seemed to focus on a particular product as being the miraculous answer to all gardening problems. Early on in my learning curve, I was reading an extremely interesting article about liquid organic fertilizer. It made a lot of sense and I was sold on the product, ready to run out and buy it.

Problem was, I hadn’t even planted anything yet! What I needed was a beginners guide to organic gardening. Since I never found one I decided to write one myself in hopes that it helps you avoid some of the pitfalls I’ve experienced. I put on the brakes and backed up a bit, but still eagerly absorbed all I could find. That is why I always recommend to anyone who is just discovering organic gardening to start on a small scale. Container gardening, for example, is a perfect place to start. You can move your container easily to protect it from the elements, even indoors.

The 3 R’s: Research, Read, Repeat

Different types of plants have different growing requirements, so it is imperative to know in advance of planting, what conditions are required by your plants to thrive. This is the most basic principle but often the most overlooked. You cannot rely on store personnel to know even the most basic facts about the plants they are cashiers, not horticulturalists. By following the 3 R’s you will avoid a lot of potential plant problems, plus, you’ll save yourself time, money, and aggravation. It’s much easier to learn about how to grow fat nutritious organic tomatoes after you have learned what soil requirements tomatoes need, than to repurchase and replant seedlings because you skipped this important step.

Follow The Rules

You can’t be successful if you cheat or take shortcuts. You might be tempted to think you can add a chemical to make your plants grow faster or taller. Read that sentence again. Do you see that word “chemical”? The use of chemicals is the opposite of organic. I want to assist you in growing gorgeous plants and healthful veggies. I do not promote or support the use of synthetic chemicals. When chemicals are added to the soil to induce artificial growth or color, they destroy the very micro-organisms needed to grow! The very essence of Organics is: No Chemicals. Ever. (Besides, if you think you can ingest chemicals without any adverse effects, you’ve been woefully misled!)

You Can’t Create Life

When you get right to the heart of the matter, you can’t create a tomato. All you can do is plant a little tiny seed and give it what it needs to grow. In my ignorance I used to repeat that tired old cliche, “Life begins in the soil.” Well, that’s only half true. While the seed contains the energy to germinate after planting, it’s the life in the soil that enables it to flourish. Micro-organisms such as fungi, bacteria, protozoa and nematodes convert organic fertilizer into energy for your plants to grow.

Are you ready to pursue organic gardening? Then you need to start by doing some housecleaning. Yes, I said housecleaning.

I suggest finding a good bio-degradable bag and, starting under your sink bag up all the chemicals to kill bugs and weeds. Then, progressing to your basement, garage, or utility shed, collect them all and get rid of them! If you are ready and willing to commit to growing healthy and nutritious food, then you need to get rid of all the poisons out of you home and garden. Okay, so you have a bag of toxic substances in hand, and you’re walking out to your garbage can… Suddenly you realize that there might possibly be a safety issue concerning the disposal of this stuff. The light bulb goes on.

If you have to consider how to safely dispose of a product, why would you want it in your home?

Allison

Penny Mohney


It’s easy,very inexpensive and they taste better too so lets get started!

STEP 1: Which tomatoes should I grow? If you have a long growing season then you would want to go with an indeterminate variety which grows all summer long. If your growing season is short then you would go with a determinate variety which produces its fruit quickly (in as little as 85 days or less) and ripens all at once. Go to www.PennysTomatoes.com for more info on varieties.

Step 2: Now that I have bought my seeds what do I do with them? Six to eight weeks for the end of winter I line up little paper cups filled with peat moss and put one seed in each cup. I then place them in a sunny window sill and water almost daily as peat tends to dry out quickly. Make sure not to over water or let the seed/roots sit in excessive water as this will kill them.

As your seedlings grow transplant them into larger and larger containers, each time burying them up to the first set of leaves. The plant will send out roots from the buried stem and will develop a stronger root system by the time they are ready to be planted outdoors. Once your seedlings have taken off and the threat of frosts are over move your plants outdoors for a few hours each afternoon to get them acclimated, or hardened off, before actually planting them in the garden.

Will any soil work? Tomatoes need a rich, well-drained soil ideally full of organic matter, so get started on that compost pile early.

How much sun do they need? Tomatoes require full sun which translates into no less than 6 to 8 hours a day. Plants will be weak and unhealthy with anything less.

STEP 3: Okay it’s time to transplant. Transplanting is an important step and if you do it carefully, you can look forward to an abundant crop of healthy mouth watering tomatoes.

Once your tomato plants have been hardened, or acclimated to outdoor conditions, and night-time temperatures continually exceed 50 degrees, it’s time to set your plants out into your garden or patio containers.

