Although most tomato plants enjoy long, hot, dry seasons you can grow them successfully in moderate climates.To do this, first learn how to plant tomatoes in cooler vegetable gardens and give them a healthy start to life. The following steps will help you get your tomato plants off on the right foot.

Select the best variety of tomato plants

I find sweet tasting cherry tomatoes do well in vegetable gardens where summers are short. They tend to crop early and they continue to fruit for an extended time. Cherry tomato seedlings are available from nurseries and best planted in spring after the end of frosts.

Select a full sun site

This is even more important in cooler vegetable gardens than in those in warmer climates.

Create a rich, healthy soil

All vegetable garden soils should be filled with adequate nutrients and organic matter, but especially when tomatoes grow there as they 'hungry plants' and need the benefits of a healthy soil to thrive best. Add well rotted compost, a few handfuls of potash for extensive flowering and fruiting and animal manure pellets to release additional nutrients slowly across the season.

Construct a stable, growing structure

Cherry tomatoes grow to considerable heights and need to be supported as they inch skywards. There are different ways to support tomato plants.You cab buy wire tomato cages hat serve this purpose but a less expensive and time-proven method is to construct a tomato stake. Push 3 stakes of similar length into the ground (bamboo or other timber stakes are best) approximately 12 inches apart. Tie the stakes together near the top with a piece of string.

Plant deeply

Dig a hole next to each of the stakes. Cherry tomato plants can be planted a little deeper in the soil than other vegetables. By burying the stem as deeply as possible, the tomato plant root ball increases. Tie the seedling loosely to the stake using string. To best master the art of how to plant tomatoes like these, always remove any lateral stems that may be present. This will support the development of a strong, healthy main stem.

Water well

After planting, water heavily allowing the soil to dry considerably before watering again. Irrigate wherever possible keeping water off the leaves of the tomato plant.

Keep the soil warm and moist

One of the best tips as you learn how to plant tomatoes in cooler vegetable gardens is to place a layer of 3-inch thick straw or grass mulch over the soil between the plants.