Garden Corner - Tomatoes - Growing Huge, Early Tomatoes

Use Proper-Sized Containers.....
For growing tomatoes in containers, select a 3+ gallon container for patio tomatoes, a 1-2 gallon container for grape and cherry tomatoes, and a 5+ gallon container for larger varieties.

Have Good Support.....
Large tomatoes will require support -- an old bra or a sling made of discarded panty hose works like a charm.

Grow varieties known for huge fruits such as Delicious, Brandywine, Bragger, or T&T Monster; when the flower cluster appears, check it daily for when the flowers become fruits, then remove all but one fruit per cluster.

If you're willing to take a huge chance, and are growing just for size and show, remove all fruits from the plant except one or two.

Keep the plant protected from birds and wildlife with a homemade wire cage or a covering designed specifically for keeping birds away.

Daily Brushing......
Plants started from seeds indoors have a tendency to get leggy with very thin stems, even when light is optimal.

Studies have shown that brushing your hand lightly across the tops of the plants daily will increase the size and strength of the stems, seriously!

If Using Transplants......
When transplanting, bury the plant as deeply as possible.

Roots will develop all along the buried stem and help support the weight of the plant as it matures.

If the plant is really tall and spindly, plant it horizontally.

Place your stake when you set out your plant since adding it later could damage healthy roots.

Fertilizing.....
Fish emulsion and seaweed solutions are highly recommended by serious tomato growers.

But if you must use a chemical formulation, select one that has a higher middle and ending number (the P and K in N-P-K).

Phosphorus (P) helps produce flowers which in turn produce fruit, and is vital for root growth and resistance to disease.

A shortage of this element is apparent when the undersides of the leaves have a reddish-purple tint.

K stands for Potassium or potash, and promotes early growth, stem strength, resistance to cold, high yields, and good color and flavor.

A shortage of potassium would render a stunted plant with poor root development and little or no fruit.

A formulation with high nitrogen content (the N in N-P-K) will produce lush foliage and few flowers.

Apply a calcium supplement such as boron or crushed egg shells to avoid blossom end rot --a tomato that looks great until you turn it over and discover what looks like the plague on the bottom half.

Don't overfertilize!

Many a tomato plant has died due to neighborhood rivalry.
If you want an edge on the neighbors, try this: Mix your liquid fertilizer at half the strength, but apply it twice as often ...and stand back.

Mulching......Mulch Away Disease. If planting in early spring when the ground has not thoroughly warmed, hold off on mulch.

When the soil warms, apply mulch no closer than 1 inch to the stem, and reapply as needed to keep weeds down, retain moisture, and to keep the soil cool when the really hot weather arrives.

Mulch will also keep fruits from rotting by not allowing them to touch the ground, and prevents soil-borne diseases from reaching the lower leaves.

Cut Worms...... Use a Dixie cup with the bottom removed, a toilet paper tube cut in half, or a paper towel tube cut into thirds to thwart attacks from cut worms.

When planting, slip the tube over the top of the plant (or from the bottom if it fits through more easily) and bury it an inch or more from the soil surface.

Cut worms cut the plant at soil level, rendering it useless.

Watering..... Water the plant at soil level, not the foliage.

Wet foliage attracts insects and fungus disease.

Keep evenly moist; irregular watering (too much, then too little) can cause fruits to crack.

Ripening..... If your tomatoes haven't completely ripened, try placing them in a paper bag with an apple.

The same reaction (a hormone called ethylene) that causes one bad apple to spoil the whole bunch will quickly ripen (and over-ripen) tomatoes.

Be sure to remove the tomatoes from the bag when they have ripened

And now.....A Little Health Trivia.

Strangely enough, the tomato was once known as the tomatl or 'cancer apple' since it was believed to cause disease.

Recent studies have shown that tomatoes that have been heated (as in cooked or canned) contain lycopene, a substance that has been proven in studies to be effective in preventing particular cancers.