If you have an interest in learning how to grow tomatoes commercially, indoors, in pots or containers, then read this tomato farming guide till the end.
This guide on how to grow tomatoes covers everything starting from planting tomato seeds through to harvesting.
Tomatoes are very productive and have many uses in the kitchen and you can as well eat them fresh off the vine.
It is a very popular vegetable all over the world which people use in making different types of dishes including stews, soups, salads, burger, jollof rice etc.
They are also used in the production of tomato paste, puree, ketchup, tomato juice and lots of other dishes and sauces.
The interesting fact about tomatoes is that it is easy to grow, requiring little or no expertise at all.
All you need is the basic techniques for growing tomatoes and you will become successful in tomato farming
This guide covers all the information you need to grow tomatoes successfully—including;
Selecting the best tomato varieties
Preparing the seeds
Transplanting tomatoes outside
Staking the tomato vines
Finally, tips on how to care for the tomato plant.
You can as well use the table of content in this article to navigate your way through this tomato farming guide.
What are the basic necessities for starting a tomato farm?
To start your tomato farm, here are the basic things that must be in place;
Firstly, you need viable tomato seeds. There are many varieties of tomato and we’ll discuss some of them later in this article.
You must also have a nursery for sprouting the tomato seeds
Then, you need a fertile land for transplanting the tomato plants
Finally, you must have a disease and pest prevention control measures
How long does it take tomatoes to grow?
How much time it takes for tomatoes to grow to maturity will depend on the variety of the tomato.
For instance, you can plant a quick growing tomato such as the 4th of July Tomato, and you’ll be eating your first ripe tomato in as little as 49 days after transplanting.
However, the number of days to maturity of tomatoes ranges anywhere from 60 days to more than 80 days.
Because of the relatively long period of time it takes for tomatoes to grow, most farmers grow them by transplanting rather than planting the seeds directly into the garden.
It’s also common to purchase transplants in garden nurseries which you can plant in your garden.
When picking tomato transplants, look for short, stocky plants with dark green color and straight, sturdy stems about the size of a pencil or thicker.
Try not to pick plants with yellowing leaves, spots, or stress damage.
Also, avoid plants with flowers or fruits already in progress.
Tomato farming guide: How to grow tomatoes step by step
Growing tomatoes is not difficult at all you need to ensure that certain conditions are in place to support the growth of the plant.
You must ensure that the time of planting is right and that you are using the right variety of tomato seeds.
Following these precautions will guarantee success in your tomato farming business and ensure great yields.
There are lots of conversations within each of the steps in this tomato farming guide.
So, you must take your time to read between the lines to get all the information you need for a profitable tomato farming business.
Without further ado, let’s get right into this tomato farming guide.
Step 1: Prepare the tomato nursery
The very first step of the tomato farming process is to prepare the nursery for sprouting the tomato seeds.
Most farmers may choose to prepare their tomato nursery on raised beds in their garden, however, you can start your seeds indoors.
So, whether you have a greenhouse or a sunny window ledge, that will suffice for making the tomato nursery.
Once the seeds start sprouting and have a few leaves and an established root system, you can then transplant it to an area that provides room for growth and tomato production.
How to prepare tomato nursery
While starting seeds indoors may be optional with many vegetables, it is very important in tomato farming.
That’s because tomato seeds need a constant soil temperature of at least 60oF, and preferably 80oF, to germinate.
Tomatoes originate deep in the tropics, as a result, any temperature below 32 degrees Fahrenheit will kill it.
If you have a garden or a small space in your backyard, you can also use it to start your tomato nursery.
This can be done around March/April when the rain is just starting in most parts of the country
Although, with the change in climate, you need to check with any farming calendar to find the best time for every year for growing tomatoes.
If you don’t have a small piece of land for the tomato nursery another option is to use pots or containers.
Using pots or containers to grow tomato seeds may require you to get soilless potting mix or seeding mix.
A soilless potting mix is a standard homemade soilless mix containing equal amounts of peat moss, perlite (and/or vermiculite), and sand.
