How to Grow Tomatoes: Complete Beginner Guide
Tomatoes are the most popular home garden vegetable. Here is everything you need to grow big, juicy tomatoes from seed or seedling.
Choosing the Right Variety
Cherry tomatoes are the easiest for beginners because they are prolific and forgiving. Roma tomatoes are best for sauces. Beefsteak tomatoes produce large slicing tomatoes. Determinate varieties grow to a set size (good for containers). Indeterminate varieties keep growing all season (need cages or stakes).
Planting
Plant after the last frost date in your area. Tomatoes need at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight daily. Plant seedlings deep, burying two-thirds of the stem. The buried stem grows additional roots making the plant stronger. Space plants 24 to 36 inches apart.
Watering and Feeding
Water deeply 2 to 3 times per week rather than a little every day. Consistent watering prevents cracking and blossom end rot. Mulch around plants to retain moisture. Feed with tomato fertilizer every 2 weeks once fruits start forming. Too much nitrogen produces lots of leaves but few tomatoes.
Common Problems
Yellow leaves at the bottom are normal aging. Blossom end rot (black bottom on fruit) means inconsistent watering. Hornworms are large green caterpillars that can strip a plant overnight, pick them off by hand. Cracking happens when heavy rain follows a dry period.
Pro Tips
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