How to grow tomatoes in your garden

There's nothing tastier than a fresh-picked tomato. Enjoy a bumper crop this year with these tips. Learn how to grow tomatoes in your garden with this Howcast video guide.

You Will Need
* A sunny spot
* A soil test
* Tomato seeds or transplants
* A tiller
* Garden tools
* Fertilizer
* Stakes or cages
* Recipes
* Plastic cups and indoor planters

Step 1: Pick a good spot
Tomatoes need at least six hours of sun a day.

Step 2: Test the soil
Find out what nutrients it needs. Garden centers often sell do-it-yourself kits.

Step 3: Choose tomato varieties
Apart from taste, consider the hardiness of the variety and whether it does well in your climate and soil. Plant types that mature at different times so you’ll have a steady supply of tomatoes.

Step 4: Decide between seeds or transplants
You’ll need 6-8 wks to grow plants from seeds. Start the seeds in plastic cups with holes punched in the bottom. Keep them inside, transferring them to larger containers once they begin to sprout leaves.

Step 5: Till the land
Once the possibility of frost has passed in your area, it’s time to plant! Break up the land you will be planting with a tiller.

Step 6: Fertilize and plant
Dig a trench about seven inches deep in the area where you’re planning to put your tomatoes. Add fertilizer, cover it with two or three inches of soil, and plant the transplants on top, spaced 12 to 18 inches apart.

Step 7: Water and watch them grow
Water your plants daily for the first week. As they grow, they’ll need to be staked, which means tying them to a pole so they grow upright.

Step 8: Spring for cages
Except for a little pruning, caged tomato plants require less labor because you don’t have to use stakes or ties. Just put the cage over the plant and push the legs into the ground to anchor it.

Step 9: Prepare for your bounty
Read up on tomato recipes so you’re ready to make the most of your summer bounty!