These Simple Steps Yield Totally Terrifi c Tomatoes
GROWING ON:
As soon as seedlings emerge, locate them in the sunniest spot available. Grow lights (see page 65) 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 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 staggered planting and a slightly
staggered 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, fi ll cell-packs, peat pots, plastic or clay pots with a good sterilized pot- ting soil (see page 23) 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 pot- ting mix about 1/4” deep, drop in two or three seeds and refi ll the hole. Or you can simply use Jiffy-7® peat pellets (see Order Form), drop the seeds in the center opening and moisten the soil well.
If sowing in market packs or fl ats, sow seeds spar- ingly in rows or scatter thinly across the soil surface, cover with 1/4” of potting mix and fi rm lightly. Mark your containers with variety names and plant- ing dates. Water thoroughly with a fi ne 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 ger- minate. If you want to speed germina- tion, apply bottom heat with a heating
cable (see page 64), or sit the fl ats on top of a
water heater, checking often, so seedlings can be moved to full light as
soon as they emerge. 10
If you’re growing your own plants in market packs or fl ats, young seedlings are ready for transplanting to individual pots when they develop their fi rst 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.
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 65) 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 debris. 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 benefi cial. If the soil is already fairly rich, the addition of organic matter along with a dressing of superphosphate should be suffi cient. Some additional side-dressing of fertilizers may be necessary on light, sandy soils at regular intervals (14-21 days) during the growing season.
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 fi rst, 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.
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 61) 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.”
Worm Factory® 360 with Worms An effi cent way to convert kitchen scraps, junk mail and cardboard into nutrient-rich compost.
Perfect for organic gardeners. Add worms and watch them work in the 4-tray stackable worm bin system. The worms begin eating waste in the lowest tray and then migrate upward through the grid bottom of the next tray as food sources in the lower tray are exhausted. Valuable worm castings are left behind, ready for your garden. As each tray gets digested, continue to add food to the upper trays and cycle them so the worms continue to migrate upward. The worms can consume 3 to 6 pounds of food per week. As the
waste composts, liquid fertilizer or “worm tea” gathers in the collection tray below and can be easily drained from the spigot for use on plants. The unit houses eight thousand worms and can be expanded up to 7 trays. It’s made of high quality, post consumer recycled black plastic and measures 16” x 16” x 14”. Odorless, year round operation. The start-up kit includes the Worm Factory 360 unit, a thermometer, hand rake, scraper, start-up bedding, a comprehensive instruction booklet and DVD guide plus a redeemable voucher from the manu- facturer for 1 pound (approx. 1,000) Red Composting Worms. (NOTE: To order additional worms, please go to
www.fi ndworms.com. The worms will be drop-shipped from a supplier nearest your location.) Five year manufacturer’s warranty on parts and workmanship. Made in the USA. #53196. $159.95 each #53197. Additional Trays, Pkg. of 3, $26.95
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