Top 10 Tips For Growing Tomato Varieties at Home

The wonders of the gardening industry allow all plant parents to not only grow ornamental greenery but also to propagate fruits & vegetables at one’s residence. The homegrown veggies and fruits undoubtedly taste much better than the ones bought from the markets. Perhaps this is because of the usage of all organic resources to grow them without using any chemicals, or maybe this is an outcome of the over-pouring love we bestow upon our greenery; whatever it is, the best news is that we can grow almost every vegetable at home, and having said that, why don’t we begin with the journey of growing tomatoes and learn about the tomato growing tips - a staple vegetable found in every Indian household. lets check out the top 10 tips for growing tomato varieties at home by this blog.

What Are Tomato Plants?

The tomato plant belongs to the plant family called Solanaceae, which is why its botanical name stands for Solanum Lycopersicum. Although originally from South America and Mexico, tomato is the most-sought after vegetable in the Indian subcontinent. Its usage in worldwide cuisines might have begun after its introduction to the culinary world by the Mexicans. This plant loves temperate environments globally, but due to its ubiquitous demand, it can now also be grown in greenhouses year-round. A fun fact about tomato is that it is known as the berry - basically, fruit - of the plant, but it still is used as a vegetable all around the world. Most people grow it to introduce the umami flavor and several nutrients in their dishes. From tomato ketchup to salads to curries, this fruit cum vegetable has become a premium necessity. Wondering how to grow tomatoes? Read further.

Tips & Guidelines For Growing Tomatoes In India

Growing tomatoes in your backyard might be your next goal regarding gardening, or maybe you tried your hands and couldn’t understand where you lacked! Well, fret not, for below are some extremely useful tips to assist you in propagating, planting tomatoes, and maintaining your personal tomato garden at home. The best way to grow tomatoes in India:

1. Pick The Ideal Variety

Growing tomatoes begins with determining the right variety for your garden. Broadly, there are two major types of tomatoes - determinate and indeterminate. While the former has the inclination of an annual plant - such types yield at a single time and then die - the latter is a perennial variety that stays with the gardener till the next season comes. The determinate tomato varieties can also be grown in containers due to their smaller size.

2. Tomato Seed Starting Guide

Although you can also opt for seedlings and the regular plant, propagating tomatoes from scratch has its own magic. Pick seedling trays, tomato grow bags, or tiny containers not more than four inches to sprinkle the seeds over the topsoil, and then pour a thin layer of plant soil once again. Place the containers indoors in a warmth-filled location that is also dimly lit. Stay frugal with your watering schedule and hydrate the seeds with a small spray bottle. Maintain optimal conditions and wait for about ten to fourteen days for the seedlings to emerge from within! The ideal time to perform this propagation is from March to June. Easily grow tomato from seeds using the above instructions!

3. Seedling Care

The tiny tomato seedlings will require a mix of light and warmth in the indoor environment. To enable this balance, pick some grow lights to constantly monitor the lighting exposure for your seedlings. The direct light exposure should continue for a few days for about ten to fifteen hours each day. Don’t forget to raise the lights in sync with the growing inclinations of the seedlings. Moreover, to ensure the seedlings grow with strong stems, either sway your hands over them to expose them to gentle breezes every now and then or place them in front of a fan with mild speed.

4. Pick A Sunkissed Location

When the tomato seedlings reach a length of about five to six inches, it is time to shift them outdoors. Remember, the tomato plant craves direct conversations with the sun, so settling it in a spot that receives bright, direct, and constant sunshine for about six to eight hours per day is essential for a thriving yield. Also, say you wish to transplant the tomato seedlings during the month of June, then the ideal time for sowing tomato seeds would be about two months earlier in April.

5. Select Well-Nourished Soil

Tomatoes are flexible enough to adjust to almost every type of soil, except when the soil is too clayey. However, these will also ask for an acidic soil content that ranges from 6.2 to 6.8, so gauge the soil’s pH beforehand. Moreover, enrich the soil with garden manure, cocopeat, etc., to provide your tomato plant with a nourishing and nurturing environment throughout its growing season. The best way to propagate the seedlings is by burying them deep enough to let no trace of stems show on the outside; this helps the plant in growing robust root structures and tough stems.

6. Set Watering Schedules

Tomato plants are overall a demanding plant species that require ample sunlight, rich soil, and adequate hydration. When it comes to watering them, the goal is to never let them wilt and droop. Also, if you ever catch the soil dry, it’s time to amp up their hydration game. Avoid watering directly on the plant’s leaves to save it from diseases and infections. Also, once the fruits begin to ripen, you can restrict the hydration to let the tomato berries concentrate their sugars, resulting in a more delicious yield. However, even then, the plant should not needlessly wilt and dry. You can also set drip irrigation if your schedule keeps you busy.

