Vegetables
Planting & growing broccoli: it's that easy
Tomato plants can be found in almost every hobby garden and greenhouse - they are one of our favorites in the garden and in the kitchen. With the right choice of varieties, you can also easily grow tomatoes on the balcony and enjoy your own tomatoes.
We give you helpful tips from sowing tomatoes to caring and harvesting tomatoes. There is also a guide to planting tomatoes.
Tomatoes belong to the nightshade family. They originated in Central and South America. Today they are cultivated all over the world and are one of our favorites among the fruit vegetables.
In their native country they grow perennially. In our latitudes, they are cultivated as annuals, since the conditions for perennial cultivation are usually not met. From May, small yellow flowers form in the leaf axils. Green berry fruits develop from them within 2 months. Depending on the variety, these turn red, yellow or blackish over time. There are now over 3,000 varieties.
The soil should be permeable, rich in humus and nutrients. On heavy soils with waterlogging tomatoes often react with diseases. The water must therefore always be able to drain off well. As heavy growers, they have a high demand for nutrients. You can work with compost that you layer on top of the soil to prepare it for the following season.
In order for your tomato plants to thrive, you should find them a sunny, warm spot that is protected from wind and rain. In our latitudes, a greenhouse or a foil tunnel is recommended. No matter where, the tomato plants must be covered in any case. If they stand unprotected in the rain, they become more susceptible to diseases, especially fungi.
The plants develop different growth and fruit shape depending on the variety. A distinction is made between pole, bush, beef and cocktail tomatoes. Depending on the location, you should choose a suitable variety for you. More tips on choosing the right variety of tomato seeds can be found in the article.
On the subject of growing your own tomatoes, there is also a detailed article with many tips on propagating and sowing tomatoes. Here in the article we give you a brief overview of the most important points that you should consider when propagating your own tomato seedlings.
Tomatoes are usually propagated on the windowsill from mid-March (the best sowing date for your variety can be found on the package). Growing tomatoes in the greenhouse is possible a little earlier, from February. Do not start sowing too early, because tomatoes need a lot of light and otherwise they will die!
You should definitely harden off your tomato plants before planting them out. This is especially true if you plant them outdoors. The plant must first get used to environmental conditions such as wind and direct sunlight. To do this, place the plants outdoors every day for about a week. At the beginning in a shady place and after some time in the direct sun. Extend the time spent outdoors every day.
After the last frosts (usually in mid-May after the Ice Saints), the tomato plants can go outdoors. If you have a greenhouse, you can plant your tomatoes there about 3 weeks after pricking.
There is a lot to consider when caring for tomatoes: In addition to regular fertilizing and watering, tomato plants are also partly thinned out and defoliated. In our article on caring for tomato plants you will find tips on how to properly care for tomatoes. That way you are guaranteed to be rewarded with a bountiful harvest!
Everything about mixed culture with tomatoes you will find here in the article. In addition to a table of good and bad neighbors, you will also find everything you need to know about crop rotation. We have also prepared a planting plan for a mixed culture in the tomato patch.
The reason for growth disorders are not always diseases or pests that trigger them. Tomatoes are sensitive to a wide variety of environmental influences and also to poor care. For example, an imbalanced supply of nutrients can cause blossom end rot (calcium deficiency) or spoon leaves (overfertilization). Prevention and good care from the beginning is best here. That way you'll get the most enjoyment out of your tomato plants.
To identify and fight the right plant disease, you can find instructions here in the article. In this way you can find out whether care errors or environmental influences are responsible for the symptoms.
Ripe tomatoes are best stored in an open tray in a dark, airy place (e.g. ventilated cellar or storage room). Here, the temperatures should ideally be between 12°C and 18°C. Of course, this is hardly possible in midsummer. Under optimal conditions, tomatoes then remain edible for about a week. Important: Tomatoes should not be stored in the refrigerator, as they lose their aroma after a short time.
You can harvest unripe, green tomatoes at the end of the season, i.e. before it gets wet and cool, and let them ripen. If you wait too long, it can come to strong infestation of late blight. Temperatures of 18 to 20 degrees are optimal for this. The tomatoes do not need light to ripen. If you want to store them until December, you should choose a cool and dark place (e.g. cellar).
Tomatoes can also be preserved well in many ways. You can read about the options for preserving your fruits and vegetables here.
We hope you now have everything you need to grow tomatoes yourself.
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Cover image by Dani California on unsplash.
Marie studied agricultural science at the University of Hohenheim. Her main focus is on ecological agriculture and permaculture. She writes articles for Fryd to educate people about ecological interrelationships and alternatives to current land use. Our current economic systems, especially in agriculture, have numerous negative effects on nature and destabilize our ecosystems. We need a great diversity in our gardens and beds again to counteract the extinction of species. Every gardener can contribute to creating and maintaining habitats and food for a wide variety of creatures. With her articles, she would like to pass on her experience in dealing with natural systems and give people the opportunity to contribute to a stable ecosystem and thus also to securing our livelihood.
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The strawberry season has barely started and there are already offshoots 😅
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Hey, I'd like to introduce myself again. I'm Theresa and I'm from Munich. This is my second year trying to garden on my balcony. Are there any other gardeners from Munich who might be able to tell me where I can get tomato and bell pepper seedlings? My cultivation didn't work at all this year. (Unfortunately, I don't have that much budget left for my hobby and usually such plants from garden centers or DIY stores cost more than average). Also, strangely enough, my yield with plants bought from garden centers and the like is never really good. Never really good or like last year the peppers for example had no fruit on them at all :(
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My first (unwanted) spring onion from the balcony. I'm actually trying to grow onions for the first time this year, but one onion turned into two, so one had to be used as a spring onion. :) #spring onion #balkon gardening
What is the best month to plant tomatoes?
May to June are the best months to plant tomatoes outside, in the greenhouse tomatoes can be planted from April. Tomatoes are susceptible to frost and should only be planted outside once the last frost has passed.
How often do you water tomatoes?
Depending on the temperatures, tomatoes should be watered every 1-3 days. Tomatoes grow deep roots and if the roots are deep enough some people don't water their tomatoes at all.
What plants go well with tomatoes?
Good neighbors for tomatoes are beans, chili, currants, nasturtium, garlic, celeriac, coal, leeks, corn, carrots, peppers, lettuce, soybeans, asparagus, spinach, root parsley and onions.
Can tomatoes be grown in pots?
Yes, tomatoes can be grown well in pots. It is best however, to choose varieties that have been bred to be planted in pots to ensure the best results.