[Henryky]

I have been gardening about 12 years I need help with Tomatoes I think they are hard to grow I have had problem with them for the last 5 years maybe it's just me I don't know Thanks for this forum may be I can get back on track ....

 

[Errol]

hello Henry, I see you live in my home state of Ky. I live in Tn now. anyways back to maters...I am having good fortune with tomatoes this year so far. getting some ripe ones now also. I don't know what type soil you are raising tomatoes in. I build "lasagna" beds which are raised beds and when I build them they will be from 18" to 24" high. Lasagna beds are made using all sorts of materials from grass clippings to straw, mulched leaves, kitchen veggie scrapes, manures anything that will compost. I have posted in another post on veggiegardener of my tomato bed. The first thing I do with a mater plant when I get ready to set it out is..I take off the lower leaves so I can bury it "DEEP", it will grow roots all along that stem you bury. Then I dig the hole (no digging with a lasagna bed) I just pull back the mulch,on down, then I put a tablespoon of epson salt, a ts of bone meal, cover that with a couple inches compost, set my plant on that and cover up with compost. water it really good. I try to water my plants (if it is dry like now) about once a week really deep. I test it by running my finger down in the mulch as far as I can. The top couple inches may seem dry but with a lasagna raised bed it will be most always moist on down deeper which is what you want. Lots of times it seems best to water often but not deep, this is a bad mistake for the roots will go where the moisture is and you don't want shallow root system. about a week to 10 days after you have set the plant out and it looking ok, then put a 4-6 inch mulch around the plant with straw, pine needles, or grass clippings. this will help hold moisture. Also ir I put out early tomatoes, I have several 2-3 gallon black growing pots that I cut the bottom out and I put these over the plant. This helps with heat on early tomatoes, plus keeps the sun from beating down , and also helps with wind. I do this with all my early plants. Hope this helps some
Errol