So far, I've dug the 2x2x2 foot hole, mixed 50% sandy topsoil (homemade), 50% peat moss plus 25% perlite added to the total of that (I know it's not 100% but it's how I think of math), and added a few tablespoons of "tomato and veg fertilizer" mixed in with the soil as I prepared the holes, and planted three tomatoes so far. I have black plastic over the whole garden, and 3 ft pipes going to the bottom of the 2ft deep holes to add fertilizer, water, etc. At the bottom is the innerds of a disposable diaper.

With Naples, Florida sandy soil, the soil needs all of the help it can get. (and I'm pretty sure it's alkaline soil, since our water is EXTREMELY hard, so the addition of acidic peat moss SHOULD help).

Now while I'm preparing the holes, planting the plants, I'm thinking about tomato cages/Florida weave, etc.

I THINK what I'll go with is what I have at hand: 100 ft of 4' vinyl covered garden fencing which I'll make into 2 ft wide circles with one or two green T-Posts for each circle, and the circle set about a foot above the bottom of the post (making the height of the tomato cage 4.5 to 5 feet tall).

Watering properly, I haven't fully figured out yet. I've added a bunch of water to the bottom of the holes and a little water (using a dripping 1/4" tube hooked up to my garden hose using a homemade contraption I built a few years ago) to the tops of the plants.

I put a cup of agricultural hydrated lime down the tube of each hole and watered it yesterday.

I got rid of vines in the trees around the garden to give it the maximum sun in this partially shady area.

I purchased some cheap clear 30 gallon garbage bags to put around the tomato cages to: 1) act as a greenhouse 2) protect plants on windy days 3) protect when the nighttime temps go below 50 (which they did the other day and killed most of my pepper plants).

What are your thoughts about all of this? Anything I've done wrong or could do better before I plant the other 15 or so tomato plants (which are sitting sadly in containers, clinging to life as they dry out several times a day).

Ken in Naples, Florida and new to posting to gardenweb (but a visitor for several years now)

As far as watering, if you have amended the soil properly, i just water for 45 minutes every 3 days and bump it to every 2 days once matured ( for tomatoes, they drink a lot), if you do that you will be fine. Of course I hill my beds so If i ever see any runoff or tanding soaking water in the valleys, I know to adjust.

I add slow release fertilizer under the plants when I plant them and that's it for me. I enjoy a full production with each plant and I never lose anything to pests or disese. Of course be prepared for powderey Mildew. But combat it early with Neem oil and scrapy weekly as a preventative and if you get it, it will be easier to control. I do not use, and for sure do no reconed using any spray pesticides, etc in your garden. Neem and perhaps 1 or 2 other safe organics is all you need. Keep your plants and soil heathly and you will eliminate most all potential problems in the garden. just check forbugs every couple days in the morning. Look on the underside of leaves. Use the county extension for good info.

Oh yeah, your garden will love and occasional seaweed bath. If you use fresh, wash it first as the salt is a no no.

By the way, you really do not need perlite. I know a lot of people swear by it, but it really is a unnessary spend unless you are using it in containers.

I have heard of the diaper thingm but again if the soil is amended proerly you will not have any probelms. I do not know for sure, but I would think the diaper would lead to over watering types of problems, which will lead to a serious pest disease problem. Again all just my opinion/thoughts.

you need to stake tomatoers big time. mine get well over 6 feet tall and I just used cheapie wood stakes with thin rope and that green velcro stuff. Rope is cheaper though.
that is a start. godd luck.

Wow, you are really complicating it, will be interesting to see how you do :>)

bernie

The reason why I'm going through all of this stuff is that this is my SEVENTH year trying tomatoes. Every year I run into this problem or that. I've grown them in bags - which worked great 'til a cold snap hit. (I had planted them too late). I've tried them in the summer -- got aphid issues and died before I noticed... etc.

This year, I'm getting them in the ground about a month later than I wanted to --- most of them are still in small pots and staying small... but I'm trying to get that garden RIGHT so that it's easier next time around.

I'm going to pick up some Neem - I've never used it, but I'd like to try it.

The watering tube is interesting to me - but I've been also hitting the soil from the top because I don't fully believe that the water wicks UP - I suspect it probably will drain DOWN, away from the plant. But I'm willing to try it.

Overwatering is PROBABLY not going to be a problem because our soil drains SO QUICKLY, but I still am not 100% sure how to do it properly. They respond quickly when I water from above (directly to the soil - I don't get the leaves wet) but watering from below, I can't tell. (I'm truly hoping that it's encouraging a strong root system)

Preparing the holes takes the longest. I probably don't need the sterlite, but I just love how loose and light the soil feels when I use it.

The cages I ended up making are a little more narrow than I would have liked - they're about 18-20" around - but free is free (and I'm spending enough money on soil amendments as it is)

I may snake a soaker hose under the black plastic- or perhaps poke holes in the plastic around the tomato cages and create divits to allow water to pool and drip into the soil underneath them - sort of the "moat" idea that I used with good success a few years back.

I'm going to pick up some cheap fertilizer spikes as well, since I have a container tomato plant that is doing better than any of my other plants - and the only difference is that I put FOUR of those baby spikes in rather than one or two - and its growing and growing. I'm almost afraid to disturb it by planting it in the groud, its doing so well! (I'm leaving that tomato plant to be the last one I plant).

Just remember, that when you see lots of growth, you're usually looking at leaves. Tomatoes, and the related eggplants and peppers as well as some root vegs will cheerfully make lots of leaves when well fertilized with nitrogen, but won't do much in the way of setting fruit. Watch the nitrogen on tomatoes!

Also, the "downer" the water drains, the more down and strong the roots get - less susceptible to the variable moisture levels close to the surface.

Plant your tomatoes in good soil, however you prepare it, and give consistent deep watering, at the roots - don't wet the foliage except for perhaps a weekly spray to discourage mites, mulch well, so the soil doesn't dry rapidly. Fertilize with "Tomato fertilizer" at planting (or a combination of organics that gives a low nitrogen relative to phosphorus and potassium) and side dress monthly if you have fast draining soil.

Choose nematode resistant plants, or mulch even more! or grow in raised beds with sterile soil.

Also, read, listen, try stuff, and have fun! I hope you get a wonderful harvest of fat juicy tomatoes!
Eileen

Do you have a lot of shells in your natural soil?

just put some netting over your tomatoes when they are close to coloring and that will protect them. yes they will peck them, they know a good thing :-).

Denise

I think about that every time I see a perfectly red ripe tomato with mockingbird pecks in it. AARGH!!