“Tomatoes are coveted by most gardeners because they’re great on salads and sandwiches,” says Frank Janosz, veggie expert at English Gardens.

The recent release of English Gardens magazine, Inspirations Spring/Summer 2017, brought you the best tips and tricks to selecting what kind of tomatoes to grow. Now that you chose the best tomatoes for your taste buds, it’s time to get gardening.

#1: Plant
Tomatoes benefit by being planted deeper than what other plants prefer. Remove lower sets of leaves and plant so that only one or two sets of leaves are visible as roots will develop along the stem. This will encourage a strong root system.

#2: Fertilize
Fertilize your tomato plants when you first plant and again at mid-season. We suggest Espoma’s Tomato Tone, an organic tomato fertilizer that contains all the necessary nutrients.

#3: Mulch
Tomato plants grow better and produce more fruit when you cover the soil with mulch. Mulch conserves water, keeps roots cool and adds organic matter. Add approximately three to four inches of mulch while ensuring it is kept away from stems.

#4: Stake
Indeterminate plants, or those that bear fruit continuously up until frost, should be staked as soon as they’re planted. Determinate plants, or those that have one large crop and are finished once it ripens, should be sturdy without a stake at first. However, as the plants begin to bear fruit, staking may be necessary. Consider using a tomato cage along with staking.

#5: Prune
Pruning helps focus your tomato plant’s efforts into fruit production, rather than foliage growth. Remove the lower branches. The lowest branches should be approximately 24 inches above the soil to allow for sufficient air flow.

Plantscriptions
Our experts are here to help with all your “growing” questions. If you need advice on selecting tomatoes or increasing fruit production, visit one of our locations for personal advice. If you encounter a problem with a plant, just bring in a fresh sample of the affected area and your tomato plant and one of our experts will diagnose your plant the problem and write a “Plantscription” for its’ care. English Gardens has a complete line of organic solutions for weed, animal, insect and fungus control.