In small garden areas, plants should be staked or put in cages so fruit will not touch the soil. Place a stake next to the plant and tie it to the stake periodically. Tomato cages may be made of reinforcing wire or used hog wire fencing. Cut pieces of wire about eight feet long and bend into a cylinder. Place the wire cylinder around each plant.
Push stems back in if they push out through the holes.
It is advisable to pick tomatoes in the pink stage and allow them to ripen indoors. 95 F. Early and late blight, blossom end rot, aphids, and tomato horn worms are constant enemies of tomatoes. They may be controlled with proper application of fungicides and insecticides. Every year variety trials are conducted near St. Joseph. Last year the largest tomatoes occurred on Empire, Mt Fresh, and Summer Flavor 5000.