• Make sure your soil is loose and fertile. Plant transplants deep. This allows them to grow lots of roots. Pinch off all but the top four leaves. Leave only the leafy tops above ground. Roots will soon develop along the buried stem.
  
  
• To boost young plants, feed with 20-20-20 liquid fertilizer according to label directions until fruit appears; then fertilize with a slow-release, general-purpose granular fertilizer, such as 10-40-10, every four weeks. One handful per plant should do. Water plants thoroughly after each application.
  
  
• Watch your tomato plants carefully. If they look wilted in the middle of the day, it's okay. If they're wilted early in the morning, they need water. Apply 2 to 3 inches of mulch to prevent any soilborne diseases from splashing on them during heavy rains. Avoid watering from overhead. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses are better alternatives for your plants and are also a more effective way to water. Remove any diseased or insect-infested leaves or limbs immediately, so that the problem won't spread throughout the plant.
  
  
• If you're not using cages, tie plants to a stake once they grow about 2 feet tall. Plants grown in cages might have to be guided and tied to the sides of the cages every now and then. Use biodegradable twine to tie plants to the stake about every 12 to 18 inches. This keeps them tight to the support. It's better to tie your tomatoes as they grow, not once they've fallen over.
  
  
• If your plants outgrow their stakes, you can cut off the tops and pinch off blooms. This will allow fruit that has already set to mature quickly and will increase the size of your tomatoes.
  
  
• Be sure to plant a second crop--two or three plants--in midsummer to extend your season into autumn. Don't miss out on the experience of growing your own tomatoes. Plant a few different selections and see which ones work best for you and your taste buds.

"Tomato Growing Tips" is from the Southern Living Garden Guide 2000 edition.