Tips for Growing Awesome Tomatoes
We sow and grow all of the tomato plants we sell in our Stone Mountain greenhouses. We think it makes a big difference that our plants don't sit on a hot parking lot or get trucked in from miles away. We grow over 45 varieties each year. Have a favorite you'd like for us to grow in your Atlanta area garden? Please, let us know!
Growing tomatoes in the ground:
- Must plant in a location with at least 6 hours of sun per day.
- Amend clay soils with 2-3” of organic material. Apply ¾ cup of hydrated lime per plant. Work into top ½” of soil.
- Plant so most of the stem is under the soil. Either dig a deep hole & plant upright or dig a long trench & place the plant on its side, lifting top above the soil.
- Space plants 1-2 ft. apart in rows. Stake or cage shortly after planting.
- Add a small amount of fertilizer when planting. Do not add more until the plant flowers.
- Side-dress fertilizer no closer than 4-6” to the stems to avoid burning plants, every 4-6 weeks.
- Mulch your plants using straw or newspapers.
- Keep moisture balanced as much as possible.
- Plant companion plants like Borage and Nasturtium close by help keep pests from tomatoes.
Growing tomatoes in containers
- Use 3 parts potting mix to 1 part organic amendment. Add ¾ cup hydrated lime.
- Containers must be at least 12” across and 15” deep. Fill to within 1 1/2 “ of the rim. A 5-gallon bucket works great
- Tiny Tim and Better Bush are good varieties for containers, but larger ones may be grown with proper support. Cage or stake after planting.
- Add a small amount of fertilizer when planting.
- Feed again when plant flowers and once a week thereafter. Water dry plants before fertilizing.
- Water evenly as much as possible.
