I dunno, he's in Ohio. And it seems like a lot of work. But if it does work, it may well be worth it. I'm thinking of trying some determinate varieties this year. Never did that before because I can't eat more than 5 or 6 tomatoes a day! But getting them all at once then planting something else might be better than getting nothing all summer.

We lived in SW Ohio for a few years and only planted tomatoes once. That's because the tomatoes we couldn't eat went to seed and sprouted the following spring. Couldn't share with the neighbors because they all had too many tomatoes.

Best to stick with someone who grows tomatoes in Texas like Renee's Roots.

Here is a link that might be useful: Renee's Roots

I guess my point was completely missed.. I was focusing on the soil prep and how that just might make it easier for us to grow tomato plants faster so they might set fruit sooner ..before the night time temps get to high.

Renee's Roots had pretty much the same idea for prepping the soil. She added rock powders.
Earl's went into more specific details of how much of each to add. Though I'm not sure what Espoma is.

From Renee's:
"SOIL PREP: To promote plant growth and good fruit production, try amending soil with: Rock powders � rock phosphate (phosphorus), greensand (potassium), and decomposed granite (trace minerals); leaf mould and compost (to feed soil microbes and improve tilth); coffee grounds (increases acidity); and earthworm castings or composted manure (nitrogen). If you�re growing in containers and want to keep it simple, try mixing good compost with a good quality potting soil, and then once a week, add a bit of organic fertilizer (granular or liquid)."

From Earl:

Then to each hole I add � bag of the peat humus, 1/4 bag of the manure, then I scatter about the hole a handful each of Epson salts, Bonemeal and Espoma.

What worked for me last year, before my garden completely fried, was to dig a hole as close to 2' deep as I could get it. I put about 3" of small twigs and sticks in the bottom for drainage, covered that with 3" of shredded newspaper (but any brown compost material would work), then covered that with 2" of soil. I sprinkled a handful of organic fertilizer (ie, Espoma) on that, then watered. Then I layered alternating 2" layers of green compost materials (like veggie trimmings, manure, or pulled weeds), 2" of more brown compost material, 2" soil, and another handful of fertilizer, then watered again. Kept doing that until the hole was full.
Had very healthy, quick growing tomatoes until it got too hot and everything just fried when no amount of watering would save them.

SB158, Did your plants set fruit before it got hot?
Our tomatoes grew and did fine over the summer.
No fruit to speak of until late fall.

The Roma and Sungold did, but the other was a later, indeterminate variety. Grew like crazy, but it was too hot to set fruit by the time it was blooming. Mine croaked by July, between 110 degrees every damn day, 20-30 mph south wind, and of course the spider mites and whiteflies...
Our water is so funky down here that no amount of watering really helped, and the water bill got way too high, so I just threw in the towel. Wanted to plant a fall crop, but we keep trying to move, and thought we might be able to do so. Didn't happen yet, but I keep hoping! I want to live somewhere where it actually rains once in a while.

Soil prep is important of course but here in South Texas, getting them in early is probably the most important.
I usually target mid February to get mine in the ground, being prepared to protect the plants in the event of frost.
The early start makes a huge difference in overall production in my experience.

Last year was a perfect example. Because of weather I pushed back my plant out date to March 1st.
While at the nursery around the 15th, I spotted a perfect looking transplant and decided to buy it and put it in the ground that same day.
April 1st that plant had 50 tomatoes on it which was more than the rest of my 12 or so plants combined.
Get them in early if you want good production

I'm in Central Texas and that seems like a lot of manure per plant, to me. I'd be afraid that it would start burning my plants as soon as temps get into 80-90, which is Feb-Mar. Manure, including the stuff that comes in bags a Lowes/HD, is composted to some degree prior to being bagged. The longer it's been composted, the less hot it is (less nitrogen), and better for Texas gardens. It's always difficult to know how hot a bag of manure is. Natural fertilizers, like compost, can burn a plant just like Merical Grow.

I like to buy some bags now, open them up and let them sit exposed for a month, and let some of the nitrogen wash out, or just use less manure. The rest of the stuff in the recipe looks good.

My dirt is heavy with clay. I'm hearing good things about mixing in granite sand with my soil. Adds nutrients and helps keep the soil from compacting.

I've had good luck adding lots of leaves and bunny poo to my veggie beds and allowing them to break down prior to plant out. I will sometimes add some additional organic fertlizer and spray with fish or seaweed when I think about it. To me it's more about feeding the soil, which in turn feeds the plant.
HTH,
Susan