Q. I have a tomato garden 4 ft x8 ft x 1 foot deep. Every
year I put three new plants of Early Girl, Champion, and Roma varieties of
tomato in this bed. I redo the soil every year and plants get very big with
lots of flowers and tomatoes. My tomatoes only get about 2 inches in diameter.
What am I doing wrong?
year I put three new plants of Early Girl, Champion, and Roma varieties of
tomato in this bed. I redo the soil every year and plants get very big with
lots of flowers and tomatoes. My tomatoes only get about 2 inches in diameter.
What am I doing wrong?
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| Tomatoes produced in the Mojave Desert including Celebrity and Beefmaster |
A. All three varieties of tomatoes are solid producers
for the desert. Other varieties that should perform well for you include Patio,
Jet Star, most of the smaller cherry and grape tomatoes. None of these
varieties are “beefsteak” type tomatoes but smaller in size and have been solid
performers here for many years.
for the desert. Other varieties that should perform well for you include Patio,
Jet Star, most of the smaller cherry and grape tomatoes. None of these
varieties are “beefsteak” type tomatoes but smaller in size and have been solid
performers here for many years.
Small fruit is not necessarily a bad thing. Smaller fruit
are frequently more intensely flavored than larger fruit coming from the same
variety. However, we are conditioned to think that bigger is better.
are frequently more intensely flavored than larger fruit coming from the same
variety. However, we are conditioned to think that bigger is better.
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| Celebrity tomato in a winter garden |
Water
Provide enough water so that plants are not stressed.
Water is an extremely important, limiting factor when it comes to fruit size. If
plants are water stressed when fruit is gaining size, the result will be smaller
fruit.
Water is an extremely important, limiting factor when it comes to fruit size. If
plants are water stressed when fruit is gaining size, the result will be smaller
fruit.
Schedule watering before the heat of the day begins. Soil
moisture monitoring is important but what can be more important is the use of
mulch on the soil surface when air temperatures reach about 80° F.
moisture monitoring is important but what can be more important is the use of
mulch on the soil surface when air temperatures reach about 80° F.
The soil should stay evenly moist and not widely fluctuate
between excessively dry and sopping wet. Surface mulch helps do this. It doesn’t
have to be thick. ½ inch covering the soil is deep enough, like dusting with
powdered sugar. Renew it as soon as you see the soil surface again.
between excessively dry and sopping wet. Surface mulch helps do this. It doesn’t
have to be thick. ½ inch covering the soil is deep enough, like dusting with
powdered sugar. Renew it as soon as you see the soil surface again.
Straw is recommended a lot. I don’t like it much because
it’s hard to work into the soil at the end of the growing season and it’s no
longer inexpensive. I like things that dissolve easily into the soil like
shredded newspaper, rice hulls, pine shavings used for animal bedding, etc. Yes,
these types of mulches can rob the soil of nitrogen but if you’re constantly
feeding your vegetables it won’t make any difference.
it’s hard to work into the soil at the end of the growing season and it’s no
longer inexpensive. I like things that dissolve easily into the soil like
shredded newspaper, rice hulls, pine shavings used for animal bedding, etc. Yes,
these types of mulches can rob the soil of nitrogen but if you’re constantly
feeding your vegetables it won’t make any difference.
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| Pepper growing in 5 gallon nursery container with surface mulch of animal bedding (pine shavings) |
Soil Improvement
Encourage deeper rooting through soil improvement. Make
sure the soil is amended, biologically active and easy to work before planting.
A good quality compost mixed in the upper 8 inches goes a long way toward better
rooting. A garden trowel should slip easily into a properly amended soil.
sure the soil is amended, biologically active and easy to work before planting.
A good quality compost mixed in the upper 8 inches goes a long way toward better
rooting. A garden trowel should slip easily into a properly amended soil.
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| Soil Pro Compost from Viragrow |
Fertilizers
Fertilizers improve fruit production. Use a pre-plant, high
phosphorus fertilizer when planting. One phosphorus application at the
beginning of the growing season is enough to boost flowering and fruiting.
phosphorus fertilizer when planting. One phosphorus application at the
beginning of the growing season is enough to boost flowering and fruiting.
Don’t forget the easily forgotten last number on the bag,
potassium. Potassium has never been linked to fruiting but is very important in
general health and well-being.
potassium. Potassium has never been linked to fruiting but is very important in
general health and well-being.
Apply light, monthly
applications of nitrogen to the soil to keep plant performance at its peak.
This has nothing to do with the size of the fruit. You have to start rotating your tomatoes into new growing spots or you’re going to have problems. Please read about rotating vegetable crops.