Growing Tomatoes in Arkansas

I planted and grew tomatoes in my backyard. I love to garden and thought it might help a beginning Gardner out.

To plant tomatoes, you will need soil, seed, starter trays, fertilizer, plant food and a little shovel or a tiller.

Purchase and gather everything necessary for this planting project. You will need seed starter soil, seed starter trays and seeds, which can all be purchased at a big box store such as Home Depot, Walmart, etc., or from a local nursey / garden center. If you are planting inside; you will need grow lights. If you want to plant outside; you will need a temperature-controlled greenhouse. Once your plants are established, you can plant them in a garden or raised bed. If you do not have a garden or raised bed, you can keep them in a large planting pot. (Before you begin planting, you should know that you need to do this during a specific time. You should be starting this process around the first to second week of February. This is important because the goal is to have them ready for planting by Good Friday. Good Friday is the Friday before Easter.)

Fill the starter trays with seed starter soil.

Plant your seed in each pod a fourth (¼) of an inch deep.

Moisten the dirt and place under grow lights or in your greenhouse and maintain the soil moisture. It will take 7-14 days to germination. Germination is the process of seed sprouting.

Turn the plants every couple of days as the plants start reaching toward the light. The grow lights should be adjusted to four – six inches above the plants. While waiting for your plants to mature, you may want to have your soil in your garden and / or raised bed tested. In Arkansas, you can test in the Fall or Spring before things start greening up.

Gather a soil sample. You will need to rake mulch or leaves aside and take soil from 4 inches deep with a soil probe or shovel from at least twelve spots. Mix the soil from each sample area keeping them separate, and discard rocks and roots. Allow your sample to air dry by spreading it out on a newspaper or on large paper bags for a couple of days. Remove one pint of each area for the laboratory and place in a clean container and label with your name.

Next, take to the local county extension office. For landowners in Arkansas, this is free of charge. The lab will be testing your pH level. PH is how acidic or alkaline your soil is and ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral and anything below 7 is acidic, and above 7 is alkaline. Most plants thrive in slightly acidic to neutral soil. Soil pH affects how well plants absorb nutrients. If soil is too acidic or alkaline, the plant struggles to take up essential nutrients. This leads to stunted growth, yellow leaves and poor plant health. If your soil has high pH, you will need to add sulfur. If it is too low, you add lime. Once you have had your soil tested and have your lab results, it is time to break up your soil with either a tiller, a tractor or by hand if you have a raised bed or planting pot. As mentioned before, if your soil is high in pH, you will need to add sulfur. If the pH is low, you will need to add lime. You can purchase these at your big box or local nursery / garden center. There will be instructions on the bag that you can follow to know the proper amount needed for application.

Fertilize soil with a complete fertilizer, such as triple thirteen per instructions on package and work into the soil.

Plant your tomato plants by digging a hole wider than the root ball and just as deep. Staked plants should be planted 18-24 inches apart and caged plants should be planted 24-36 inches apart. Caged plants are plants that are supported and protected by a structure, usually made of metal, plastic, or a wood, that surrounds the plant. This “cage” helps support the plant’s growth, prevent damage and protect it from external threats like animals or harsh weather. Caging is commonly used for climbing plants, tall or heavy plants and those with delicate stems.

Water in with a diluted fertilizer such as miracle grow or if you prefer a natural fertilizer, fish emulsion is a good choice.

Stake, trellis or cage your tomatoes to keep vines and fruit off the ground. As plants grow, use twine to loosely tie stems to the support structure. Keep the grass and weeds cleaned out from around the plants.

Water every few days, preferably with soaker hoses. If using a sprinkler system, do so in the morning so that the plants do not go into afternoon and evening wet. Keep an eye out for pest and signs of fungal infections and treat with insecticidal soap, insecticide and or fungicides. Your local garden center can help you determine what you need to do to keep your plants healthy.