EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GROWING TOMATOES JANNA ANDERSON Tomatoes
Dec 19, 2015
EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT GROWING TOMATOES
JANNA ANDERSON
Tomatoes
Selecting a variety
There are literally thousands of varieties of tomatoes to choose from. Sometimes handed down from generation to generation, to seed saver exchanges and small grower hybrids, the possibilities are just endless.
Difficulties or success growing tomatoes often start in the selection process of varieties that do well in your climate.
The shorter the day to maturity also means a smaller tomato.
Hybrid vs. Heirlooms
Hybrid Varieties Commonly confused
with Genetically Modified Organisms
(GMO) Created by cross pollinating two types
of tomatoesHybrids are designed
to have more disease resistance, better taste
or longer shelf life
Heirlooms Traditional “saver” type
of tomatoes Seed can be dried and
kept from year to year with a predictable offspring like the
parents Generally believed to
have better taste but a short shelf life and
sometimes are very ugly and difficult to grow!
As you can see from the chart, the type of tomatoes you plant can have a huge relation on what yield you may have.
Certain tomatoes grow much larger or smaller dependent on the varieties for example, Brandywines are large and Dr. Wyche’s yellow are usually smaller around 4 to 8 oz. each.
There is a correlation to size, our short seasons, and the success you have.
SINCE TIMING WILL MAKE OR BREAK YOU WITH TOMATOES, WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IS
THAT OUR LAST FROST DATE IN PHOENIX IS MARCH 15 T H .
IT TYPICALLY GOES OVER 90 DEGREES ROUTINELY IN MAY,
AND SINCE TOMATOES FREEZE, THEY CANNOT GO OUT BEFORE
MARCH 15 T H UNLESS PROTECTED AND MUST SET FRUIT BEFORE MAY, SINCE
TOMATOES CANNOT POLLINATE IN HOT WEATHER .
Timing is Everything!
Min
tem
p
Max
tem
p0
40
80
120
FebMarAprilMayJunJul
W H E N S O M E O N E S AY S “ W E H AV E S H O R T S E A S O N S H E R E , ” T H E Y A R E R E F E R R I N G T O T H E S H O R T P E R I O D O F T I M E B E F O R E I T G E T S S O H O T
C R O P S D O N ’ T G R O W W E L L .
W H E N S E L E C T I N G T O M AT O VA R I E T I E S, T H E D AY S I T TA K E S T O M AT U R I T Y S H O U L D B E L E S S T H A N 7 8 F O R A G O O D C R O P. A N Y M O R E T H A N T H AT, A N D T H E C R O P W I L L L I K E LY J U S T TA K E U P S PA C E F O R
T H E S U M M E R , G R O W I N G O N LY L E AV E S A N D N O F R U I T. I T W I L L
P I C K U P I N T H E FA L L W H E N N I G H T S G E T C O O L E R A N D
S O M E T I M E S Y O U W I L L G E T A S E C O N D C R O P.
What that means to you!
Winter
Fall
Summer
Spring
Getting Started
Select transplants with dark green colorLook for a shorter, sturdy stemCheck under leaves for bugs or damageLook at bottom of pot for roots sticking outGet a plant smaller than the pot to avoid root
bound transplantsTry to find how it was grown, and if it is
hardened off or needs extra protection from the sun
Talk to your grower about varieties
GOT DIRT?
Traditionally, we all think to add compost and maybe manure, but for a reliable tomato with the best flavor and heat resistance, plain old dirt is the best thing you can start with.
AZ native soil is high in micronutrients and minerals simply not found in a commercial potting mix.
Add no more than 1/3 of compost or manure to the planting hole.
Plant the tomato stem into the ground so the top is all that is exposed, then water deeply.
Watch them grow!
Now that you have successfully transplanted your tomatoes, you can sit back and watch them grow.
Watering should be done only when the dirt is dry more than an inch below the surface. Dirt in AZ looks dry, but has a nice layer holding in the moisture below, so check before watering, then deep water-being careful not to splash the leaves!
Weeds are good sources of water conservation!
Click icon to add pictureNow comes the waiting, the hardest part. Watching the tomatoes carefully for the first sign of a tomato baby.
If the weather is over 90 degrees, you might try to shade the plants with light shade cloth. This will help keep them cooler.
Mulching carefully around the plants will conserve water and keep the soil cooler.
Don’t overwater!
Finally the day comes
With a little luck and a bit of work, the day will finally come when you see the first tomatoes turning a rosy red!
Easy recipe: Mix about 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. It is ok to marinade it for a few minutes.