Growing your own tomatoes

These instructions are assuming that you have a full-grown tomato plant; either grown from seed or purchased as a plant. 

1. Soil preparation: As is the case with all vegetables (and most plants), proper soils are critical to your plants' success. Start with Warner's Supreme Planting Mix, and add in some aged compost along with some bone meal for added potassium. [Note: if you have grown tomatoes in the past, be wary of reusing the same plot year after year. Tomato diseases will reside in the soil and affect new crops. Try rotating crops, or replace the soil.] 

2. Planting:  Soil temperatures must be quite warm (at least 60 degrees) for your tomatoes. Once your soil is prepared, set out your wall o water's in order to warm the soil at least two weeks prior to planting the tomatoes. Plant at least 24 to 36 inches apart, and just a little deeper than they were in the pot.  Reposition your wall o water's, one around each plant. Don't be too ambitious to remove the wall o water's. Even if we don't have a late frost, our high desert cool nights are not ideal for tomatoes, and the wall o waters will not overheat your plant. [We keep ours on at least until mid-July. Be prepared to put them back if the nighttime temperatures start to drop again.] 

3. Watering: Consistent watering is another critical element for your tomatoes' success (as is the case with most plants!). Your tomatoes will need a good watering every day during the hottest part of the summer, less often in certain areas. You want the soil to be moist, but not soggy. Allow it to dry out slightly between waterings. Check the soil moisture by inserting your fingers a few inches into the soil daily. Check different parts of your vegetable bed to make sure that water is reaching all of the plants evenly. Do not water overhead, but at the soil level. The best option, as always, is drip irrigation. The second best is a soaker hose on a timer. Add a layer of mulch or compost to the top of the bed to help retain moisture.  

4. Lighting: Tomatoes require full sun, which translates to at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sun each day. Most people underestimate the amount of sunlight their plants will receive, so choose your location carefully.   

5. Fertilizing: Once your tomatoes start blooming, feed them with a high phosphorous and low nitrogen fertilizer. We recommend Fertilome Blooming & Rooting, or for an organic option, GrowMore Flowers in Bloom or Fruit & Veggie. Follow the instructions on the product you choose for how much and how frequently to feed, but continue feeding until harvest. 

Troubles with Tomatoes

 Tomatoes can be very temperamental plants. If they don't receive the proper care (and even if they do!), they can fall victim to any number of problems. We've compiled some of the most common problems in this handy guide. If you do experience troubles with your tomatoes, just bring in a few photos and/or a branch or two that indicates the problem and we'll help you figure out what's going on, and how to fix it!

Click here for the Common Tomato Problems guide.