Tomatoes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow, but you need to get the timing right. Typically, you’d want to get them in the ground in August, but since it’s been so warm, it’s ok to wait until early to mid-September. But don’t wait longer than that! Here are a few tips for getting the best (and the most) tomatoes this Fall.
Start with a quart size or even a 1 gallon because you can wait a little longer to plant and it is easier to keep them watered in the heat. Add some organic Bio-tone starter fertilizer when you plant, add a tomato cage, water well, and watch them grow! On the first of the month, fertilize with Espoma Plant tone and on the 15th use Hasta Gro liquid. Vegetables are heavy feeders and will reward you with a bountiful harvest if fed regularly.
Celebrity and Tycoon are 2 of the most popular larger tomatoes. Red Snapper, Red Deuce, Ruby Crush and Better Boy are also very good tried and true varieties. Most of these take about 70+ days from fruit to harvest.
If you’re looking for big flavor in a bite size, cherry or grape tomatoes are the ticket! Some of the tops, are Large, Red Cherry, Sweet 100, Juliet, Yellow Pear and my favorite… Sweet Cherry Surprise 968 aka BHN 968. Great for growing in a container, a raised bed, or in the ground. It is 4 times sweeter than any other cherry tomato on the market – almost like eating candy. Cherry tomatoes produce an abundance of fruit in a short period of time. One plant is plenty to keep several people supplied in tomatoes.
–DeAnna
Charlene says
Is it time to fertilize azaleas? If so, will you be getting large bags?
Jesse says
Hi Charlene – yes you should fertilize azaleas this Fall, but no pruning until after they bloom next Spring. We have 4lb bags of organic Azalea Tone fertilizer that works great. That’s the only size bag we carry.