Growing Tomatoes Successfully

Tasty Tomato Contest

July 15th

Winners announced at the Tasty Tomato Festival on

July 19th

Let’s Get Started!

Enough Sun?

6 - 8 hours best

Source of Water?

When to Plant

1st Planting

April 5 – 25

2nd Planting

July 10 – 20

Look for VNFT on Plant Label

These plants will be resistant to:

Verticillium Wilt

Nematodes

Fusarium Wilt

Tobacco Mosaic Virus

Soil Matters!

Soil Test – pH Value

0 14

7

6.0 – 6.5

Acidic Alkaline

Best pH Rangefor Tomatoes

Why is pH Important?

0 147

6.0 - 6.5

Low pH?Plants Can’t AbsorbNitrogen

Nitrogen affects leaf growth & color.

Why is pH Important?

0 147

6.0 - 6.5

High pH? Plants Can’t Absorb Phosphorus

Phosphorus affectstomato (fruit & flower)growth.

Soil Testing offered by Clemson Extension

Add Organic Matter

Work

well-composted material

into the soil

each time you plant.

Planting

Leave only top 2-3 Sets ofTrue Leaves Above Ground

Pinch off any other leaves & bury beneath soil

Leggy Transplants?

Plant as Shown

How Far Apart?

18 - 24 inches apart

12 inches to outside of bed

Tomatoes Need Support

Cages – Best Bet

Install when planting tomatoesBuy cages with wide openings so you can reach in & pick tomatoes

Staking

Staking - Second Best

Tie Loosely

Use Twine orCloth Strips

Tie Every 6 - 10 inchesS

Remove Suckers on Staked Tomatoes

Train staked tomatoesto two main stems

Pinch off any suckers thatwill grow at the junctureof each leaf

Keep Suckers onCaged Tomatoes

OK to leavesuckers on caged plants

Mulch Well

Reduce Weeds.

Preserve Moisture.

Keep mulch 3”away from stem of plant.

Watering

Slow deep wateringBest. Develops good root system.

1” – 1 1/2” per week

Use rain gauge

Insects

Leave horn worms with cocoons alone.

Wasps will hatch and eat otherhorn worms.

Pick off and destroy horn worms if cocoons are not present.

Insects

Pick off and destroy tomato fruit worms

Other Common Problems

Blossom end rot

Cause – extremes in soil moisture

Keep soil consistently moist

Tomato Wilt

No Hope –Remove entire plant.

Next Time:Look for VFNT on Plant Label

Bed #2Bed #3

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Rotate Crops – Prevent Disease

Use same location

every third year

Bed #1

Resources

Clemson Home and GardenInformation Center Web Site

Google: Home and Garden Clemson

Look for Tomato Fact Sheet withRecommended Tomato Cultivars