Preparing the land for tomato plants

Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, tomato plants are compact, with distinct heights depending on the cultivar. While there are several types of tomato plants available for the home garden, all varieties have a short harvest period, as well as specific planting needs. Soil is a main factor in planting nearly all types of tomatoes. Here are some tips for preparing soil to produce healthy tomatoes.

1. Choose a soil for planting your tomatoes that is well drained, deep and loamy (rich with sand, silt and clay).
2. Test the soil's acidity. Tomatoes favor a more acidic soil with a pH of 6.2 to 6.8. Use a pH soil testing kit, available at home improvement and garden stores, to test the pH levels of the soil.
3. Choose an area where the soil receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight.
4. Work the soil to prepare it for planting. Using a trowel or shovel, move the soil while it is dry. Working with wet soil will make it difficult to move and aerate, and it will stick to your tools. If soil pH conditions aren't ideal for growing tomato plants, add fertilizer to prepare your soil for planting.
5. Supplement the soil. Apply peat moss, compost or manure to the soil to improve its quality. Mix in small amounts of any or each of these components as you dig and mix your soil prior to planting. The richer the soil, the better the growing conditions.
6. Choose an area where the soil is deep. Tomato plants require being set deeply in the soil, up to their first leaves.
7. Purchase a fertilizer with a 5-10-5 ratio of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium.
8. Prepare the fertilizer. Dissolve 2 tbsp. (30 ml) of fertilizer into 1 gallon (3.8 liters) of water. Apply 1 cup (240 ml) of the solution to the base of each tomato plant. For larger areas, apply 2 lbs. (907 g) of fertilizer per 100 square feet.

After preparing the soil,

Till the soil to a fine grain. Do not do any other work on the soil; instead focus on the way the tomatoes are grown in that soil.

Sow the tomatoes in simple rows. Plant about 8-10 plants in total for a small, manageable garden.

• Leave about 2 feet (0.6 m) between each seedling, and the rows 2 feet (0.6 m) apart. This helps the fruit and ground to stay cool.
• Plant 2 seeds in each hole. Wean out the weaker one at about 4 inches (10.2 cm) of growth.

Fertilize later. Don't over prepare the soil. The seedlings are very sensitive to new conditions when transplanting (or from seed). They can not only die, but can be slowed way down and the yield can be poor. Instead, use chicken poop (such as "Chickity Doo Doo"). It comes in pellet form and doesn't take much knowledge to use. Use about 1 cup per plant spread out on the surface. Watering will leach the nutrients into the soil for you. Do not cultivate.

Use grass clippings. Spread them around in your garden. The more the merrier, to about 2–3 inches (5.1–7.6 cm) height. Not only does this keep the weeds down but it also keeps the soil cool and moist. So less watering!

• It also provides more organic material (compost fertilizer) for the next growing season.

Water about once a week in the morning only. Do not water at night, as this creates dangerous conditions for your plants as insects love wet dark environments and rot and other diseases such as mold, verticillium rot, etc. are easily avoided by watering during the morning.

• Also, watering during high noon isn't great because most of the water will evaporate before the plants are able to absorb.

Keep the tomatoes at your own height. This standard exists for two reasons. First, it is hard enough to maintain the tomatoes, so there is no reason to go reaching as well. You can make them shorter; just make sure to stop them when they reach desired growth. Second, tomatoes don't care about fruiting that much. Most breeds like to just grow and grow. Causing the plant to vine out will focus most of the nutrients on greenery rather than on fruit production. So keep them small and you will have higher yields and much faster.

Trim. Hold up three fingers. Now cut the middle one. That's how it's done.

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