Setting out the plants Tomatoes like to be planted deer). They will form roots all along the buried stems Remove the lower leaves up to the second set. If plant is "leggy", it can be planted on its side in a trench. If using a container, it must hold at lease 5 gallons of well‑drained soil (patio tomatoes are an exception to amount of soil needed). Plant about 3' apart (rule of thumb) Good air circulation will help prevent fungus problems and blights Put some bone meal (calcium) in planting hole to help prevent blossom end rot. Set water system in place when planting the tomatoes. Also put support in place at planting time. It's a VINEI It needs support from a sturdy cage, trellis, fence, ladder, bamboo stakes, etc. 

Carina for your tomato plants
Watering is probably biggest stumbling block in care of tomato plants Keep soil well moistened in early stages, while plant is developing roots Best methods to water long‑term are soaker hoses, drip irrigation, or perforated plastic gallon milk jugs. Avoid overhead watering. If it is the only method possible, water early in the morning Do not use a flood­and‑drought methodl Check the soil to see if the plants need water today. Once fruit begins to ripen, you can cut back on water; do not let plants get to wilted‑in‑the‑morning stage. After soil is thoroughly warm and plants are growing well, you may want to mulch them to help conserve water If you fertilize, use a low‑nitrogen fertilizer, or you will have "all plant and no fruit" Keeping a clean garden helps prevent problems! 

Nuisances
Good soil health (and therefore good plant health) will prevent most diseases and pest problems. Most tomato problems are the result not of disease, but of incorrect cultural practices. Practice crop rotation. If you had any tomato diseases this year, do not plant tomatoes where they (or their relatives) were. If you are a smoker, wash hands thoroughly before handling tomatoes. Do not compost tomato plants or rotten tomatoes, even if the plants didn't have diseases. For flea beetles attack both leaves and roots. Use a paper collar around plants, or floating row cover (Remay) Capture adults with yellow sticky traps For tomato hornworm, pick off by hand, or use Bt. Don't kill wasps! Blossom end rot is not a disease, but is caused by cold soil, uneven watering, . and failure of tomato plant to take up calcium from the soil. Uneven watering can also cause cracking, by promoting sudden growth spurts; sudden heat can also cause this. Cherry tomatoes especially susceptible. Catfacing (deep grooves on fruit, often from blossom end to stem) and other irregularities may be from incomplete pollenization, cold weather at blossom time, or simply genetic predisposition. Sunscald (light tan spots on surface of tomato) In general, don't prune leaves; they are solar panels; also help prevent sunscald.

The Harvest
Keep ripe tomatoes picked (and split or dropped ones picked up, as they encourage disease.) Never put ripe tomatoes in the refrigerator. They lose flavor rapidly if kept under 55 degrees. Keep them at room temperature, out of the sun. To hasten ripening, put them in a brown paper bag with an apple. Near the end of the season (September) prune off tips of indeterminate types, and remove any "green marbles" that won't have time to mature. Cut back on water to encourage ripening. When frost threatens, put green tomatoes one layer deep in paper grocery bags or shallow boxes lined with newspapers; check weekly. Some varieties ripen better than others, but you may have fresh tomatoes for Thanksgiving. Enjoy fried green tomatoesl

Saving Seeds for next year
Seed must be from open pollinated plants (Heirlooms) Let fruit reach full ripeness pick the best of them. Cut tomato open, scoop out seeds and pulp. If possible, mix seeds from more than one plant of the same variety.
 Place pulp in a glass jar and add a small amount of water. Shake well. ‑‑ . Keeping at room temperature, stir the pulp 2 or 3 times a day. Fermentation will occur, which will separate the seeds from the pulp in two to four days. Seeds will sink to the bottom of the jar. Add more water, then pour off the pulp. Repeat this procedure until seeds are clean. Spread seeds on paper towels to dry thoroughly   Store in tightly closed glass jar, along with a packet of powdered milk.

    Carol Oneal
    Jackson County Oregon Master Gardener  March 2010