Let’s assume that you purchased your plants from a garden center, brought them home a few days ago, and have been watering them from your garden hose until you are ready to plant.

As you are probably aware, the potting mix they have been growing in does not contain much holding capacity for nitrogen and other starter fertilizer nutrients. So, when you plant these, they are likely to get off to a slow start as the roots work hard to get out into the soil and assimilate nutrients into the system. Since we are trying to achieve the greatest number of tomatoes possible, we want them to have the best start possible.

What is the fix for this situation? You guessed it – a starter fertilizer.

I’m not going to go into great detail on all of the available options for this application. Suffice it to say that any organic starter fertilizer in liquid form will do the job. Some people like to make a “compost tea” using a nylon filled with compost and then soaked in a bucket of water. Others use some of the commercially available liquid starter fertilizer concentrates of fish emulsion or seaweed/kelp extract. Whatever you use, apply it twice.

The first starter fertilizer application should be made to the plant while it is still in the pot or flat. This application, made 12 to 24 hours before you transplant your tomatoes, will assure the nutrients will be in the root zone when your tomato is placed into the ground.

The second application of a starter fertilizer should be made right after planting. Watering in newly planted tomatoes is optimum to provide moisture to the roots. So why not provide additional starter fertilizer at the same time? It will benefit your tomatoes greatly and get your venture started off on the right foot.

Successfully growing tomatoes in your home garden depends on many factors. You may not be able to control the weather but you can control other aspects such as fertilization. Providing a good starter fertilizer to your plants will go a long way in producing excellent yields in for you and your family.

Tommy Smith is a professional horticulturalist and the author of “How To Produce 15 To 25 Pounds Of Ripe, Juicy Tomatoes PER PLANT – 15 Tips and Secrets Revealed”. Find out how you can grow tomato plants that yield over 20 pounds each at at Grow-More-Tomatoes.

The splitting of tomatoes from the top of the fruit can be a bothersome problem in any garden.  First, the splitting occurs.  Then, fungus and mold move in and before you know it, you have a pretty ugly tomato. 

What causes this and how can it be avoided?

The splitting is actually caused by an imbalance in water supply.  Usually, a large amount of irrigation that follows a dry spell will cause the fruit to split.  The plant actually takes up more water than it needs during wet periods.  The tomato plant loses some water through transpiration.  However, if the weather is cooler following a rain or excessive watering, the plant cannot release enough moisture in this way.  The tomato fruit take some of the excess water (actually it is forced into them) from the plant.  When a critical level is reached, the fruit begins to split radially along the top.

One way to avoid this is to mulch your tomatoes.  Mulching provides an environment where the soil neither takes up water too quickly nor loses it too quickly.  This allows for a more consistent soil moisture level.

Another way to avoid splitting tomatoes is with the use of drip irrigation.  This actually goes hand in hand with the mulching method.  Drip irrigation can be soaker hoses or other drip material that supplies water slowly to the tomato plant.  When used in conjunction with a timer to provide systematic frequent watering, drip irrigation will greatly decrease your chances of having split tomatoes.

No one likes tomatoes with cracks and splits in them.  They can be ugly and, in some cases, unusable.  It is difficult to avoid this problem altogether.  However, using mulch and drip irrigation can be helpful.  Some things like heavy rainstorms are out of your control and may cause splitting no matter how hard you try to prevent it.

For most people, a split tomato will not cause too much heartache.  The split (and mold) can simply be cut out with a knife and the rest of the tomato will be fine.

Happy gardening to you!

-Thomas