Light--nutrients--water--soil is not needed. Hydroponic tomatoes are grown without soil. Nutrients found in the soil or Miracle Gro (or similar) Also, temperatures high enough for plant growth. Light can be sun light or artificial--grow light.
2007-02-06 23:35:38
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answer #1
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answered by old_woman_84 7
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Pre-Planting Preparation
Typically, gardeners prefer to begin working the soil several weeks prior to planting tomatoes. They will break up large clumps of dirt, remove any debris, and add light soil (perhaps mixed with a little peat moss). In addition, many gardeners begin growing tomatoes indoors.
Tomato Growing Tips
When growing tomatoes indoors, an abundance of light is a necessity. This can be accomplished with a sunny south facing window or artificial light. Remember when choosing your garden location, as much sunshine as possible is an absolute necessity!
Tomato Planting
Once the danger of frost has passed, the tomato plants or seed may be placed (note that it is sometimes recommended to plant the seeds outdoors several weeks prior to the last anticipated frost). Tomatoes prefer well-drained, highly organic soil as well as a soil PH between 6 and 7. To establish a well-drained tomato garden, plant the fruit in a raised bed around 6 inches high.
Tomato growers, when using tomato cages, space the plant anywhere from 2 to 4 feet apart. If you are transplanting, it is wise to create the transplant hole slightly deeper than where it was growing in the pot and soak the hole with water (letting the soil absorb it).
Tomato Growing Tips
Once planted, it is recommended to water the plants slowly and deeply in order to promote a strong root system, which in turn will produce tasty fruits.
Caring for Tomatoes during the Season
Throughout the tomato growing process, proper care must be given to the plants in order to accomplish a successful yield. Mulching is very important in order to produce a high yield. The use of organic compost around the base of the plant, typically 2 to 3 inches, helps prevent water loss to the soil and aids in weed prevention. Again, it is important to keep your plants well watered in an effort to prevent any wilting.
Tomato Growing Tips
Introducing Tomato Cages in the tomato growing process offers excellent support and promotes good health for your plant. Pruning is necessary, unless a tomato cage is used, where the leaf meets the stem (simply clip the small side shoots as they grow).
When you begin developing the fruit (usually around 1 inch in fruit size), lightly work into the soil fertilizer and water thoroughly, usually completed several inches away from the base of the tomato plant.
Growing tomatoes using tomato cages is a popular method among gardeners because of its simplicity. Cage growing allows the tomato plant to grow in its natural manner but keeps the fruit and leaves off the ground. Although tomato cages require initial expenditure, they will last several seasons.
2007-02-07 02:58:37
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answer #2
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answered by babitha t 4
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Pretty much the same as any other plant - soil, water, sun. Tomato plants grow real easy though. Go bury a tomato in your garden - you'll have a tomato plant in weeks.
2007-02-06 23:13:39
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answer #3
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answered by RIffRaffMama 4
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Sun is the most important because of flavour. The full taste of best tomatoes is always from ones that come from south. The imorted ones that come from north are sour.
2007-02-06 23:21:24
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answer #4
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answered by Jelena L. 4
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Choose a sunny spot to place the plants. Place tomato plants in a site receiving full sun (7 hours or more daily) Tomatoes need lots of warm sunshine to taste good.
Prepare the garden bed by adding lots of compost (5 to 8 pounds per square foot) to the soil. Turn compost into the top 3 inches. Tomatoes demand a growing medium rich in organic matter. If you don't make your own compost, use store-bought compost or composted manure available in the 40-pound bags. Compost or Manure is usually less than USD$5 per 40-pound bag.
Transplant the tomato deeply. Bury about 75% of the plant. It’s okay to bury some of its leaves. New roots will emerge along the buried stem, giving the plant a development boost; a new transplant needs to focus on root production. Give each plant about 1 gallon of warm water (about 80 degree F) within ten minutes of transplanting to avoid transplant shock.
Space tomato plants 18 to 36 inches apart; space them half the suggested distance in warmer climates, especially if using tomato cages. The normal distance recommended is for plants allowed to bush out hugely on the ground, while planting closer together in cages allows the plants to shade each other's fruit, helping prevent burn and allowing a sweeter flavor.
Once the plant has been successfully transplanted, continue to water about 16 ounces of warm water daily per plant for the next seven days.
A week or two after transplanting, use a mulch of straw, dried grass, or pine needles to control weeds and keep the soil moist during dry weather. The mulch should be at least an inch thick and surround at least a circle 12 inches in diameter around the stem. Pine needles are especially good for helping raise the acidity of the soil.
A week or two after transplanting, ensure plants get 1 to 3 inches of rain weekly. If not, give each plant about 2 gallons per plant per week. The tomato plant should be watered 2 to 3 times weekly (so, water each plant with about .75 to 1 gallon each time). Its okay in hot weather or dry weather to water even more often.
A week or two after transplanting, consider using a tomato cage OR a stake to support the tomato vine.
A wooden stake should be at least .5 inch thick and 6 to 8 feet long. Pound stakes about 12 to 24 inches deep, at least 2 inches away from the plant. Secure the plant to the stake using loose knotted double-loops that won't strangle the plant. Stakes can be made of bamboo, scrap wood, electrical conduit, or iron bar. While it is less common, they can also be vined on a trellis or fence, like grapes, beans, squash, and other vining plants. This can produce especially large yields, but is less popular because tomato plants grow so large and bulky.
A cage should be at least 48 inches tall, even taller if you grow the plant well. Some tomato plants can be more than six feet tall in cages. Cages have a tendency to bend if the plants get heavy, and sometimes collapse in summer storms. Carefully pull leaves and secondary stems inside the cage as the plant grows. Cages cost less than USD$4 each.
If you choose to use fertilizer, many gardeners use half the recommended concentration per gallon (using package directions), but fertilize twice as often, in order to avoid the stress caused by the feast-famine of the longer fertilization gaps.
Shake your plants gently once or twice each week for about 5 seconds once flowering begins. According to the National Gardening Association, shaking the tomato plant increases fruit production.
Watch for fruit to appear 45 to 90 days after transplanting. Tomato plants usually have small green fruit to start. Wait until the fruit is of good size with a bright, deep red coloring. This means that the fruit is ripe and ready to pick. The texture of the fruit can also determine if it is ready to pick. Ripeness is usually determined by a slight softness. Be careful not to squeeze too hard and bruise the fruit. Also, be careful of allowing it to become overly ripe, which results in a very soft tomato.
2007-02-07 00:41:25
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answer #5
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answered by Prof Hao 3
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will this help?
2007-02-06 23:17:26
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answer #6
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answered by ? 7
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