Tomato Plants from Seedshow to grow tomato plants from seeds

Heirloom tomatoes – also known as heritage tomatoes – are some of the many older varieties from which seeds have been saved over the years and passed from one generation to the next. Most tomatoes purchased today in supermarkets or grocery stores are hybrids which have been bred to produce higher yields, uniformity of shape and color, shipping durability and longer shelf life, rather than flavor.

Heirloom tomatoes are prized firstly for their amazing flavor. In addition to their outstanding flavor they frequently have a distinctive shape and come in a range of colors from purples to orange to green and more. Many heritage tomatoes are every bit as hardy as the hybrid varieties.

Heirloom tomatoes have become increasingly popular and more readily available in recent years. These tomatoes, in particular, bring as much to the garden as they do to the plate and they can’t be beaten for their outstanding flavor and the beauty they add to recipes and dishes with their many shapes, sizes, and colors.

These plants have become more popular with gardeners due to their excellent flavor and wide diversity of shapes, colors, and sizes. Previously, these tomatoes often were bred for flavor, rather than resistance to diseases and pests, the vagaries of weather or the rigors of transport. Today, heirloom tomatoes are considered worthy garden varieties that have stood the test of time.

They are highly prized by cooks and are wonderful to use because of their variety of colors, unusual appearance and strong flavors. They are much tastier than hybrid varieties and can readily be reproduced true to type.

When young, the plants can be susceptible to cutworms which will cut the plant off at the top of the soil. This can be avoided by placing a collar made from aluminum foil around the base of the plant. Plants within this category of tomato generally ripen early in the season and are often have a short fruiting season. Most hybrid tomatoes, if regrown from collected seed, will not be the same as the original hybrid plant. This tends to ensure the grower’s dependency on seed distributors for future crops. As with many plants, tomato cultivars can be acclimatized over several growing seasons to thrive in a particular geographical location through selection and seed saving.

Save some seeds to plant next year if you can beat the birds to them. Starting seeds directly where you want the tomatoes to grow will produce plants but your yield will be limited. You will get better results by starting your seeds in trays indoors. If using grow lights keep the plants within 6” of the lights. Once the seedlings send out a second set of leaves, it will be time to transplant them from the starting tray to individual pots. Gently loosen the soil in the starting tray and separate individual plants. Fill the pots loosely with moistened starting mix and use a dibber to make a hole in the mix. Gently firm the soil around the seedling and moisten lightly. If you start your seeds very early, you may need to transplant some of your biggest plants again as they will outgrow their pots.

When it looks like it is time to plant your seedlings outside, you will need to harden the plants by moving the pots outside into the shade during the day. Bring them inside at night. After a week or so your heirloom tomato plants should be ready to plant in the garden. Once planted out, water regularly and support them as they grow with stakes or tomato cages.

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You may have seen upside down tomato planters advertised on the web, or have thought of building your own. Aside from the novelty of these what are the advantages?

Upside Down Tomato Planter Options

There are a couple of commercially available planters. Some are for just a single plant, while others

While they are advertised primarily to be for tomatoes, they can also be used to grow small bush plants like peppers and eggplants. There are also several herbs that will grow nicely in one of these.

The smaller variety (for example the Topsy Turvy planter) can be found for under $20. It will hold one plant, and needs to have someplace to be hung.

There are larger self supporting units like the Upside Down Tomato Garden, which stands almost 5 feet tall and will hold several plants. It is a great addition to an apartment balcony or patio, and is also a nice little garden space to place closer to your kitchen that a normal size garden.

For both types of planters, you need to be aware that fully loaded with soil they can weigh quite a bit, so you should consider carefully ahead of time just where you want to put it. The free standing upside down tomato garden can hold more than 70 pounds of soil, which is a lot of work to move.

Of course you could build one yourself. A simple plastic bucket could be used for the planter with a hole in the bottom of a few inches in diameter. It could be hung from a hook on a patio roof, or a simple sawhorse arrangement.

Advantages of Upside Down Tomato Planters

Growing tomatoes this way can allow them to ripen without rot. Pests like snails and ants will be almost non existent. Just be sure to keep it moist, as all container grown plants will tend to dry out quicker.

This tomato garden is perfect on a balcony or a patio for the apartment dweller, or on a patio or deck for those just looking to put a little bit of the garden closer to the kitchen.

Try a little something different in the garden this year with an upside down tomato plant or two. Amaze the neighborhood children and yourself too. If you grow organic this method cuts down on the number of pests who can gain access to your luscious red delights. Some say they have better yields but so far production is about the same for me. This is a delightful way to grow tomatoes if you have limited space or just a need for more tomatoes.

Make sure that the place you choose to hang them is stable enough to hold the tomatoes when fully watered. Plenty of sunlight is just as necessary for the upside down plantings as for right side up. The container needs to have a handle for easy hanging. Five gallon plastic buckets and twenty five pound rice bags work well. I had a neighbor who used three liter soda bottles but the plants soon became root bound and did not produce that well.

Grow upright until plant is about four to six inches tall.

