These Simple Steps Yield Totally Terrific Tomatoes


GROWING ON:


As soon as seedlings emerge, locate them in the sunniest spot available. Grow lights (see page 57) may also be used, positioning plants 4 to 8” below the light source, and lighting 12 to 18 hours per day, but off at night. Seedlings will grow best at tempera- tures of 60 to 70º F. Provide for air circulation and keep the soil surface moist.


SEEDING:


Determine the proper time for seeding tomatoes by counting back 6 to 8 weeks before the last average spring frost in your area. If you’re not sure of the frost date, consult your local county extension service.


Timing will determine the quality of your seedlings, so plan your schedule carefully. Seedlings started too early will become leggy and may become stunted in your containers. Seedlings held too long indoors will have a diffi- cult time adjusting to conditions in the garden. Seedlings started too late, on the other hand, will delay your harvest.


The easiest way to schedule seeding is to use two or three dates about a week apart. It takes 7 to 14 days at a temperature of 70 to 80º F for germination, so staggered seeding would give you several sizes of plants for stag- gered planting and a slightly stag- gered harvest. Perhaps you could sell the extra plants to cover your


seed costs, or plant the extras and sell the fruits to cover the cost of your crop. But maybe you just want to give some extra plants to friends and neighbors and let them try their luck!


When you are ready to seed, fill cell-packs, peat pots, plastic or clay pots with a good sterilized potting soil (see page 24) or soilless mix. Firm gently, but do not pack, and moisten. Using a dibble (pointed stick or pencil), make a hole in the center of the potting mix about 1/4” deep, drop in two or three seeds and refill the hole. Or you can simply use Jiffy-7® or Jiffy-9® peat pellets (see Order Form), drop the seeds in the center opening and moisten the soil well.


If sowing in market packs or flats, sow seeds spar- ingly in rows or scatter thinly across the soil surface, cover with 1/4” of potting mix and firm lightly. Mark your containers with variety names and plant- ing dates. Water thoroughly with a fine spray or wet soil from the bottom, allowing water to be absorbed until surface is moist. After sowing, keep containers moist, but not wet, and in a warm place, 70 to 80º F, until seeds germinate. If you want to speed germination, apply


bottom heat with a heating cable (see page 56), or sit the


flats on top of a water heater, checking often, so seedlings can be moved to full light


as soon as they emerge. 8


If you’re growing your own plants in market packs or flats, young seedlings are ready for transplanting to individual pots when they develop their first pair of true leaves. Thin plantings down to the strongest single seedling by pinching off weaker ones at the


soil level.


Fertilize sparingly when seedlings are 3 to 4 weeks of age, using a foliar feed concentration (1/3 to 1/2 of regular strength) of a complete (20-20-20) water- soluble plant food.


In larger plantings of tomatoes, rows of staked toma- toes should be 30 to 42” apart and plant spacings in the row at 24 to 30”. If tomatoes cannot be staked, row spacings of 6 ft. and plant spacing of 4 ft. in the row are needed for proper air movement and plant development. Staking is the preferred method of growing tomatoes where space is limited. Staked tomatoes yield a much higher proportion of clean, undamaged fruits.


Wooden stakes or wire cages (see page 57) work well as supports for tomato plants. These supports should be 40 to 72” tall, the shorter for “determinate” varieties and the taller for the “indeterminates.”


“Determinate” or “bush” varieties are those that reach a certain plant height and then stop growing, with most fruit borne over a 4 to 6 week period. “Indeterminate” varieties continue to grow and flower throughout the season, but have less mature fruits at any one time. “Indeterminate Short Internode (ISI)” varieties combine the controlled growth habit of a “determinate” with the unlimited production potential of an “indeterminate”.


TRANSPLANTING:


When transplanting hardened-off tomato plants to the garden, choose a cloudy, wind-free day, if possible, or plant in the late afternoon. You have to be the judge as to whether the danger of frost has passed. Emergency protection devices, such as plastic jugs with the bottoms removed, or our “Kozy Coats™” protectors, may help if a late frost occurs by placing them over plants the evening before a frost is predicted, being careful not to let foliage touch the plastic, then remove the next morning.


HARDENING OFF: About a week to 10 days prior to transplanting to the garden, begin adapting your tomato plants to outside conditions. Utilize a sheltered location for example, a cold frame or screened-in porch to protect from wind and sun at first, then gradually accustom them to garden conditions as the weather permits. Harden- ing off strengthens plant cell structure and results in sturdier and more rapidly growing plants after transplanting to the garden.


SITE PREPARATION:


As soon as all danger of frost has passed, the toma- toes are ready for transplanting to a prepared site in the garden. Tomatoes thrive in any reasonably good garden soil that is well drained and gets full sun. The soil should be tested (see page 59) and the pH adjusted to within the range of 5.5 to 6.5, preferably in the fall. This is also a good time for deep spading or plowing to a depth of 8 to 12”, and the soil should be enriched by adding compost, leaf mold or peat moss, as needed.


In the early spring, till or spade the surface again, and rake to break up clods and remove stones. Fertilize as recommended on your soil test result form. Manure should be used, if at all, with caution, because excessive nitrogen tends to cause tomato plants to produce an overabundance of foliage rather than fruit. Using a fertilizer with a high phosphorus and potash analysis and low in nitrogen (such as 5-10-10) may be beneficial. If the soil is already fairly rich, the addition of organic matter along with a dressing of superphosphate should be sufficient. Some additional side-dressing of fertilizers may be necessary on light, sandy soils at regular intervals (14-21 days) during the growing season.


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Water plants thoroughly about one-half hour prior to planting, using a full-strength solution of water- soluble fertilizer (see page 58). When planting, always make sure that the holes are large enough to accommodate all the roots without crowding. Plants should be set in deeper than they originally were in the containers. Since tomato plants root freely from any portion of the stems buried beneath the soil, they may be planted down to the first leaves. Even if some of your plants have become leggy, dig out furrows and lay in the plants, burying excessively tall stems.


Partially fill the hole with soil to within about 3” of the surface and water in thoroughly, being careful to settle soil around roots, eliminating air pockets. Fin- ish filling the hole with soil and firm soil around stem.


Kozy Coat™ Reusable water filled teepees will reward you with an early season of delicious tomatoes, cucumbers, melons and other heat loving plants. The earlier you plant, the earlier you'll pick. No need to worry about heavy frost or late blizzards. Protects your plants through the worst spring weather. Even if the water turns to ice, your plant is still protected. Keeps heat in to warm the soil around your plants. #53725. Pkg of 3 for $12.95 #53726. Repair Sleeves, Pkg. of 10 for $3.95 each


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