How to Get Tomatoes in South Carolina to Ripen on the Vine

Test the soil early in the spring to check its pH and nutrient content. Tomatoes like to grow in soils that have pH levels between 5.8 and 6.5. Soils in South Carolina tend to be acidic, and you can apply lime or gypsum to raise the pH, following the directions on the package for the amount to apply. Tomatoes have high nutritional needs and the plants require a balanced amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to flower and ripen fruit. You can add natural or chemical fertilizers to improve your soil. Home and garden shops often carry fertilizers made just for tomatoes.

Follow the recommended planting dates for tomatoes in South Carolina. People living in the coastal areas can plant between March 25 to April 10 for the spring crop and the fall crop between July 25 and 30. Gardeners in the central zone in South Carolina plant between April 5 and April 25 for the early crop and July 10 to July 20 for the fall crop. The Piedmont region has the latest planting date of May 1 to May 30 for summer fruit and July 10 to July 20 for the late summer crop.

Plant the tomatoes so that the first two or three true leaves are just above the surface of the soil. Roots form on the buried stems of the tomatoes, providing more roots for the plant that helps them grow. Pat the soil down around the plants and leave a depression for watering them. Mix a 5-10-5 fertilizer with a pint of water, following the package's directions, and water each plant. Using tomato cages simplifies raising tomatoes and increases the harvest. It also reduces diseases and makes harvesting easier. It's a good idea to put the cages around the plant soon after planting before the tomatoes get too big.

Apply a 33-0-0 fertilizer at the rate of 1 1/2 ounces for each 10 foot row once the tomatoes reach the size of a quarter and once the first fruit ripens, applying a 5-10-5 fertilizer once a month. Water the plants evenly throughout the growing season if rainfall is inadequate. Tomatoes need 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water weekly to avoid blossom-end root, a disease that is caused by inadequate calcium uptake caused by dry soil and uneven watering practices.

Pick the tomatoes when they are ripe and store in a cool place in the kitchen. Do not refrigerate tomatoes, since temperatures below 55 degrees Fahrenheit turn the sugars to starch, decreasing their flavor.