Creating Better Soil for Tomatoes
The best soil for tomatoes provides all the nutrients and water your plants need to thrive. A great harvest starts with providing the best soil for tomatoes. Attractive and usually lacking attention, the soil around the tomato roots determines the quality and quantity of the harvest. Juicier, more flavorful, and more colorful tomatoes arise from soil rich in organic matter with the nutrients tomato plants need to thrive, along with hard-working soil microbes that contribute to everything from soil drainage to disease resistance. With these nine tips you can create the best soil for your tomatoes.
1. Add compost to the soil.
A nutrient-packed compost is a great way to improve any type of garden soil, from heavy clay to fast-draining sand. Compost supplies the components tomato plants need to produce healthy foliage and tasty fruit. It provides valuable structure to the soil, adds aeration and increases the soil's ability to retain moisture. Compost sustains many beneficial organisms – from beneficial fungi and bacteria to vibrant earthworm populations. In short, compost does more for a tomato plant to thrive than any other soil amendment.
Spread a 2-inch-thick layer of compost over the garden in the spring before planting. Gently mix in the top 6 inches of soil. If the native soil has a high clay content (so it drains slowly) or sand content (so it drains quickly), repeat the process in the fall. Compost can be used as mulch around tomato plants during the growing season.
2. Do a soil test.
Study your local soil thoroughly with a soil test. Available from state extension services and online commercial soil testing labs, a good soil test analyzes the soil's nutrient content and soil pH. The test provides a recipe for soil amendment based on the findings. That way you don't have to guess what your soil needs. Instead you get specific recommendations on what to add and how much to add.
3. Rotate planting locations.
Tomato diseases, such as early blight, take up residence in the soil and attack plants year after year. Minimize disease attacks by planting tomatoes in a new location each year on a three-year crop rotation plan. Crop rotation is an effective way to control soil borne diseases.
4. Avoid polluted areas.
Some soils are simply not suitable for growing tomatoes. For example, soil near black walnut trees is not ideal for tomatoes. Black walnut trees excrete a chemical called juglone that is toxic to many plants, including tomatoes. Zuclone penetrates the soil below the tree canopy and beyond the drip line. Do not grow tomatoes near walnut trees; Find another location or grow plants in containers.
Urban gardeners need to be vigilant when growing any type of food crop. Before you plant, research the history of the tomato growing land. Avoid areas with risks associated with chemical spills, such as former dry cleaners, gas stations, landfills, and abandoned manufacturing and industrial sites.
5. Use organic mulch.
Mulching the soil around tomato plants helps prevent weeds and conserve soil moisture. When organic mulches such as compost, shredded bark, or weed-free grass clippings are used, mulch also improves soil structure. Mulch slowly decomposes and mixes into the top layer of soil, adding nutrients and improving structure.
A 2-inch-thick layer of mulch is a great addition to the soil around each tomato plant. Wait to apply mulch until the soil is warm enough in the spring; Mulch has an insulating effect that is helpful in the heat of summer, but warm soil is essential to stimulate growth in the spring.
6. Consider raised beds.
Raised beds are a great way to mediate complex soil for growing tomatoes. If your planting site suffers from polluted soil, marshy soil, clay soil or excessively sandy soil, create a raised bed and fill with high-quality topsoil. There are many easy-to-assemble raised beds available for purchase.
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