8 Tips for Growing Tomatoes in Hot, Dry Desert Climates
Tomatoes grown in the garden are a favorite of many hobby gardeners. But what if you live in a hot and dry desert climate? Is it possible to grow tomatoes in the desert? In this article, Sarah Hyde, a horticulturist, and former nature farmer give some great tips based on her first experience growing tomatoes in the desert! Do you live in a desert climate and want to grow star tomatoes? Tomatoes thrive in desert climates and can produce a wide variety of crops. Desert tomato growers may experience fewer diseases, fungus, and rot plants due to the dry climate.
However, desert farmers are up against the harsh conditions. Very cold nights, hot, dry days with low humidity and strong winds, low water availability, and heavy monsoon. If you live in a desert climate, how can you expect to get high yields this season? After ten years of experience growing tomatoes in farmers' markets in the high desert of Arizona, I have taken some tips to help you grow the best tomatoes in hot, dry climates. This article focuses on tomatoes grown outdoors in the soil or in containers, not hydroponic or high-tunnel-grown tomatoes.
1 Choose the right type
Prepare yourself for a plentiful tomato harvest by selecting varieties that grow well in harsh desert climates. Most tomato varieties grow in desert climates, but some perform better than others. When selecting seeds or transplants, select the ones listed as "heat tolerant". Today's tomato growers are making great progress in varieties that can withstand difficult conditions. Many super-tough tomato varieties are hybrid (F1) plants that combine the excellent characteristics of the two mother plants. Hybrids also have excellent immunity. Hybrid seeds are not GMO seeds. The downside of hybrid tomatoes is that the seeds will not "come to fruition" for the tomatoes you have preserved. Seeds are more expensive than open-pollinated seeds.
If you want to store your own tomato seeds, choose open-pollinated or hereditary varieties. Red, pink, orange, and yellow fruits absorb more heat and do better in the hot sun than dark-fruited varieties that are more prone to sunburn. If you only grow one tomato plant, you may have more success with smaller fruits such as cherries or "salads". These varieties produce larger, more balanced crops than the large fruiting "big boy" varieties in the desert climate.
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2 Consider the types of anti-virus
Curly-top viruses (CTV) are a family of pathogens that infect many crops in the desert, including beets, tomatoes, bell peppers, and cockroaches. Beetle is carried away by leafhopper as it migrates north in the spring, some years worse than others.
If you are starting your plants from seed, you can choose seeds that are listed as Curly Top Antivirus or CTV Resistant. Ask what varieties are in your local nursery and whether they are resistant to the Curly Top virus.
3 Know your last frost date
Part of the charm of the desert is the warm winter days. They fool a gardener and can quickly set up delicate plants like tomatoes. However, desert winter nights tend to fall below freezing. This is especially true at the foot of high mountains and deep valleys. Before placing the tomatoes, find out your average last frost date in the spring and carefully monitor the night temperature in spring and early summer.
Even if the temperature is above freezing, your particular microclimate (see below) may cool down. If the frost temperature is predicted after you plant the tomatoes, keep an old bed sheet or row cover in hand.
4 Take care of your microclimate
Deserts have a variety of landscapes and vegetation that create unique microclimates. Daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations are high due to dry air holding low humidity and heat. Microclimates can work in favor of the gardener, meaning that the southern exposure in winter warms the spring. Trees that create dim shade in summer also affect your microclimate. Microclimates can cause frustration, low gardens, and other places where frost settles in the spring, after which there is no frost.
5 Yours to grow your tomatoes
Note the area for. Ideally, it should be flat, but not the lowest point of the surrounding landscape, with good sunlight. The cold air will sink, so the lowest points of your property will be frozen.
Heat banks like large rocks will work in your favor to alleviate the cold in early spring. But, they are also extremely hot in summer. Access to gentle air or air circulation is always good to reduce diseases. Breeze spots can also freeze last (depending on the type of frost).
6 Plant extra tomato seedlings
You can always give extra home tomatoes, but the saddest day in gardening is the untimely death of your individual tomato plant. Many things can happen - irrigation Excessive watering, tomato deworming, gophers or animal damage, curly top virus - so be prepared. Plant one or two extra tomato seedlings. If you swim in over-ripe fruits, you can always prune them. Plants are also happy with each other and help to create a more humid microclimate within themselves.
7 Water deeply as the soil dries
Deep, regular watering is best practiced for most crops in most climates when the soil is dry from the first node, and tomatoes are no exception. Deep watering promotes deep root growth, but more often than not, shallow watering promotes lateral growth. Check soil moisture by touching first rather than watering on a strict schedule. Water deeply, but do not keep the soil saturated at all times. Plant roots need oxygen, and waterlogged soil is low in oxygen.
8 Harvest before watering or heavy rains
Harvest ripe tomatoes before pouring deep water as mentioned above. The taste of tomatoes is very intense when harvested from a plant that needs watering. Most importantly, too much water can cause hair cracking in very ripe tomatoes, which greatly shortens post-harvest life. Some large fruits or thin-skinned varieties are more prone to cracking than others, so keep this in mind when choosing growing varieties.
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