Cherry Tomato Plant (Solanum lycopersicum)

GENERAL INFORMATION

• The tomato is the edible, often red berry of the plant Solanum Lycopersicum, commonly known as a tomato plant.
• The species originated in western South America and Central America.
• The Nahuatl word tomatl gave rise to the Spanish word tomate, from which the English word tomato derived.

SOIL REQUIREMENT

• Tomatoes are not super fussy about what type of soil they are grown in.
• As with most garden vegetables, they do well in well-drained, fertile loam with a pH of 5.8 to 7.0.
• Mix several inches of organic compost or aged animal manure into the upper 4-8 inches of soil before planting.

FEEDING/FERTILIZER REQUIREMENT

• Choose a fertilizer that has a balanced ratio of the three major elements, such as 10-10-10, or where the middle number (phosphorus) is larger than the first number (nitrogen), such as 2-3-1.
• Tomatoes are heavy feeders and usually do need fertilizer unless your soil is very rich.

LIGHT REQUIREMENT

• 6-8 hours of sun is all a tomato plant's needs.
• Tomatoes thrive in full sun.

WATER REQUIREMENT

• As temperatures increase, you might need to water tomato plants twice a day.
• Garden tomatoes typically require 1-2 inches of water a week.
• Water in the morning and check the soil moisture levels again in the afternoon.
• If the soil feels dry about 1 inch below the surface, it's time to water again.

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