

In July and August keep an eye out for the tomato hornworm.Using shade cloth can help protect the plants from extreme heat. During our hottest months of August, September, and October, plants can suffer from the heat.Mulch heavily around your tomato plants to ensure the soil does not dry out or heat up too much.In areas of Zones 9 and 10, tomatoes can be grown year round but may decrease drastically in production.This is typically when fruits have turned their appropriate color and have a slight give. Tomatoes are best harvested at peak ripeness.We recommend that you grow determinate or bush varieties of tomatoes in pots as they are easier to manage.Mulch heavily on the top layer of soil in the pot to keep the soil from drying out or heating up too much. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture. If you are planting tomatoes in containers, make sure your container is at least 20″ deep.Growing San Marzano Tomatoes from seed in Containers They will require far less support than indeterminate tomatoes but can benefit from support as simple as a tomato cage. Semi-determinate tomato varieties have a bushier appearance but do not ripen their fruit all at once. You can do so by pruning back the suckers. We recommend that you prune them heavily to control the fruit set. Indeterminate tomatoes must have a support system, like the tomahook, to grow on or they will become a mess. Indeterminate or Pole tomato varieties grow long and wild. Traditional sauce tomatoes are determinate.

Fruit of determinate varieties ripens in clusters or all at once. There are three tomato types:ĭeterminate or Bush tomato varieties do not typically need pruning (some pruning can be helpful) and may be grown with or without support. The method that you grow tomatoes depends on the type of tomato.A granular organic fertilizer added to the planting area is a good idea if your garden has poor nutrient content or if you are growing in a new raised bed.Plant your starts all the way down into the soil until only 3-4″ of the top leaves show. This is recommended because the tiny white hairs on the tomato plant become roots. Tomatoes are a unique crop because they can be planted deeply into the ground. Seedlings can be planted into the garden when they are 7-8 weeks old or 5-6″ tall and stocky.

