This time of year I get a lot questions about home garden tomatoes at the Colquitt County Extension office. Lets discuss some tomato growing tips.
• Get a soil test!! Soil samples can be taken to the Colquitt County Extension Office.
• Tomatoes require a soil with a pH in the range of 6.2 to 6.8. In the absence of a soil test, apply lime at the rate of 5 pounds per 100 square feet of area.
• If the pH test comes back normal, but the calcium level is low, apply gypsum at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet.
• At planting, pour about 1 pint of starter solution (2 tablespoons of 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 fertilizer dissolved in 1 gallon of water) around each plant.In absence of a soil test, incorporate 1.5 pounds of 10-10-10 fertilizer for 100 square feet of bed prior to planting. Use a complete fertilizer that contains minor nutrients. After the first tomatoes form on the vine and are about the size of a quarter, side-dress them with 10-10-10 at the rate of 1 pound per 100 square feet of bed. Repeat every three to four weeks until harvest is completed.
To manage blossom-end rot:
• Maintain the soil pH between 6.2 to 6.8 and supply adequate levels of calcium through applications of dolimitic limestone or gypsum.
• Avoid drought stress and extreme moisture fluctuations by using mulch and deep, timely irrigation once or twice a week.
• Avoid overfertilizing plants with high ammoniacal nitrogen fertilizers. Excessive nitrogen can depress the uptake of calcium.
• Foliar applications of calcium are only short term fixes and often work poorly because of poor absorption and movement to the fruit area where it is needed.
Thanks for your time and please stay safe.