You have no items in your shopping cart.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE
FAQ & Answers
We ship world wide
CONTACT US FOR MORE HELP
Lot No: 210789
Germination: 85%
Test Date: 06/24
Tomato plants should be grown in a warm areas and receive plenty of sunlight, so choose a sunny spot in your garden. Relocate your tomato plants in different parts of your garden each year to avoid diseases. Optimum temperatures for growing tomatoes are between 80 and 85 degrees F. Plant your seeds indoors 10 to 12 weeks before setting outside. Use Miracle Gro Seed Starting Material for best germination results. We have tested other Seed Starting Mix and experienced poor germination rates. You may have to special order the Miracle Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix from your nursery, as it is hard to find it at many of the large home and garden centers. Do not add any soil, fertilizers, and other chemicals to seed starting material! Do not use jiffy peat pots, plugs, or potting soil, or cover the pots, as the soil may become too dry or too wet, which can lead to disease and fungus. Do not bottom water the seeds as this causes the seed starting material to become too wet and you will experience poor germination! We have experienced disease and low germination when using these types of products and covering the pots with plastic or covers. When seedlings are 4" tall, transplant them in larger pots. Plants should be at least 10" tall before transplanting outdoors. Place plants outdoors in shady area several days before transplanting outdoors. Shelter the transplants to prevent sunburn, wilting, and rain damage. Spring planting should occur when soil is warm, at least 3 weeks after last frost, and when temperatures remain above 70 degrees F. You can plant early if you use water towers. To prevent branches from breaking from the weight of tomatoes, use 5 to 6 ft tall cages. To tie plants to stakes, use soft strips of cloth. Check indeterminate plants regularly, and pinch off suckers and side branches where leaves join the stems. Plants can grow 1 to 6 ft tall.
Requires fertile slightly acid soil in a well drained location in the garden. Apply mulch and grass clippings, or straw around base of plant. Work the soil thoroughly before planting. Add well-rotted manure and compost.
Keep soil consistently moist, but not waterlogged. Water well during dry and hot spells. Water in the morning only, on the side of the plants and not directly on the leaves.
Use RootBlast, Vegetable Alive, and Slow Release Fertilizer when transplanting outdoors. Apply Miracle Gro every two weeks.
Harvest tomatoes when they are fully mature using a garden scissor so you don't damage the plant. Pick them as they mature to encourage new fruit to form. Remove any decayed tomatoes from the plant.
Days to Harvest after Planting Outdoors: Early Season Tomato: 60 to 65 days Mid-Season Tomato: 70 to 75 days Late Season Tomato: 85 to 90 days
USDA Hardiness Zone: 2 to 11
Use Miracle-Gro© Seed Starting Mix for best germination results.
Type: Physiological Disorder
Blossom End Rot is a physiological disorder that affects tomatoes. As tomatoes begin to ripen, black spots on the bottom of the tomato appear. The tomatoes affected by blossom end rot should be picked and discarded. The cause is a calcium deficiency. The condition is not caused by a lack of calcium in the soil, but because the plant is unable to take up the calcium that is already in the soil because of drought or erratic watering. It is most common when the growing season starts out wet and then becomes very dry when tomatoes are setting. Plants are unable to absorb calcium because the soil is too wet or too dry, there is excessive nitrogen in the soil, roots are damage during cultivation, soil pH is either too high or too low, cold soil, and high levels of salts in the soil. Keep consistent levels of moisture in the soil throughout the growing season. Allow soil to warm before planting. Use mulch, such as Red Tomato Mulch, to minimize evaporation and to help maintain consistent moisture in the soil. Test soil so pH is at 6.5. Use Tomato Rot Stop to prevent calcium deficiency. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.
Scientific Name: Alternaria solani
Type: Fungus
Early Blight is a soil-borne disease that affects the growth of tomatoes. This disease is most common in North America. The symptoms include collar rust on the stems, circular dark spots appear on the leaves, rings surround the spots with a yellow halo, and tomatoes crack at the stem. The leaves may die and fall off the plant resulting in extensive defoliation, exposing the tomatoes to sun scald. Black spots may appear on the tomatoes. The disease can cause substantial yield loss and total crop loss. It is spread by wind and water. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. The virus can live in plant debris and in the soil. The disease is favorable when temperatures are 82-86 F and usually occur when moisture and humidity are very high. Plan on using a 2 to 3 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, and can survive in the soil for 1 year. Fungicides can help manage the disease. Stake plants to improve air circulation. Use drip irrigation to keep foliage dry and avoid overhead irrigation. The best option is to use virus-free seeds and disease resistant varieties
Scientific Name: Stemphylium solani, Stemphylium floridanum, and Stemphylium botryosum
Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf is a fungal disease that affects the growth of tomatoes. It is found in warm regions of the country, and is common in the Southeastern part of the United States. Symptoms include brown to black specks on leaves. As the lesions grow in size, they develop a gray center surrounded by a yellow area. The spots may dry and fall out, forming a shot hole in the leaf. The disease may cause the entire leaves to turn yellow, then brown, and drop off, and the plant may be stunted. The tomatoes are not usually affected unless there is severe defoliation, where sunburn damage can occur on the tomatoes. If you stick with Stemphylium Gray Spot Leaf Resistant tomato varieties you don’t have to worry. Many of the older heirlooms don’t have any resistance to the disease, so if you grow these then you should keep an eye out for it. The infected plants should be removed and burned to avoid further infestation. Plan on using a 5 to 7 year crop rotation and avoid planting in the same location, year after year, as the disease can survive in the soil for many years. Stake tomato plants for better circulation. Give plants extra space to allow air to move among leaves to keep leaves as dry as possible. Use soaker hoses and avoid overhead watering. The best option is to use disease resistant varieties.