Tomatoes - A Complete Planting Guide

The How Do Gardener ^ | 04/01/2015 | Rick Bickling

[orsonwb]

Tomatoes - A complete planting guide including state specific planting dates and varieties, tips for soil preparation, planting, watering,fertilizing, insect and weed control...

[orsonwb]

Was good to see what varieties would work best in my area.

[pghkevin]

bookmark for later

[Red_Devil 232]

Of interest to the Gardening Thread?

[Ken H]

I’ve had zero luck planting tomatoes. Doesn’t matter if they’re ripe or green, nothing ever sprouts.

[aquila48]

Good timing info - I’m getting ready to plant. Thanks.

[sneakers]

Bump

[afraidfortherepublic]

Thank you for posting. Have not gardened for the past 2 years due to surgery. I hope to put in tomatoes, at least, this year.

[Banjoguy]

In our area, (Orlando, Florida) all tomatoes must be container grown. Nematodes will cause most of the species to cease production and subsequently to wilt and die. No matter if you are a planting expert, as long as chemical fumigation is denied the home grower, the successful growing of tomatoes here is problematic. For me it has become labor intensive and largely a fools errand.

None of the planting guides mention this pervasive problem.

[matthew fuller]

Thanks for posting this.

[Texan]

Central/South Texas: I grow tomatoes every year. The newer varieties do best. I highly recommend Tycoon. Also planted Phoenix this year which was also highly rated. Both are very heat tolerant and don't split.

Also, remember to plant them deep.

[Victor]

Ping

[poobear]

Cover your garden bedding with high density black tarp and cook the nematodes for about a week or so. Viola! Orlando area too.

[CynicalBear]

>>I’ve had zero luck planting tomatoes. Doesn’t matter if they’re ripe or green, nothing ever sprouts.<<

LOL! You must be doing it wrong. I have 12 coming up where a tomato fell to the ground last year and I didn't pick it up.

[oldasrocks]

Here in Missouri the best tomato is Parks Whoppers. We’ve been planting these for 8 years.

[CynicalBear]

I live 19 years in Orlando. I did the same thing there as I have to do here in SC. I acquired lots of those black plastic pots that landscapers get plants in. I cut the bottoms out of the 4 gal pots and bury them to within about 2” from the top. Take the dirt out each fall after their done and put it in black plastic garbage bags. Lay them out in the sun to bake. Next spring put the dirt in a wheel barrow and mix in some black cow and put back in pots and plant.

[Roses0508]

Bump. Will try again this year.

[Leaning Right]

For later reading. Thanks for posting this.

[mmichaels1970]

Looking to plant this spring from the first time in years. Does anybody have trimming suggestions/pointers? My dad planted last year and they got huge with big thick stalks which produced little fruit.

His thought was that he didn’t trim them and just let them grow wild. Does that sound like a valid theory?

[KosmicKitty]

My trick - feed them weekly.

Grow mostly heirlooms, usually have 50+ plants and I get 300 or more pounds in a good years. Of course, some heirlooms are not heavy producers.

[poobear]

I like the name. I have luck with Plum and Ugly tomatoes.