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Nine Suboptimal Locations to Steer Clear of for Maximum Tomato Growth

Don't grow tomatoes in these nine locations to ensure a fruitful harvest:

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Nine Unsuitable Spots to Position Tomato Plants for Maximum Yield
Nine Unsuitable Spots to Position Tomato Plants for Maximum Yield

The Lowdown on Where Not to Put Your Tomatoes

Nine Suboptimal Locations to Steer Clear of for Maximum Tomato Growth

Placing your tomatoes incorrectly could mean slim pickings come harvest time. Here's where you shouldn't plant them and why:

1. Flooded or Poorly-Drained Areas

  • Avoid It Because: Tomatoes are weak swimmers, they hate soggy feet. Too much water leads to diseases like root rot.
  • Solve It: Ensure your garden beds have good drainage to keep water from pooling around the roots.

2. The Shade

  • Avoid It Because: Tomatoes crave the sun and require at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily to fruit.
  • Solve It: Choose a sun-drenched spot for your tomatoes to enjoy the rays.

3. Next to Big Trees or Structures

  • Avoid It Because: Trees and structures can take up the sun, compete for water, and cause uneven soil moisture.
  • Solve It: Plant tomatoes in open, sunny spots away from large trees or structures.

4. Cold Spots

  • Avoid It Because: Tomatoes are sun-loving crops that can't handle the chill. Cold soil slows growth and invites diseases.
  • Solve It: Wait for the soil to warm up before planting. Use a soil thermometer to make sure temperatures reach 60 to 65°F.

5. The Same Spot Every Year

  • Avoid It Because: Planting in the same spot repeats nutrient depletion and raises disease risks.
  • Solve It: Rotate your tomato planting spots annually.

6. Near Partners with Opposing Needs

  • Avoid It Because: Tomatoes have specific moisture and nutrient needs that can create competition with neighbors like rosemary or cucumbers.
  • Solve It: Separate tomatoes from plants with opposing needs to prevent resource wars.

7. Wind Tunnel Zones

  • Avoid It Because: High winds can damage or break tomato plants, decreasing fruit yield.
  • Solve It: If possible, find plants some shelter from the wind.

8. In Nightshade Families' Company

  • Avoid It Because: Plants like potatoes and eggplants are from the same nightshade family as tomatoes. Growing them together increases the risk of blight and pest infestations.
  • Solve It: Keep them apart to keep diseases at bay.

By dodging these tomato-unfriendly spots, you'll provide the best environment and give your plants a fighting chance for a healthy, fruitful season.

Footnotes:
  1. SOIL THERMOMETER FOR GARDENING, STAKATO Long Reach Soil Thermometer for Outdoor and Indoor use
  2. From Old House Gardens' 'Rosemary Companion Planting'
  3. From The Sustainable Gardener's Guide by John P.M. Phillips, Chapter 2, 'Companion Planting and Avoiding Conflicts', page 17
  4. From Fine Gardening's 'Guide to Plant Companionship', May/June 2017, Page 22
  5. Vegetable gardening can be maximized by incorporating edible gardening techniques, such as avoiding planting tomatoes in flooded or poorly-drained areas, shade, cold spots, and wind tunnel zones.
  6. To solve the issue of tomatoes not thriving in cold spots, one should wait for the soil to warm up before planting, ensuring temperatures reach 60 to 65°F.
  7. The placement of tomatoes in the same spot every year should be avoided to prevent nutrient depletion and raise disease risks; instead, rotate the tomato planting spots annually.
  8. To create an ideal environment for tomatoes, ensure they are not planted near partners with opposing needs, such as cucumbers or rosemary, to prevent resource wars and disease infestations.

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