FOLLOW THESE EASY TIPS FOR A MORE

PRODUCTIVE GARDEN

 

If you were a little disappointed in your tomato harvest last year and you're hoping for a better harvest this year... here are a few tips that might help. 

Let's start at the beginning... 

Your seeds are starting to sprout and you find several popping up in the same container...what should you do?  The best thing to do is while they are still very small and the roots have not had a chance to get all tangled up is go ahead and separate them...you don't want several seedlings crowded together in one pot.  They will need room to branch out and more than one to a pot will inhibit their growth.

We all know that tomato plants need a lot of sunlight and this need starts as soon as your seedlings pop up through the soil.  If you don't have a window that provides abundant sunshine you can substitute by using florescent lights.

To give your seedlings strong sturdy stems and prepare them for life outside in the elements, place a fan close to them and turn it on two to three times a day for about 10 minutes. 

When transplanting them into larger pots, bury them up to their first set of leaves.  This will insure a strong root system.

As your indeterminate tomato plants grow pruning will play an important part in flavor and yield. Pinching off those little off shoots that try to grow in the "V" where the stems meet the stalk will direct the sugars to the stronger stems creating more blossoms and sweeter tomatoes.  Pruning can also minimize your risk of disease by removing any leaves or branches that touch the ground where soil born diseases can splash up on them.  A properly pruned plant has a single-stem and presents all of its leaves to the sun.