After planting your tomato plants its a good idea to place mulch around them. Mulch helps keep the soil most and helps keep fruit off the ground, preventing rotting. The advantages to Mulching is that the soil retains moisture requiring less waterings. Also, the Mulch acts as a slow release fertilizer and help keep the weeds down.

STEP 4: It’s a good idea to prune your plants by pinching off the small leaves which appear in the crotch above a larger stem. Don’t pinch off too many large leaves or the sun will burn developing fruit. Pinching back the top of the plant after it reaches the top of your stake or cage encourages more flowering and fruit.

How often should I water them? Your plants should be deep watered 2 to 3 times a week or more depending of your soil type. If the plant is seen wilting in the middle of the day, ignore it. They will perk right back up by late afternoon. If the plants look droopy in the morning, they need water.

All that hard work is getting ready to pay off and depending on what type of tomato plants you chose more than likely you will have an over abundance of ripe tomatoes.

When the fruits have ripened, pick them by bending back the fruit at the notch on the stem. They can be eaten straight from the plant, or can be stored for up to a week in the fridge.

Tomatoes store well in a cool, dry location. Do not put them in the refrigerator. While they last longer in the refrigerator, they will lose their flavor and texture. To slow down ripening keep them out of direct sunlight.

Wow! What do I do with all these tomatoes? We have some great recipes at www.PennysTomatoes.com and we would love for you to share yours.

Good luck and happy gardening!

Penny



Allison

Penny Mohney


It’s easy, very inexpensive and they taste better too so lets get started!

 

STEP 1: Which tomatoes should I grow?  If you have a long growing season then you would want to go with an indeterminate variety which grows all summer long.  If your growing season is short then you would go with a determinate variety which produces its fruit quickly (in as little as 85 days or less) and ripens all at once.  Go to www.PennysTomatoes.com for more info on varieties.

 

 

Step 2: Now that I have bought my seeds what do I do with them? Six to eight weeks for the end of winter I line up little paper cups filled with peat moss and put one seed in each cup. I then place them in a sunny window sill and water almost daily as peat tends to dry out quickly. Make sure not to over water or let the seed/roots sit in excessive water as this will kill them.

 

As your seedlings grow transplant them into larger and larger containers, each time burying them up to the first set of leaves.  The plant will send out roots from the buried stem and will develop a stronger root system by the time they are ready to be planted outdoors.  Once your seedlings have taken off and the threat of frosts are over move your plants outdoors for a few hours each afternoon to get them acclimated, or hardened off, before actually planting them in the garden.

 

Will any soil work? Tomatoes need a rich, well-drained soil ideally full of organic matter, so get started on that compost pile early.

 

How much sun do they need? Tomatoes require full sun which translates into no less than 6 to 8 hours a day.  Plants will be weak and unhealthy with anything less.

 

STEP 3: Okay it’s time to transplant. Transplanting is an important step and if you do it carefully, you can look forward to an abundant crop of healthy mouth watering tomatoes.

 

Once your tomato plants have been hardened, or acclimated to outdoor conditions, and night-time temperatures continually exceed 50 degrees, it’s time to set your plants out into your garden or patio containers.

 

Raised beds work best and you’ll want to bury your plants up to the first set of leaves.  This will ensure a healthy root system. After planting it’s a good idea to place mulch around each plant. Mulch helps keep the soil most and helps keep fruit off the ground, preventing rotting. The advantages to mulching are that the soil retains moisture requiring less watering. Also, the mulch acts as a slow release fertilizer and helps keep the weeds down.

 

How often should I water them? Your plants should be deep watered 2 to 3 times a week or more depending of your soil type. If the plant is seen wilting in the middle of the day, ignore it. They will perk right back up by late afternoon. If the plants look droopy in the morning, they need water.

 

All that hard work is getting ready to pay off and depending on what type of tomato plants you chose more than likely you will have an over abundance of ripe tomatoes.

 

When the fruits have ripened, pick them by bending back the fruit at the notch on the stem.

 

Tomatoes store well in a cool, dry location. Do not put them in the refrigerator. While they last longer in the refrigerator, they will lose their flavor and texture.

 

What do I do with all these tomatoes? We have some great recipes at www.PennysTomatoes.com and we would love for you to share yours so check us out online.

 

Good luck and happy gardening!

 

Penny

www.PennysTomatoes.com



Francisco

Fred Mitchell


First off don’t crowd your seedlings. If your going to use seeds and start them in the same container make sure they are spread out. Then as soon as they start developing their first true leaves move them to 4 inch pots. I prefer to start my seedlings indoors in individual containers under fluorescents. Just grab a pack of colored solo cups to do the job.

