How to Plant a Tomato Garden

Tomato plants (Solanum lycopersicum) are staples in many annual home gardens. They are the most planted homegrown crop, probably because they are simple to grow across a variety of climates and conditions. Planting tomato plants deep in well-balanced soil will go a long way toward them providing a plentiful harvest.

The type of tomato plants you chose to grow depends on how much space you have available and your overall climate. If your location has cool or short summers, then steer clear of long-maturing varieties such as "Beefsteak" because their fruits may not have time to ripen. Instead, choose varieties with cherry-type fruits that ripen with speed and in large quantities. If your area's summer temperatures are regularly over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, then heat-tolerant varieties such as "Heatmaster" and "Solar Fire" will perform best.

Tomato plants have two basic growing styles: determinate and indeterminate. Determinate tomato plants stop growing once they reach a given height. Indeterminate tomato plants continue to grow and produce stems and fruits throughout the growing season. They usually need more and taller supports than determinate types.

Determining a suitable location for your tomato garden depends on your climate. A garden in a hot, inland area benefits from the use of a screen to protect plants from extreme heat, providing afternoon shade after six hours of direct sun exposure. A cool-climate garden does best when it receives eight hours of direct sun exposure per day and is near a south- or west-facing wall to reflect the sun's heat.

Tomato plants thrive with a soil pH of 6.2 to 6.8. Use a home soil test kit to determine your garden soil's pH level before you amend the soil.

To adjust soil pH one point downward, add 1 1/2 pounds of sulfur for every 100 square feet of soil surface, and mix it with the top 6 inches of soil.

To adjust soil pH one-half point upward, add 2 pounds of pelleted lime per 100 square feet in sandy soil, 2 1/2 pound in loamy soil and up to 3 1/2 pounds in clay soil.  Do not apply more than 5 pounds of lime at one time. Mix the lime with the top 6 inches of soil.

Tomatoes also thrive in rich soil with plenty of organic material. In spring, when the ground has thawed, add 3 to 4 inches of compost on top of your garden's soil, and till it into the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches.

If you grow tomato plants from seeds rather than plant nursery seedlings, then begin the seeds indoor about six to eight weeks before your location's average annual last spring frost date. Acclimate, or harden off, the young plants outdoors before planting them in their permanent outdoor location. About 10 days prior to planting, start leaving the potted seedlings outdoors for a few hours daily, ensuring they will receive indirect sunlight and will be protected from wind. Add a bit of time each day during the 10-day period, eventually leaving them outdoors overnight by the seventh day. Keep them in that location for another few days to complete their acclimation process.

After all chance of frost has passed, plant your tomato plants in the ground. Long-vined indeterminate tomatoes require a 3-foot growing circle. Shorter, stocky varieties may be planted 2 feet apart.

Cut low branches from the seedlings. 

Plant each seedling so that two-thirds of its stem is in the ground and its lowest large branches are just above the soil surface.  Each planting hole needs to be wider than the portion of the plant that will be in the hole.

Fill the remainder of each hole with soil, making it level with surrounding ground.

Place tomato stakes or cages around the plants immediately after planting.  

Some home gardeners plant additional tomato plants every three to six weeks in order to get continuous flowering and fruits throughout the growing season.

Although tomatoes grow best in well-drained soil, they also require thorough watering immediately after they are planted and several times each week. Ideally, they should receive 2 inches of water per week, which equates to about 62 1/3 gallons per week for a 10-by-10-foot garden. The most effective way to water is through a soaker hose that is placed around the plants, with the water run every three to four days. If rain occurs during the week, then you may decrease the amount of water you provide relative to the amount of rainwater received.

Square-foot gardening uses small spaces for maximum yields. The process requires an above-ground garden box filled with a mixture that is one-third compost, one-third coarse vermiculite and one-third peat moss. Section off the garden into 1-by-1-foot squares using string or wood strips.

Because determinate tomato varieties may get very large and bushy, requiring more space, indeterminate tomato varieties grown on tall cages work best in square-foot gardens. Plant one tomato plant per 1 square foot.