I started growing tomatoes late last year. It was just an accident. I didn’t know Hubby squeezed the seeds of a ripe tomato on a vacant plant pot. Few days later, I’ve seen plants growing on the pot. I thought they were just another set of marigold seedlings. But as the seedlings grew, I noticed that the leaves were totally different from that of marigolds. One of the 7th graders who lives with us told me that they were not marigolds but tomatoes.
Among the seedlings only one plant completely grew and matured. The rest died and outgrown by the one who matured.
After waiting for several weeks, the plant started to produce flowers. I added more cow manure as fertilizer. But after waiting for more weeks, no flower became fruit. All the flowers just dried up and fell to the soil. I was not sure if it was caused by the cow manure I added. Later on, I read somewhere later on that too much cow manure would make the soil acidic.
I no longer expected to harvest any fruit from the said plant so I started to grow another set of seedlings. This time, I was the one who fell some seeds on another vacant plant pot. I didn’t bury the seeds because I was still waiting for them to dry up. But lo and behold, seedlings sprouted and that time it was larger in number. 
 By the way, I didn’t transfer the first plant to the ground. But that time  I  decided to transfer the new seedlings . I waited for them to grow a little more. That was the time Hubby noticed the two little tomatoes on the first plant. I was very happy and excited when Hubby showed them to me. My hope that more fruits would be coming out arose. Everyday I checked on the plant if another flower turned into fruit. Unfortunately, until the two tomatoes became ripe and the plant died, it yielded no additional fruit.
As the tomatoes grew, I noticed that the main branch of the tomato plant has started to fall. Hubby re-located the plant pot near a bigger plant and twirl  the main tomato branch on the bigger plant. I don’t know that time that it needs to be caged or staked. When I learned it, the tomato was already matured. So the alternative Hubby thought was to lean it on a stronger plant for support.
So what happened to the new seedlings? I’ve transplanted them to the side-yard of the church. The soil was not really soil but more of a sand but nonetheless I transferred them hoping that they would grow better and yield more fruit.
I also requested Hubby to help me built a stake to support the growing tomato plants. Not all the seedlings survive though. Some were infested but there were two plants which remained healthy. I think the pest were aphids because the leaves started to curl. I don’t know then that they were being attacked by pest. I thought the curling of leaves were due to too much heat.
The two plants are now full blown tomato plants. Tomato plants grow so fast. They have currently 14 (supposedly  16 but two fell for unknown reason) young tomatoes and more are still coming out. At first the flowers were also drying up and falling. So I prayed for them to give fruits (Oh yes, I pray for things like this ^___^). After few days, the flowers started to become fruits. Some plants which were infested by aphids were slowly coping up. But they are not growing upward but side-ward.
I’m using banana skins and egg shells for fertilizers. I am waiting for seaweeds to be available in the market. I read somewhere that seaweeds are also good fertilizers. And oh I use the water from rinsing the rice to water the plants.
Currently these tomato plants are my stress-busters. I enjoyed looking at them in the morning and counting their fruits. I am praying that they will continue to grow despite the kind of ground we have.
This accidental tomato-grower is enjoying this new experience. What about you? What new experience are you enjoying right now? By the way, I ate the two first tomatoes, I noticed some difference on the taste. Was it because they were organic?
Last time were able to grow okra in the front yard. Maybe by June rainy days na we’ll try growing tomatoes and bell pepper.
Although we have limited space, I really want to explore herb or vegetable gardening too. I don’t know when to start? Can someone put together a helpful post? hehe 🙂
Tomato plants grow super fast! We have tomato plants at my parents’ house, hoping to grow my own in our own garden.
Yes, they grow very fast! I’ve already harvested few ripe tomatoes. They are already in our tummy haha!
Good job sis! Gusto ko rin makapagtanim ng gulay one of these days. 🙂
Try mo sis, kahit sa mga empty bottle lang ng mga soda. Dyan sa manila maraming mabibilhan ng potting soil at organic fertilizers, kahit pang consumo lng ng family mo 😉
tomatoes are so easy to grow.I also plant herbs and spices like onions and celery because they grow fast. tipid din sa pagpalengke
Gusto ko rin sana magtanim ng celery and onion. Yung onion na pinagerminate ko hindi nabuhay, while ung celery, wala akong makitang seeds 🙁
Wow, I have been planning to grow tomatoes in our tiny backyard, too. Recently, I planted calamansi and they’re now small “babies”, hihi. Hope they grow and mature. Next, i will squeeze in a ripe tomato in our backyard, too. I hope and pray that it grows like what happened to your plant. Congrats and I hope it yields more fruits. You’re right, it’s also one of my stress relievers. Kaaliw kasi. Everyday I check my calamansi if they’re growing, I also put egg shells hoping it would help them grow fast and healthy, too. 🙂
Meron din kaming calamansi, pero galing sa marcot. Ang tagal ding tumubo 😀 Isa un sa mga gusto kong mamunga para everyday pwede magkalamansi 🙂
I LOVE your tomato plan. It’s also nice to know about seaweeds as fertilizer. I definitely grow some vegetables this coming summer. I’m sure you can’t wait for your first harvest..:)
Melgie#2
plant*
Super hehehe… Everyday i check kung may nadagdag 😀
Congratulations on growing those tomatoes. I wish to grow many other kinds of vegetables in our backyard also but haven’t had the time and courage to do so. Praying you’ll have more harvests to come.
Thank you Ms. Chin chin
Wow! Mine, I grow some bell peppers. Tomatoes are still on their way pa. I have also amplaya seedlings and ready for transplanting.
Wala akong space for Ampalaya eh, marami kaming tanim na sili kasi kusang tumutubo pero walang bell peppers
I hope tomatoes will still bear fruit in pots. I am planning to grow vegetables in pots when I learned that there are vegetable seedlings sold in the hardware store at the mall.
Well nabubuhay ata basta may caging ka para hindi madaling matumba ung puno and dapat mabantayan mo na hindi sya mag babranch ng another main branch 🙂
Wow, you able to grow tomatoes. We are trying also to grow some vegetables like tomatoes, siling haba/sigangin, and ampalaya. We have little space at home and we just plant them on cans or pots. Hopefully they will grow like those. Last year kasi we were able to grow some potatoes but I don’t know why their fruits don’t get bigger, hehe.
Ang potatoes root crop di ba? SO you need to have big pots?
Wow very impressive! I would like to do this too if only there is healthy soil sa bahay
Hindi rin good soil yung lupa dito, actually mabuhangin kasi isla itong Panglao. You can treat them with egg shells and banana skins.