Secondly at first your seedlings are going to need plenty of direct light. This is why I start them indoors. Just get a 20 watt fluorescents and get it as close as you can without burning the plants (If you can leave your hand under the light without it getting to hot your okay). Put that light on a timer 18 hours on 6 hours off to get your plants started. Also put a small fan on them so they sway in the wind. 10 Minutes a day is enough, this will help them get sturdier.

While your seedlings are developing cover your soil in some red plastic for the earth to heat up beneath. This will help the roots grow quicker getting you earlier harvests in the season. Once their ready to get in the dirt bury them up to the top few leaves, new roots will come off the parts that are in the ground and it will give them a strong base for larger plants.

If it is already warm out mulch then to keep a warm soil but if you are still experiencing cold spurts hold off on mulching so the sun can heat up the soil each day. This is a good trick for peppers also.

After you get your plants growing you need to trim your plants. Remove your bottom leaves as these will be small fruits anyways and then your plant can focus on the tops. This also helps prevents fungus from growing as the early leaves are the ones that usually will have fungus problems.

Lastly remember to water regularly so you plants get used to a cycle. This will let your plant use its energy to grow fruit instead of just trying to survive its environment. I hope these tips will help you with your tomato grow.

Annettew


Preparation for a bountiful harvest of tomatoes begins while snow still covers the ground. Before you can plant a beautiful row of seedlings, you must take several planning steps. Consulting a comprehensive cultivation guide on growing tomatoes will aid your planning process and help ensure you end up with a bountiful disease free crop.

Choose Your Tomato Varieties

Hundreds of choice tomato varieties abound - enough to confuse gardeners. Tomatoes come in every shape, size and color. Huge tomatoes that take two hands to carry are related to tiny grape tomatoes no larger than the top of a thumb. Purple, yellow, orange and red tomatoes all spring from the same gene pool. Perfect round tomatoes, oblong tomatoes, little marble-sized tomatoes, and huge scrunchy looking tomatoes grow around the world. Tomatoes that grow as a never-ending vine share space with tomato plants that grow in a compact, shrub form. For your summer tomato garden, choose several tomato varieties, as each variety is best suited for its own culinary responsibility, and each takes specific care and tending.

For summer-long harvesting, choose tomato plants that are “indeterminate,” or keep growing and growing and growing. These tomatoes will continue to set new fruit throughout the entire summer. These varieties are best for small cherry or grape sized tomatoes, as getting large fruit from these types of plants requires more work.

For shorter harvesting periods and larger tomatoes, choose “determinate” varieties, which grow to a certain size and stop. These plants put more energy into producing each fruit, resulting in larger, juicier fruit.

Pre-Order Seedlings or Sow Seeds

Tomatoes are fragile in the beginning. Growing a tomato from a seed and harvesting fruit in the same growing season takes advance preparation. If you prefer not to gamble with starting your own seeds, many companies offer mail-order seedlings of endless varieties. Plan for your seedlings to arrive for planting once the danger of frost is completely past. Tomato plants are tropical in origin and have little tolerance for cold.

For adventurous gardeners, harvesting a tomato grown from seed to fruit is a rewarding experience. Start seeds at least eight weeks before you wish to plant. Sow seeds thinly on a bed of light potting mix inside. Keep the seeds moist, but not overly wet. Misting daily does the trick. Once the seedlings have their second set of leaves, “prick out” the seedlings (gently remove seedlings one at a time, while holding the leaves) and plant into small pots of their own. Once frost danger has passed, “harden off” your plants by putting them outside during the day, and bringing them in at night. After a week or two of “hardening off,” you may plant outside.

Prepare the Garden Soil

While your tomato seeds are germinating on their warm and comfy windowsill, use the time to prep the garden soil. Tomatoes need an organically rich, yet well-draining soil. If you have extremely wet and heavy soil, avoid walking on it during the winter, as excessive walking with compact the soil. Add organic matter on top of the soil to help prevent winter erosion. Once the soil warms enough to be workable, double-dig the soil (Dig all of the soil out, mix in some organic matter, and put soil back in) to break up hardened areas and allow for good root penetration.

Plant the Garden

Once the soil is prepared, seedlings are hardened-off, and temperatures are warm (or warming), plant your tomato garden, and prepare for a summer of delicious harvests.

If you want more detailed tomato garden advice and tips from a world horticultural expert, visit www.bestjuicytomatoes.com