In the absence of sand, wood bark replaces sand while coconut coir replaces peat moss.
This medium is great for sowing tomato seeds, though you can opt for the more expensive ‘seeding mix’ if you want.
If you are using containers, make use of the tiny plastic pots grouped together in packs often used for flower and veggie seedlings to start the tomato seeds.
However, a better idea is to use a small pot at least 3 or 4 inches tall and wide so the seedlings can grow to a healthy size without their roots being constricted.
How to use the potting mix for tomato nursery farm
The steps for using the potting mix for a tomato nursery includes the following
The first step is to fill the pots with potting mix leaving a space of about 1/2-inch at the top of each pot.
Next step is to place a pair of tomato seeds on top of the soil in each one near the center of the pot. Having two seedlings provides insurance in case one doesn’t sprout. In a situation where they both sprout, pinch off the smaller or weaker of the two plants.
After placing the tomato seeds in all the pots, cover them with about ¼-inch layers of soil mix and then compress the soil with your fingers. Compressing the soil with your fingers creates good seed-to-soil contact which is important for germination.
Continually sprinkle water on the seeds whenever the top of the soil mix appears dry. Make sure you don’t waterlog the pots so that the seeds do not rot. To make it easy to spray water on the seeds, use a hand sprayer.
Temperature conditions for growing tomato seeds in the nursery
Tomatoes are heat-loving and sun-seeking plants just like okra and watermelon plants.
These warm-season plants do not tolerate extreme cold weather or frost at all.
As a result, you must be careful of the time of planting the tomato seeds.
In most regions, the soil is not warm enough until April or May, but it depends on where you live.
Normally, the seeds will need at least 4 hours of direct sun each day, but preferably more.
You can place the pots by your window or even your balcony to receive the direct sunlight.
This is because the warmer the temperature, the faster tomato seeds will germinate.
Maintaining room temperature above 60ºF will get the job done.
In about 5-7 days the tomato seeds will start germinating.
Types of tomato varieties for profitable tomato farming
There are many tomato varieties which you may choose from and they vary according to size.
The choice also depends on how you want to use this versatile fruit in the kitchen.
For example, Roma tomatoes are not very good when you eat them fresh, but are great for making sauces and ketchups.
Generally, you can categorize tomato varieties based on how they grow.
In this case, they are of two types;
Determinate tomatoes: These are tomato plants that grow to predetermined height. They produce tomatoes that are good choices for canning and sauce-making.
Indeterminate tomatoes: This type of tomato increase in height throughout the growing season because the terminal of the stem continues to produce foliar growth rather than set flowers. This type of tomato plants will continually produce fruits throughout the season along the side shoots of the plant. Indeterminate tomatoes are the choice if you want to spread out the harvest over a longer period of time.
Setting the growth habit of tomatoes aside, here are the different types of tomatoes.
1. Cherry tomatoes
Examples of cherry tomatoes include Sun Gold, Napa Grape and Pear Drops.
They are a very sweet tomato variety which you can eat fresh and are great for salads.
Because they produce small tomato fruits, these tomatoes species mature quicker
2. Sauce tomatoes.
Types of sauce tomatoes include Roma, Amish Paste and Big Mama.
These ones have a richer flavor and much lower water content than other varieties.
They’re the best tomato types for making spaghetti sauce.
Sauce tomatoes, especially Roma, is the most popular tomato species in Nigeria Markets.
Roma species are very unique because they have long shelf life.
This is because they have thick skins and are in low water content which enables it to last longer after harvest
3. Beefsteak tomatoes
Typical examples of beefsteak tomatoes include Mortgage Lifter, Cherokee Purple and Brandywine.
They have the biggest fruit and the greatest range of flavor and form.
This is the type that you normally slice for sandwiches or making caprese salad, though you can eat the best varieties like an apple.
The remaining steps will be highlighted in part 2 of this article……
Stay Tuned…
AGROCAST 