Written and edited by Tammy 21st October 2023
Talk to any wise old gardeners in our community and they'll tell you to hold off until the October Show weekend to plant your tomatoes. I'm not entirely certain, but I'm pretty sure it has a whole lot less to do with Dippy Dogs and Fairy Floss and more to do with the soil temperatures and frost risks. Tomatoes originate from South America, a Mediterranean climate, so they need warmth, sun, a whole lot of nutrition (they're hungry little things) and they're susceptible to frosts, they don't like the cold! Waiting for the soil temperature to be at least 16 degrees is ideal to get them going, if you plant them out too soon and the ground is not warm enough, they will struggle.
Here are a few tips to get you started on your way!
Tip #1 - Varieties of tomatoes
What type of tomatoes would you like to grow? Small mouthful sized tomatoes such as 'Sweet Bite' or Tommie Toe' pop in your mouth, they're perfect for in salads or the kiddies' lunchboxes. What about a larger hearty 'Beef Steak' type variety, one slice covers a piece of toast. If making sauce and relish is your thing, you'll want to go with the tried and tested 'Roma' or 'Saucy Tom', and for those with dietary restrictions or an intolerance to anything acidic, stick with the likes of 'Black Russian' or 'Mellow Yellow'. The varieties available now are mind boggling and continue to grow every season!
Tip #2 - Location location
Whether you plan to grow them in pots, raised beds or out into the garden bed, tomatoes love the sun! Give them a spot on the Northern side of your house or a spot where they're going to get 6-8 hours of sun per day. Don't plant into the exact same soil or location you had tomatoes, chillies or capsicums in the previous season. Try a seasonal rotation of legumes then your tomatoes, as the legumes 'fix' nitrogen back into the soil that the tomatoes will be grateful for. Give each plant plenty of room to grow, don't plant them too close or overcrowd them, a lack of space, light and air circulation will give rise for the opportunity for fungal issues and disease to take hold.
Tip #3- Trellising and support
Pinch off the first 1 to 2 pairs of lower leaves and plant the seedling to that depth. Planting that extra couple of inches deeper into the ground allows extra roots to grow along the stem that's below the soil giving the plant a larger, stronger, more supportive root system. Give them a stake, trellis or framework to support them as they grow so they don't break, bend or snap under the weight of the fruit.
Tip #4- Nutrition and hydration
I mentioned earlier that tomatoes are hungry plants, and that they are!! They require a lot of energy to go from a little seedling to a mature bush producing fruit within 3 months. Add lots of organic matter to the soil at the time of planting along with some slow-release fertiliser specifically for tomatoes, and regularly give a liquid soluble fertiliser such a Seasol Powerfeed too. It's crucial to keep your watering rescheme regular as well, you'll do more harm than good with inconsistent watering. Going from dehydrated to waterlogged and back and forth will cause disorders such as skin splitting and blossom end rot. Don't forget to mulch around the bottom of your plants as well to help insulate them and prevent dehydration.
Tip #5 - Pests and diseases
Routinely check, be on the lookout for signs of pests and fungal diseases. Be proactive, prevention is always better than cure. A rain event bringing on damp, humid conditions will often see slugs and snails crawling around. Most fungal issues such as rust and powdery mildew thrive as soon as there's lack of air circulation, dampness and humidity. Giving your plants a regular dose of Seasol Health treatment will boost their immune system making them more resistant to disease. Have some fungicide spray in your tool kit ready to go should you need it.
If you feed your plants regularly, keep the water up to them, and keep them free of any pests or fungal disease, there's no reason for you not to be harvesting bountiful crops of tomatoes over the summer months. There's nothing more rewarding than harvesting your own fresh produce and the flavours just don't compare to the ones you buy off the shelf in the supermarkets.
If you haven't already, grab yourself some tomatoes and get planting!
Happy gardeningđ đđ¸
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