Image Source Here

Having tomatoes hand-picked from your garden is one of the simple joys you get when you grow your own greens at home.

Aside from this, you are able to enjoy its full benefits of having saucy tomatoes when you have them fresh, natural and tender.

Whether you are growing heirloom or hybrid, tomato-growing is not really that difficult if you will follow the basic rules.

There are so many gardeners who are not perfect when it comes to growing their own tomatoes but eventually succeed in the end. It is just a matter of having the heart for it and a little bit of patience.

Gardening Things You Need

There are different ways to start your tomato garden plant. You can always buy tomato plants or seedlings from your local garden stores or you can start from your own seed.

We all know that the former is the easier way to go, however, if you are feeling a bit adventurous and practice the gardener in you then you can start from the very beginning.

To start your gardening project you will need a trowel and gardening gloves. For your materials prepare your tomato seeds, potting mix, small containers with drainage holes, fertilizer, and water.

Choose Your Tomato

You will be pleasantly surprised that there are over a hundred tomato varieties that you can choose from and most thrive once they start growing. And they come in different tastes, sizes, colors and shapes. From marble sized cherry tomatoes to huge beef steak tomatoes.

However, it would be wise to pick a variety that is suited for your climate.
Another thing is that tomatoes also come in as determinate and indeterminate.

Determinates
are bush types that grow 2-3 feet tall. These usually flower all at once and also set, ripen then die. Indeterminate however, are tomatoes that need caging or staking because these are the vining types that need support. This type is a more resistant plant that grows and sets fruit.

The tomatoes indeterminates have are also noticeably larger.
Some varieties of tomatoes are Sweet 100, Sungold, Black Cherry, Sunrise Bumble Bee, Salad Tomatoes, Pantano Romanesco, Green Zebra, Black Zebra, Costoluto Genovese, Sweet Clusters, Valencia, Carmello, Stupice, Early Girl, Enchantment, Beefsteak Tomatoes, Brandywine Pink, Cherokee Purple, Hillbilly, Roma (Paste) Tomatoes, and Big Mama that you could look up and make your choice.

Preparing Your Soil
To make sure that your potting mix is ready for planting, dampen them first and work it through the soil. Add water up to the point when the mix still stays compressed in your hand.

Then when it breaks apart when you poke it with your finger it is good to gently firm the soil in the container. It should be about an inch from the top. You need rich loam but look for one that irrigates well.

Planting The Tomatoes

Make a ¼-inch furrow in your potting mix, making sure that you give the seedlings ample space to branch out.

Then put 2-3 seeds per furrow and then cover them with some potting mix, giving a pat to ensure a good contact between the soil and the seed.

Put your container in a place that is warm that could reach sunlight. Then wait for the tomatoes to grow which is around a maximum of 10 days.

Tender Loving Care for Your Tomatoes
Since this is your first seed, you must make sure that you monitor their growth from day one.

Always keep them warm and moist. If possible provide them with grow lights. Once you see leaves sprouting then you can start feeding them with liquid fertilizers once a week.

Remember to dilute it half of the recommended dose.
One trick that many do to make plants grow faster and stronger is by talking to them gently and encouraging them to grow.

It may sound funny but many attest to it! They also say that stems grow sturdier if they are tossed by the winds.

If there is just heat around, you can try putting a fan for your tomatoes or you can try running your hands to the plants every time you pass by.

Transplanting Your Tomatoes
If your seedlings are ready for transplanting, or they are around 2=3 inches tall, you must make sure that your soil is prepared. Plow and dig into the soil to take away weeds and pests and to loosen the soil for better irrigation and air.

The permanent pots for your seedlings must have only one seedling or if you want to transplant them to the ground it is advisable to have the seedlings placed 50 centimeters apart buried at 5 cm deep or deeper depending on how tall your tomato seedlings are.

It would be best to remove the leaves at the bottom area of the stem. These leaves are the oldest ones that usually develop fungus problems.

These are the ones that are left out of airflow and sunlight that is why they are not much help but more of a problem as it brings in soil borne pathogens.

Conclusion
Unless conditions are unfavorable, there shouldn’t be any problems growing tomatoes in your garden.

Do not disturb the roots later, and be patient. Like any other plant, tomatoes are prone to diseases so just Watch out for these problems and keep your plants healthy and strong.

However, they can grow on their own with the basics like sunlight, water and your fertilizers and you are good to go!