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The Ultimate Guide to Planting, Growing, and Harvesting the Best Tomatoes

The perfectly ripe summer tomato, juicy and still a little warm from the sun, is amazing in a Caprese salad, layered on a sandwich, or just to take a bite out of like it’s an apple. If you follow a few simple steps, tomatoes can also be easy to grow, says Suzy Hancock, general manager at Portland Nursery in Oregon. Here’s how:

Pick a sunny spot. Tomatoes thrive on full sun and warm temperatures. Hold off on planting until nighttime temperatures stay above 55 degrees, or the cold can stunt the plant, leading to fewer tomatoes.

Consider containers. Tomatoes do well in pots, as long as they’re large enough for the plant’s roots to grow. For indeterminate tomato varieties, which are more common than determinate kinds (check the plant’s plastic tag to check), you’ll need a 5-15 gallon pot.

Prep your soil. Whether using a pot or your garden, work a half-inch of compost into the soil. You can also add gravel to the soil, which helps with drainage and raises the soil temperature. To keep soil warm and protect it from moisture loss and disease, you can top it with natural or plastic mulch, compost, or straw.

Pick your varieties wisely. For quicker results, go for tomato types that ripen early, like Bush Goliath or Early Girl. Most people see success, even during shorter growing seasons, with cherry tomatoes; Sungold and Yellow Pear add vibrant orange and yellow to the traditional red varieties. It’s fun to try unique-looking heirlooms (Black Krim, Lemon Boy), or buy grafted tomatoes, which are two varieties growing from one plant, so you get double the variety without taking up twice the space.

 

Photo: Offset

Plant, then support. After you dig a hole for each plant, mix ¼ of a cup of organic fertilizer into the hole. Since tomatoes grow roots along the stem, it’s best to plant them deeply, surrounding them up to their first leaves with dirt. Though the tomato starts are only a few inches tall when you plant them, they’ll shoot up and out several feet; use a tomato cage to provide support so the vines don’t flop over.

Water consistently. Water your plants deeply, letting it soak down to the roots, three to four times per week if you’re using containers, or at least once a week in the ground.

Pick and enjoy. Keep an eye on the tomato’s color, and pick as soon as it’s even over the whole tomato. Since they continue to ripen after they’re picked, it’s better to err on the side of picking a little too early and letting them ripen a warm place indoors than to wait until they’re overripe and not as tasty. Small varieties like cherry tomatoes can crack if they’re left on the vine too long, so it’s best to pick them just before they look totally ripe.