Proper soil preparation is essential to the success of your tomato crop. Agricultural Extension Agent John Repair says the first step is to rototill the soil in early spring to eliminate young weeds and improve the texture of the soil. Never till or dig when soil is wet. Next, add a balanced granular fertilizer to the tilled soil such as 10-10-10, and rototill again. Once you've prepared the soil, lay down black plastic mulch in the form of landscape fabric. This will reduce weed growth, slow moisture loss and keep the soil warm. Warmer soil means enhanced tomato growth in early spring and summer. Make sure you don't plant too early in the spring: wait for the soil to warm before putting in this warm-season vegetable. Plant seedlings started at a nursery, or start your own seeds indoors in late winter. Tomatoes should be planted after the soil has warmed to the touch. Plant several varieties such as 'Big Beef', 'Beefsteak', 'Early Girl', 'Better Boy', 'Sweet One-Hundred' or 'Ace' to ensure a longer harvest. Some varieties bear early but with smaller fruit; others bear late with large tomatoes. Using a trowel, dig directly through the plastic mulch and prepare a planting hole (figure A). Place the tomato plant in the prepared hole, and fill around the roots with soil. Mark the plant with a tag indicating the variety and date planted, and water through the hole in the mulch, avoiding getting water on the leaves.
Once the plants are in the ground, continue to water as needed. Tomatoes are deep rooted, and infrequent, deep watering is best. Plants that have been over-watered have less flavorful fruit and are more susceptible to fungal diseases. Clip off the side growth on young tomato plants to encourage fruiting instead of excess vegetative growth. Continue pruning throughout the life of the plants. Monitor your local weather forecasts if you've planted your tomatoes early in the season. Frost will kill them quickly, so if cold weather is on the way, cover your plants to protect them overnight, then uncover them the next morning.
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