To grow good-sized tomatoes that produce a superb quality and excellent yield, a big boy tomato is the perfect pick. Give your big boys lots of sunshine, proper amounts of water and nutrients, and your crop will be the biggest and...
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To grow good-sized tomatoes that produce a superb quality and excellent yield, a big boy tomato is the perfect pick. Give your big boys lots of sunshine, proper amounts of water and nutrients, and your crop will be the biggest and best tasting in town! A big boy tomato is an indeterminate variety. Tall growing indeterminate plants set and ripen fruit over a period of several months. Soil & Fertilizer Starting from the ground up, a good producing soil must be well aerated, hold moisture, and contain beneficial organic material for healthy plant growth. To determine how many tomato plants you need to set out: * 3- 5 Plants per person- for eating fresh off the vine. * 5- 10 plants for processing, canning. * Feed every two to three weeks when plants are young, every three to four weeks when flowering begins. * Over- fertilizing, too much shade, and too many cool nights can stunt the growth of the tomato. Pest & Disease Control Major pests of tomatoes are caterpillars, leaf miner, mites, leaf spot, and wilts. * Look for disease resistance when buying seeds and transplants. The following symbols denote resistance: V-Verticillium wilt F- Fusarium wilt FF- Race 1 and 2 fusarium wilt T- Tobacco mosaic The more letters on the seed package, the more resistant the tomato variety. Tomatoes with big brown spots on the bottom are afflicted with blossom-end rot. This is a nutritional deficiency caused by a lack of calcium to the plants. Often the calcium is missing from the soil. A pH test taken before planting determines if the soil needs lime, which supplies calcium. Injury to roots by nematodes can contribute to blossom-end rot. A quick remedy is to supply calcium to big boy tomatoes in a spray. Mix calcium chloride at a rate of 4 Tbsp. to 3 gallons of water. Use a quart per plant and apply the solution twice a week as a foliage feed. When to Plant Wait until the danger of a late frost is past to avoid damage to tomato plants.These tomatoes need full sun. Space between rows- 36-48 inches. Space Between plants- 18-23 inches. * To avoid cold temperatures in autumn and excessive heat in late spring, follow the appropriate planting schedule for your region. When planting from seed, it takes 7 days for seeds to germinate. Watering Bush Big Boy Tomato * Keep soil moist but not wet. Water when the surface begins to dry. * Mulch helps the roots stay cool and extends the time between watering. Erratic watering may keep necessary calcium from traveling up the stems of the plants and into the fruit. Harvest & Preserves Tomato plants set fruit only in temperatures between 55 and 85 degrees. * Days to harvest from seeds are 90-110. * Days to harvest from transplants are 75-90 days. For the best flavor big boy tomato, harvest time is when color has developed fully. If harvested when green or pink colored, the color will mature but not the flavor. Green tomatoes can be harvested then fried, preserved, or pickled. Grow tomato plants upright, stalked, or in cages making it easier to find pests, spray plants, and harvest fruit. One of the most popular garden varieties, the Big Boy tomato is chosen most for its size and flavor. The plant produces firm, bright red fruits that weigh a pound or more. Return to home page of gardening tips idea from Big Boy Tomato
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