How to Plant and Grow Tomatoes This Summer

Just think of all of the Caprese salad you're going to eat.

By Caroline Picard, Good Housekeeping

When it comes to growing your own vegetables, tomatoes can give you some of the biggest bang for your buck. The plants come cheap, yield pounds of produce, and fit in even the smallest backyards or balconies.

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That's not to say they're foolproof. Picking the right variety and coaxing it to grow big, juicy produce does require a bit of a green thumb. Here's how you can get the most out of your tomato plants this growing season:

Getting Ready

Check your tool shed for the right gear before you break any ground.

Top-Tested Clippers: Fiskars PowerGear Bypass Pruner (amazon.com)

Ergonomic Trowel Set: Fiskars 3 Piece Softouch Garden Tool Set (amazon.com)

Breathable Garden Gloves: Pine Tree Tools Bamboo Working Gloves (amazon.com)

Lightweight Watering Can: Union Watering Can (amazon.com)

Extra-Tall Stakes: Hydrofarm 6' Natural Bamboo Stake (amazon.com)

Choosing Varieties

Giant beefsteak varieties, tiny cherries — tomatoes come in a lot of sizes, and that's just in the grocery store. While some of it comes down to climate (ask your local garden center or cooperative extension service for advice!) and personal preference, there's one key difference every gardener should know: determinate and indeterminate.

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Determinate (or bush) tomatoes tend to fruit over a two week period and then stop, making them great for canning. They're also more compact and therefore a smart choice for container gardens.

Indeterminate tomatoes grow longer vines and produce more flavorful fruit all season long. It's a good idea to prune them regularly so they funnel energy into the latter, not the former. Most varieties fall into the category, including heirlooms.

Planting

If you're using your own seeds, plant them 1/4 inch deep and 1 inch apart in flats placed in a warm, sunny room. Once the seedlings grow their second set of leaves (the first true leaves), transplant them to plastic cups, burying the stems deeper than before. This encourages a strong root system. If you're buying transplants from a nursery, you'll also want to let them develop a solid root system before planting.

Wait until the temperature stays consistently warm before putting plants in the ground. (Products like Wall-O-Water can also protect against cold nights.) When you're choosing a spot in your garden, look for a bed that's in full sun. Dig bigger holes than you think you'll need at least 2 feet apart, setting the plants so that the lowest set of leaves sit at soil level. Some gardeners will bury almost the entire plant, since new roots will sprout on the stems and lead to more fruit. Then fill the holes with a mixture of compost and soil.

Cover the bed with a layer of mulch, straw, or grass clippings. This will prevent any weeds from popping up.

Watering and Fertilizing

Soak your bed with 1 inch of water once a week, slightly more often during the height of summer. Pour the H20 directly on the soil, not the leaves.

Adding compost when the first fruit is ripening will encourage new growth. A dilute fish emulsion fertilizer can also help, but don't overfeed. Too much nitrogen will make your plant very lush but not very fruitful.

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Staking

Support your plants by tying the stems to stakes or cages. Leaving the vines on the ground makes them more susceptible to pests or disease — no bueno.

You'll want 5- to 7- foot long stakes inserted about 7 inches into the ground. If you can't find cages large or sturdy enough, you can make your own using welded wire mesh from the hardware store. Just make sure you can fit your hand through the squares!

Pruning

One of the most important things you can do to increase fruit production is regular pruning. Remove any suckers — small shoots emerging from the stems at the base of each leaf — ASAP. This helps the plant stay upright, improve air circulation, and grow better produce. While caged tomatoes can develop one or two suckers, staked tomatoes do best as a single stem. Try to clip (or even pluck with your fingers) any suckers every few days.

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Harvesting

If you want to grow enormous tomatoes, eliminate fruits at the top of the vine and let the ones at the bottom develop fully, leaving one per cluster. Otherwise, just pluck any ripe tomatoes once they've reached their desired size and color.

See more at: Good Housekeeping