7. Tomato Plant Care

You must be wondering about how to care for tomato plants, right? Like most relationships, tomato seedlings also require adequate spacing between them. Tomatoes are not really extroverts, so unnecessary socializing in compact spaces can stress the plant sooner than you know. Further, before transplanting the plant outdoors, ensure that the seedlings go through a period of hardening; they need to acclimatize to warmer and brighter locations before the full power exposure to the mighty sun. Moreover, mulch the plant when you are sure about the consistency of warmth in the temperatures. Mulching is vital for tomatoes, as it retains moisture and promotes air circulation, but it also lowers the soil’s temperature.

8. Support For The Vine

Tomato plants are part of the delicate greenery, so like creepers and climbers, they also require some support to grow with elegance. One may install a trellis, plant support cage, etc., to provide adequate support structure for the plant to flourish with healthy stems and strong roots. Although the indeterminate varieties require more support than the determinate ones, once the plant turns ten inches, it is good to provide all the varieties a support structure to hang upon!

9. Prune Bottom Leaflets

Growing tomatoes is fun till the plant catches some fungal infection or disease. To prevent anything of this sort from happening, it is advised to trim your plant carefully, starting from the bottommost foliage after the plant turns two to three feet long. The lowermost leaflets are the most susceptible to damage and decay, plus they are also the oldest foliage sitting on the plant, so it is best to get rid of them before they convert into an issue for the whole tomato plant.

10. Treat With Nourishment

Tomato plants might look delicate, but they have an excellent diet that keeps them healthy at all times. Ensure to feed your plant with a balanced fertilizer during the growing season. Whether you pick a chemical or an organic fertilizer depends on your approach to gardening, but whatever you pick, treat the plant with regular doses of nourishment to ascertain a healthy, nutritious, and delicious yield.

11. Save From Diseases

Like most vegetable plants, tomatoes are also susceptible to several pests & insects that invite themselves to feast on the plant’s health. A typical fungal disease called blight, calcium deficiencies, rolling leaflets, absolutely no yield, and cracks in the fruits are some of the problems commonly encountered by tomato plant buddies. It is suggested you keep an attentive eye on the plant throughout its growing season.

12. Harvesting & Storage

Your savory tomatoes will be ready for harvest about two to three months from the date of transplantation. To check the ripeness of the fruits, gently squeeze the tomato and see whether it is soft enough; although all varieties might have different parameters of ripeness because they have different tomato plant growth timelines, this is the general rule. When the tomatoes are ripened to their core, pick them off the stems. You can eat them directly off the stem, use them in cuisines, and store them for future usage in a refrigerator.

What Are The Best Tomato Varieties?

Although there exist about a thousand species of the tomato plant including some hybrid varieties of tomato, we have managed to create a compendium of some of our favorites:

➤ Celebrity tomato
➤ Heirloom tomato
➤ Pink tomato
➤ Vine tomato
➤ Black krim tomato
➤ Yellow tomato
➤ Black cherry tomato
➤ Indigo rose tomato
➤ Purple tomato
➤ Marglobe tomato
➤ Pusa ruby tomato
➤ Moneymaker tomato

Growing tomatoes at home might seem a tough task, but there will be no going back once you get the hang of it! All you need to do is stay diligent and attentive to your tomato plants while following the tips for growing tomatoes and watch them maturing into full-fledged plants with lip-smacking fruits, which are actually nutrient-rich vegetables! We hope that all your queries like how to plant tomatoes in the ground, when to plant tomatoes, how to take care of tomato plants, how to grow tomato plant at home, how long does tomato take to grow, how to make tomato plants grow faster, etc., have been answered through this blog!

FAQs About Growing Tomato Varieties In India

Ques: Can I Grow Tomato Plants In Containers?

Ans: Absolutely! Several tomato varieties are compact enough to be propagated and maintained in planters.

Ques: What Are The Benefits Of Tomatoes?

Ans: Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber, so they are filled with antioxidants that nourish skin and boost immunity. Moreover, they are excellent for diabetic patients and can also manage blood pressure.

Ques: Can Hydrogen Peroxide Eliminate Pests In A Tomato Garden?

Ans: That’s a myth! In fact, hydrogen peroxide can end up burning the plant if used improperly.

Ques: Can I Use Coffee Grounds To Acidify The Soil For Tomatoes?

Ans: Although coffee grounds carry beneficial elements like nitrogen and carbon, they will still not increase the acidic content of the soil. It is best to purchase a soil acidifier when needed.

Ques: Where Can I Buy The Best Tomato Plants In India?

Ans: Several online gardening stores like Plantlane are ready to supply the best tomato plants and quality tomato seeds to your doorsteps.