Tomatoes are among some of the most popular vegetables to grow in your backyard. Rightly so too, because for some reason, homegrown tomatoes taste about 500% better than store-bought ones. In fact, for a period of time when the tomato prices were unusually high, my husband and I boycotted store-bought tomatoes because they were simply a “cardboard tasting” habit for sandwiches. However, once summer started, we decided to grow our own beefsteak tomatoes. It was just too weird to have a burger without a tomato on it! If you’re interesting in growing some good-tasting juicy tomatoes as well, here are some tips to help you on your journey.
1. Starting the seeds. Tomato seeds germinate in temperatures 65F/18C or higher. They grow pretty easy from seeds. You simply get some small pots, put some potting soil in them, and bury the seeds according to the seed package directions. Keep the soil moist and keep them in a warm sunny spot where it can get at least 6 hours of sunlight a day. In a few days, you’ll see your seeds starting to sprout!
2. Starting from plants. The easiest way to start growing tomatoes is to get some tomato plants from the nearest home and garden center or nursery. Select dark green plants that look strong. Make sure it doesn’t have any tomatoes already growing on it, because that will keep the plant from growing to its fullest size. When you get home, re-pot the plant into a huge outdoor pot or simply place it in the ground where you want to grow it. It’s good to bury the plant all the way up to the top leaves so that it develops a good solid root base. Few plants can handle being planted this way, but for tomatoes, it works well. Be sure to plant your tomatoes in a place that gets full sun at least 6 hours a day throughout its growing season.
3. Watering your plants. Keep your plants moist, but don’t over water them. Over watering can do as much damage to them as under watering!
4. Fertilizing your plants. Fertilizing might be a bit of a pain, but it’s highly important. Most soil these days simply doesn’t have enough nutrients to produce nice sweet and healthy produce. You can get some good fertilizers at your local nursery or home and garden center that is made specifically for tomatoes. This works well because it’ll be sure to give your plant the most nutrients it needs.
5. Harvesting your tomatoes. The tomatoes will be ripe when they are nice and deep red. Don’t pick them green if you want the juiciest and sweetest tomatoes, however, they do last quite a long time if you need to harvest them early. Simply wrap them up in newspaper for long storage.
Enjoy! There’s nothing like home grown tomatoes!

HOW TO GROW YOUR HOMEMADE TOMATOES

Growing tomatoes is fun and a lucrative home  gardening business. Besides being nutritious, it could provide you with a real fresh fruits coming directly from your garden.

You can produce them the way you want it. Producing tomatoes can be done without using chemicals because you’re the one controlling their growth processes.

If you’ll plant tomatoes with other vegetables, the occurrence of pests and diseases attack could be totally minimized or even none at all. Companion cropping or multiple cropping can control pests and diseases attack since they’re protected by the other plants.

Steps in growing tomatoes…

1)   Provide a seed box or germinating tray for sowing seeds. Sow the seeds 12 mm or .5 inch deep in the seed  trays or germinating tray. Slightly cover the seeds with thin soil to cover them.

2)   Cover the seed trays or germinating trays with newspaper or polyethylene plastic. Germination will take about 7-10 days from sowing.

3)   After  the seeds have germinated, remove the cover. Gradually expose the growing seedlings to the morning sunlight to harden them

4)   Prepare a separate seed trays or germinating trays the same manner as when sowing seedlings. Fill with the growing medium and level at least 12 mm or .5 inch below the rim.

5)   Use a dibber to form holes about 36 mm or .5 inch apart, the outer ones  12 mm or .5 inch from the sides.

6)   As soon as the seedlings are large enough to handle, prick or transfer them to the individual holes in the prepared seedling or germinating trays. This is to provide the seedlings a wider space to avoid over-crowding while in the seedling or germinating trays.

7)   Now set the individual seedlings to a growing bags or pots.

8)   Support the plants with sticks tied with wires or strings to hold in place.

9)   Feed the growing plants every ten days from planting up to the time when the first truss (bunch fruit) in formed.

10) Remove or prune all shoots growing in the angles of the leaves-snap them sideways. Also, gradually remove or prune the lower leaves to induce ripening of the fruits.

11) Harvest your fresh tomatoes when they’re ripe. You can give or sell your surplus harvest to your neighbors. And they’ll thanks for your generosity.

See, it’s very easy to grow your own chemically free tomatoes for your family’s needs.

Why not try planting your own homemade tomatoes. You’re sure you’ll enjoy it.

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Cris Ramasasa, Freelance writer, writes about home gardening and      Internet  marketing tips. You can get a copy of his latest ebook “How to get started in  Flower Gardening” and “Vegetable Gardening Made Easy”, also get lots of tips, Free articles, and bonuses  at: www.crisramasasa.com