GARDENING TIP

Depending on what you are going to do with them, there are many different varieties of tomatoes.  There are juicy ones and meaty ones, large ones and small ones, round ones and long ones, some are good for sauces and some good for sandwiches, green ones, red ones, and even yellow ones.  Romas are very meaty and not so juicy so these are the best for sauces and salsa, and Beefsteak and Betterboys are very juicy and are the best for sandwiches or salads.

We usually plant our tomatoes around this time of year every year.  If you start them from seeds start them indoors around march so they have plenty of time to get big and strong before they are planted outdoors.  They should be about 6 to 10 inches before planting outdoors.  We usually throw the seeds and skins back into our garden from canning and we get "volunteers".  These plants are just as good as the ones you started indoors or have bought at the store.  Usually these ones are much more hardy because they have made it through the winter, and as they say "only the strong survive".

Here is a great way to plant your tomatoes.  After  tilling with a rototiller, or which ever means you use to loosen the soil in  the area you are going to plant your tomatoes, make a furrow with a hoe about 5" to 6" deep.  Lay the plants in   the furrow spaced out at least 2 feet apart so they have room to branch out.  BEFORE YOU COVER THE PLANTS, mix up some fertilizer or root stimulator in a watering can and sprinkle it on the roots.  This will give them the boost they need to get over the shock of being transplanted.  Cover the plants with soil up over the first set of leaves.  This will stimulate new leaf growth, new roots will grow all the way up to the point where the soil stops, and by covering up higher on the stem, it will make them sturdier and if the wind blows they will remain standing.  It is a good idea to put tomato cages or stakes to hold up the plants so the fruit does not lay on the ground and rot. We put ours on right away as soon as we plant as they are way to hard to get on later.

There are many diseases and physical disorders that tomatoes suffer form and I have had the unfortunate experience of dealing with a few of them.  I usually use the internet to figure them out and how to fix them.  Here is a link to the site I usually use.

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/publications/pm1266.pdf

I hope this helps.

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OLOE