Tomatoes! One of the most widely used vegetables available and easily grown at home!
Lets go over some of the basics and garden tips to planting your own tomatoes.
1. Seasonal! Make sure you will not have a frost or temperatures dipping near freezing for at LEAST 2 months.
2. If the weather is still somewhat chilly at night you can bring your seedlings indoors and then place them outside during the daylight. Once the temperatures are stable and above ~45 throughout the night, leave them outside.
3. Prepare the soil and the garden they will grow in. Ensure sunlight hits it the majority of the day and that the soil has a PH level of no more than 7 and no less than 6.
You can also add fertilizer to the soil to assist the growth.
4. Space the tomato plants 12 to 16 inches from each other. If you have a different variety of tomato be sure to check the packaging for spacing instructions.
5. When your tomato plants begin to sprout flowers it is time to place them in their permanent homes. Dig a large hole similar to a softball or soccer ball and place the plant gently into the hole and fill with soil and fertilizer mix. You can slightly pack the soil but do not get too aggressive in compressing the soil. Some branches can be below the soil, make sure the roots are deep to ensure proper growth.
6. Set up any pest deterrents, whether it be a fence for rodents or paper shields to protect from worms.
7. Mark each plant location with a stake or some sort of marking spike. This can be used to tie the plant to and assist with its straight growth.
8. Water the plants regularly and watch them grown! Enjoy the fruits of your labor as soon as they ripen.