Although this is my first season growing tomatoes (Organic Brandywine and Big Beef) there are a couple valuable tips I learned on my way to having a successful harvest (I have many green tomatoes now). Thanks to my family and friends for providing so much info on tomatoes and gardening during my first summer in our new home.
Staking: I made the mistake of staking later than I should have. Even though my plants were only about 8 inches tall when transplanted into the garden, I should have staked then because this prevents damage to the root system. My crop is turning out fine, but I wish I had realized this sooner and staked earlier.
Weeds: I found that a couple layers of wet newspaper held in place by a few wood stakes or rocks stops a lot of weeds. Pour some more compost or soil on top. A few more weeds will come through the newspaper, but weeding a few out is better than weeding a lot out . . .
Pay attention to the weather. Always water at night/dusk because this allows the water to soak in rather than be burned off by the sun. Also, here in new england we tend to get thunderstorms on a hot day around 4-7 pm, so I like to see if we're going to get that drenching shower before I head out to grab the hose. This can save you some $$.
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