Cut or drill a three inch hole in the bottom and top of the container, one hole for the plant to grow out of and one for watering.

Thread the plant through an unbleached coffee filter till it rests between the second and third sets of leaves.

Thread the tomato through the hole in the bottom of the container leaving the coffee filter inside to keep soil from falling through the hole.

Pour six cups of peat in first to settle around the roots.

Add four to six cups of compost.

Fill with soil

Hang with tomato pointing down.

Water thoroughly.

Secure the lid or tape the top closed.

Watch them grow.

Eat more tomatoes.

So far I’ve had the best luck with grape, cherry and roma tomatoes. I tried a midsized golden but the yield wasn’t near as good as in the ground. Try this method with small peppers and pickling cucumbers. Hang one off the mailbox with a help yourself sign for the happiest mailman on earth.

Beautiful, gigantic, and perfect tomatoes do not grow by themselves! While tomatoes originated in the wild, centuries of cultivation have produced countless varieties, each needing their own special care. Some varieties of tomatoes grow in compact bushy forms, while others grow and grow, like vines, continually setting fruit. Depending on the type of tomato and desired yield, pruning and staking tomato plants will ensure a healthier, more robust harvest.

What is Pruning?

When most people think of pruning, they think of trees and shrubs. We prune trees to change the shape, increase air-flow through the canopy, reduce the size, and remove dead or diseased wood. Tomato pruning works in much the same way.

Pruning for Plant Health

Tomatoes benefit from good air circulation, as they are prone to diseases if their leaves stay wet or are encased in constant humidity. Pruning helps thin the tomato plant so that air moves freely. Tomatoes, when attacked by disease or pests, can recover; however, the injured part of the plant must be removed so that the injury does not spread to the rest of the plant.

Pruning for Increased Harvest

Every time a plant flowers, once the flower is pollinated, it will produce a fruit. Juicy tomatoes we love to eat are actually the fruits of the tomato plant. Vigorous, vine types of tomatoes will grow forever if not stopped! A plant can only produce a certain amount of sugar to “feed” the fruit; consequently, tomato plants with more fruits will produce smaller fruits. Pruning side-shoots helps lessen the amount of fruit on the plant, and allows the plant to send all of its energy to a few, select fruits.

What is Staking?

Staking is the process of providing support for a plant. Staking helps promote air flow throughout the plant, ensuring less buildup of moisture, and fewer diseases. Staking also helps support tomato plants as they grow and produce heavy fruit. Tomato stems are brittle, and will break under too much strain. Many types of staking mechanisms exist including cages, trellises, and single stakes. Consult a tomato growing reference like How To Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes for a comparison of 11 staking techniques.

The proper staking technique will depend the tomato variety and individual gardener’s harvesting goals.

Pruning and Staking are keys to successful tomato growing, as they promote overall plant health and higher fruit yield.

If you want more detailed tomato garden advice and tips from a world horticultural expert, visit www.bestjuicytomatoes.com

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Tomato Growing: Pruning and Staking for More Fruit

Beautiful, gigantic, and perfect tomatoes do not grow by themselves! While tomatoes originated in the wild, centuries of cultivation have produced countless varieties, each needing their own special care. Some varieties of tomatoes grow in compact bushy forms, while others grow and grow, like vines, continually setting fruit. Depending on the type of tomato and desired yield, pruning and staking tomato plants will ensure a healthier, more robust harvest.

What is Pruning?

When most people think of pruning, they think of trees and shrubs. We prune trees to change the shape, increase air-flow through the canopy, reduce the size, and remove dead or diseased wood. Tomato pruning works in much the same way.

Pruning for Plant Health

Tomatoes benefit from good air circulation, as they are prone to diseases if their leaves stay wet or are encased in constant humidity. Pruning helps thin the tomato plant so that air moves freely. Tomatoes, when attacked by disease or pests, can recover; however, the injured part of the plant must be removed so that the injury does not spread to the rest of the plant.

Pruning for Increased Harvest

Every time a plant flowers, once the flower is pollinated, it will produce a fruit. Juicy tomatoes we love to eat are actually the fruits of the tomato plant. Vigorous, vine types of tomatoes will grow forever if not stopped! A plant can only produce a certain amount of sugar to “feed” the fruit; consequently, tomato plants with more fruits will produce smaller fruits. Pruning side-shoots helps lessen the amount of fruit on the plant, and allows the plant to send all of its energy to a few, select fruits.

What is Staking?

Staking is the process of providing support for a plant. Staking helps promote air flow throughout the plant, ensuring less buildup of moisture, and fewer diseases. Staking also helps support tomato plants as they grow and produce heavy fruit. Tomato stems are brittle, and will break under too much strain. Many types of staking mechanisms exist including cages, trellises, and single stakes. Consult a tomato growing reference like “How To Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes” for a comparison of 11 staking techniques.

The proper staking technique will depend the tomato variety and individual gardener’s harvesting goals. Pruning and Staking are keys to successful tomato growing, as they promote overall plant health and higher fruit yield.