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stop searching: tomato-growing tips and tricks

Cellpack of young tomato seedlings ready for transplant.THOUGH I WON’T START TOMATO SEEDS HERE UNTIL MID-APRIL, I know from looking at my WordPress dashboard—the administrative screen I use to create and run this blog—that many of you are already looking around for the tomato-growing how-to’s. To make the searching easier, a roundup of links to my best tomato-growing tips and tricks:

  1. Mark says:

    Margaret,
    Late in the year 2009 I read many of your tomato growing tips. One thing I would like to put into action is the staking and suckering. I use heavy duty road mesh cages with large bamboo poles stuck in at angles later in the growing season. I love this system and it accommodates the natural sprawling habit of tomatoes. The problem with this system is the lateness of ripening.
    In the past I have been opposed to staking and suckering. It just did not seem natural. This year though I think it would be valuable to stake at least a few to get some earlier tomatoes.
    Last year I did start some common hybrid with the intention of grafting an heirloom and doing a comparison of production and vigor. I of course didn’t get to the grafting but do intend to try again. I notice that Johnnys is selling rootstock seed and grafting clips. The seeds are outrageously expensive so I think I will still just use Betterboy or something similar.

    Mark

    1. Margaret says:

      Welcome, Mark. There does seem to be a tradeoff with each method, you are right. The rootstock seed price is high, yes; I am going to split a packet with a friend and we are going to try it to see how easy or hard it proves to be. Will keep you posted! See you soon again, I hope.

  2. Amy says:

    Thank you so much for all of this amazing information. I’m in East Tennessee, where this winter has been harder than most since about 1993 (so I am told). I just ordered my seeds and am excited to try all the tips and tricks you suggest. My seedling tomatoes bombed out last year, but I know what I did wrong. Thank you so much for this post, and happy gardening. I’m ready for some green!

    1. Margaret says:

      Welcome, Daniel. Yes, many great botanical destination in the “Garden State.” :) Thanks for sharing, and don’t be a stranger.

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