Growing Tomato plants is easy in the Midwest region. Here are some hints on how to make the soil good for them, and what to expect when growing them.
Tomatoes are one of the easier crops to grow. They grow best in a climate that has plenty of sun and plenty of water, but doesn't get too hot. The Midwest is a good region for growing them. There are several little hints for growing tomatoes well. Though many people experience success with them, so do not, and they wonder why. This will provide hints of gardening tomatoes with a green thumb.
Tomato plants should be started indoors in the middle of April. They're relatively small and weak plants that need time to grow before being put out in the garden. Once they are transplanted outside (towards the end of May, or when they're around five to six inches high), they should be spaced at least a foot apart, if possible. They may be placed in cages to keep them growing upward, or they can be left to grow along the ground. It depends on the space available.
Fertilizers are a good idea, though chemicals need not be used. Any type of fertilizer made for vegetables will work just fine, though a compost heap is a good idea. Add any grass clippings, leaves in the fall, potato peelings, etc. to a compost heap (not too close to the garden). Turn it a couple of times during the summer and maybe once in the spring and fall. This is a very rich soil and will help the tomatoes a great deal. A good idea that will keep the tomatoes fertilized all season is to stir up the land they'll be planted in and add compost, peat, and sand (if the land is rich in clay). Good drainage and balanced nutrients will help quite a bit. As for chemical fertilizer, it only needs to be applied once or twice during the growing season. Putting too much chemical on is always bad; putting "˜not enough' on won't be.
Once the tomatoes are in the ground, they need to be checked every week or so, more often if the season is dry. They should be watered if there is little rain, but left pretty much alone otherwise. If the season is relatively good, the plants will grow large and start producing fruit quickly. Leave the tomatoes until they are really dark red. Some may even split; don't take these in. Don't pick them when they're orange. A good way to tell if the tomato is ripe enough is to place a hand around it and pull very gently. If it comes off the vine readily, it's ripe enough. If not, leave it for a couple more days.
In a bad year, the first harvest may not come until the beginning of September. If this happens, and the plants are still thriving in themselves (and sometimes even if they're not) they will produce great amounts of tomatoes at once, anywhere from one to eight dozen. This may happen no matter when the first harvest is. If it's been a good year, the first harvest should be in the middle of July and should continue until the end of August or beginning of September.
