Square-Foot Garden Tomato Tips

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• Tomatoes need full sun, well draining soil and lots of water; choose a square foot of garden space that allows close access to water, proper drainage and at least six hours of direct sunlight per day. When water pools, tomatoes plants experience bloom rot and blight, so make certain your soil drains well. Dig a hole 1 foot deep, then fill the hole with water. If the hole contains water six to eight hours later, the soil is too wet for tomato plants.

Spacing and Support

• Home garden planners from the University of Missouri suggest planting three to five tomato plants per person and allowing 24 to 36 inches of space between each plant. This may seem like a large amount of space between plants, but allowing air to circulate prevents disease. In hot and humid climates, make certain to allow for this amount of space. Space between plants also allows for better sunlight penetration. Plant one tomato plant per square foot. Once planted, place 6-foot-long and 2-inch-thick pointed wooden stakes up to 4 inches from the plant's base. Stakes support growing plants, keep fruit off the ground and increase yields.

Varieties

• Indeterminate, vine tomatoes, also called large vine tomatoes, are used in square-foot gardening. Unlike determinate tomatoes which take on a bush-like growth habit, indeterminate tomatoes grow continuously, a beneficial trait for vertical gardens. Early Girl is especially good for growers residing in cool climates with short growing seasons, while Supersweet are prolific viners that produce bite-sized tomatoes. Grow more than one variety for continual harvests and consult with local master gardeners for cultivars suited to your climate.

Care and Maintenance

• Healthy tomato vines exhibit one strong, central stem. Prune back suckers and errant branches from below the first flower cluster. Keeping foliage in check also prevents diseases and decreases shade on other plants. Keep your garden weeded. One drawback to square-foot gardening is the need to hand weed. Doing so increases plant productivity.