Tomatoes are one of the easiest fruits to plant and nourish. They grow in many different types of soils, as long as the surrounding is warm. With a little damp, it won’t take a long time before your plants bear red, sweet and juicy fruits!
If this is your first time to plant tomatoes, there are easy steps of how to plant and grow them. Pay attention to these details as you will need them for your gardening.
1. Buy Tomato Plants
Visit your nearest garden and order a couple of small tomato plants. You can choose one specific type that you prefer, since tomatoes vary in colors, sizes and shapes. Some are small like cherry, while others are big. There are also very red tomatoes, while others can be a little green or sometimes with yellow. Not to mention that you can eat perfect round tomatoes or oblong shaped ones.
If you can get some plants of this fruit from one of your relatives, friends or neighbors, no need to spend a dime. That is a much better option but if you are not lucky, then you do not have any choice but to buy some.
You may also opt to plant seeds instead. In most cases, the planting of seeds of tomatoes is preferred by experienced farmers or planters. However, it won’t be a very risk act if you try. Seeds are much cheaper to buy anyway. Or one better option is to scrape the seeds of the tomatoes in your kitchen and dry them before planting.
2. Choose a Planting Ground
It is obviously essential to have space for planting your tomatoes. Make sure it is enough depending on the size of the tomatoes you intend to grow.
Your best time to plant must be during spring, so it can continue to grow and bear fruits in the summer or early fall. Otherwise, it won’t be easy to grow them when winter starts. In addition, choose an area where there is more sunlight. It means there must be any shade, as no trees nearby or other bushes that can cover light from the sun.
Part of the preparation of this little backyard project is to use the right kind of soil. It must be a bit moist to ensure your plants grow quickly and easily. It is also one secret to make the tomatoes very juicy.
You can first make a small greenhouse or prepare a jar if you are planting seeds. Once the first sprouts become visible, then you may just have to transfer it to the soil for sunlight exposure. Usually, it takes 3 to 4 weeks for tomato seeds to grow out of the soil.
3. Add Organic Compounds
After planting the tomatoes, which must be deeply buried, the next thing to do is to add elements that help in their growth. For better plantation, use fertilizers that help tomatoes grow. You need organic matters for this purpose, which you can make on your own. If you cannot make some, there are stuffs you can buy in a nursery of plants or garden.
4. Water Regularly
Tomatoes are ordinary plants that need both sunlight and water. They cannot be left dry all day long. You better have a schedule of watering those in order to keep alive. No one likes to plant tomatoes and then let them die during the middle course of the process. You have to pour enough water at least twice a day – one in the morning and another in the afternoon.
If the temperature of the day is too high, you can triple its water absorption. Also, do not use hot or cold water. The normal temperature of the tap water is enough.
5. Build Cages or Stakes
Once the tomato plants grow about 6 inches or more, you make a cage to support their vine. Actually, you can start building a cage after 15 days. You can also use stakes that you can buy in any garden tool shops and nurseries.
6. Put on a Sealer
Your happiest and proudest day about planting is when you start seeing tomatoes! And to ensure they grow and ripe, use Zip-lock bag to seal them. This helps protect your tomatoes from infestation of insects and other critters. You can also use a brown bag, but take note this can be easily ruined when it rains.
From these six steps, you may agree that planting and growing tomatoes is not that too complicated. It takes dedication and patience to ensure tomatoes are healthy, juice and tasty. Once your first tomatoes are harvested, you will surely like to plant more. You can expand your tomato plantation, and who knows may start selling them to your neighbors and friends. That will be awesome if you can grow that thinking it is from small plants or a bunch of seeds.
