Succeeding in growing tomatoes

Tomatoes are planted out when the risk of early morning frost has totally disappeared. It is possible to plant them out until June, providing that the end of autumn in your area is mild.

Succeeding in growing tomatoes

How many plants?

Depending on the varieties, tomatoes produce more or less fruits. For a family of 4 persons, 2 to 3 plants of Cherry tomatoes are sufficient. But count at least 6 plants of larger fruiting tomatoes varieties and even more, as summer tomatoes’ salads use a great deal of tomatoes. Do not forget all the preserves and the dishes that you can also make using them.

The right spacing

Keep a space of at least 50 cm between your tomatoes plants and up to 70 cm for the vigorous varieties (Larger fruiting Hybrids). Cherry-tomatoes can be grown closer together, 40 cm apart, but the risk of diseases is higher.

Any soil, but a rich soil

Tomatoes thrive in any type of soil. Acid soils (sandy) are less suitable as they like nutrients- rich soils. Do not hesitate to enrich the soil with compost (or planting compost) before planting them. If have mature compost, you can mix in, up to one shovelful per plant. Do not mix in fresh manure as the tomato’ plants would not benefit from it.

Shrewd planting

A few right actions will allow you to get more vigorous, so more productive and diseases’ resistant plants:
- Bury the young plant and half its stem: additional roots will appear on the buried part of the stem, not including the ones from the earth ball.
- Place a handful of chopped stinging nettles (and without seeds) at the bottom of the planting hole: this provides food to the plant at the end of the season.
- Remove the leaves that touch the ground; this avoids that the diseases’ germs contained in the soil contaminate the plant too easily.
- Spread a layer of mulch at the roots of the plants: during drier weather, this limits the need for watering.
- Plant a French marigold at the root of each plant: this limits the nematods (worms), the tomatoes’ roots-eating parasites.

Succeeding in growing tomatoes
Succeeding in growing tomatoes
Succeeding in growing tomatoes
Succeeding in growing tomatoes
Succeeding in growing tomatoes
Succeeding in growing tomatoes

A stake, right away

As soon as the tomatoes have been planted, place a support in place. Tomatoes grow rapidly and it is necessary to support them with a prop as they grow along. Twisted, metal stakes are only efficient if they are linked with a steel wire. But the old-fashioned wooden stakes are still efficient, as always!

M. Jean-Michel GROULT
 
Pépinières PLANFOR
1950 Route de Cère
40090 UCHACQ - FRANCE
Tel : (020).7660.0178