Grow tomato plant in your home
Perhaps more than any other vegetable, tomatoes depend on
proper planting so they can provide you with loads of fruit throughout the
summer.
Step 1: Prepare the Ground
If planting in-ground, loosen the soil to create a welcoming
bed for roots to grow. Add agricultural lime if you’ve done a soil test and the
results recommend it. (For more about liming, see “Why Does pH Matter?”) In
addition, add 3 or 4 inches of compost or other organic matter, especially in
clay or sandy soils. If you’re going to grow your tomato plant in a container,
fill the container with a premium quality potting mix. Then dig a hole that is
as deep as the plant is tall because you are going to bury two-thirds of the
plant.
Step 2: Remove the Plant from the Pot
Carefully remove the plant by holding it at the base,
turning it upside down, and sliding off the pot.
Step 3: Bury Two-Thirds of the Tomato Plant
Set the plant in the hole deeply enough so that two-thirds
of it is buried. Laying the plant on its side is okay, but angle it so that
very top remains above ground. Roots will sprout all along the buried stem to
make a stronger plant. You can pinch off the lower leaves if you prefer, but it
is not necessary. When you’re done, two-thirds of the entire plant will be
buried; only the top of the tomato plant will remain above ground.
Step 4: Fertilize
You’ve done important work to make sure you’re planting in
great soil, but there’s a complementary step for best results: Mix plant food
in with the pile of soil that will go back into the hole. It’s best to
fertilize according to recommendations from a soil test, but Tomato, Fruit
& Vegetable Plant Food, which will help provide the nutrition your tomato
plant will need to produce the best harvest. Be sure to follow label
directions.
Step 5: Water Well
It is very important to water in the plant to help settle
the soil.
Mulch with pine needles, straw, chopped leaves, soil
conditioner, or compost to help keep moisture in the soil and prevent weeds.
Mulch should be 2 to 3 inches deep for effective weed control. If you use a
soaker hose, the hose should be completely covered with 2 to 3 inches of mulch.