I would guess the easiest thing would be to dig the grass/groundcover from the spot you want to use, dig some (large) holes, amend the soil from the hole in any way you think is necessary (compost, aged manure, a handful of fertilizer, whatever you feel comfortable with) and pop the tomatoes in the hole (there are a lot of youtube videos out there on "proper" tomato planting) and water. I think that's what a lot of people do when they start gardening, I know that's what I did. You'll learn from doing that what you need/want to do next year, or if you get more seriously into gardening.

As far as what type of tomatoes, if you have mom and pop type feed/seed/hardware stores in your area that sell plants, or farmers markets where people are selling starts, talk to them and see what they suggest, or just grab something that sounds good to you. Generally they'll have things that do well in your area, unlike the big box stores which sell whatever is hot nationwide. If you don't have those things in your area, pick something from the big box store that sounds good to you and go for it. I think tomatoes are pretty forgiving as long as you give them basic care.

In addition to the FAQs Lucille linked for you there is another discussion just a bit further down the page that is relevant all about which is best growing in the ground, a raised bed, or containers.

As for most economical - depends on what your soil is like, if you have local access to a source of good compost and a way to haul it or you'd have to play delivery charges, if you have access to a tiller or would have to strip off the sod and turn all the soil by hand. There are cheap big containers available - grow bags out of fabric for example - but buying enough soil-less mix to fill them can get expensive.

Or do you have access to any building materials that would let you build a raised bed on top of the existing soil. Just lay down some layers of cardboard on top of the grass, set the bed frame on top and fill it with bagged mixes from Home Depot/Lowes/Walmart.

All depends on how much you want to spend and what you have available and how much work you want to do by hand.

Dave

It depend on the kind of native soil there is where you want to start a garden. If it good or decent, in ground garden would be the simplest and most economical. Perhaps all you will have to do is add some bagged manure/compost from HD.

For the starter, for 4 to 6 tomato plants you will need to make a 4ft x 8 ft plot. That should be more than enough for 6 tomato plants.

Then you'll learn from your experience and decide if you want to expand it the next season.

Sey

Anyone know how I can determine what would be best to add to the soil in the holes I want to put the plants in? Peat moss , manure or ?

It's really hard to say without looking at your soil. Is it sand, clay, something in between, or naturally rich, crumbly, loose soil? I have to add a lot of things to make my soil decent, you may have to add nothing besides some fertilizer. Personally I would avoid peat moss unless you know there's a reason you have to use it...I don't think you can really go wrong adding some good aged/composted manure (do not use fresh).

Not very helpful, I know, but the answer to what you add really depends on what you're starting with as far as soil quality.

"Anyone know how I can determine what would be best to add to the soil in
the holes I want to put the plants in? Peat moss , manure or ?"

Normally amendments like that are well mixed into the entire bed or planting area before planting, not just in a hole for a plant. I suppose you can try just digging a hole in the yard, putting a plant in it and hope for the best but it is far from an ideal method. Tomato plant roots need to be able to roam.

Peat is a soil amendment used to loosen up soil texture but it has no nutrient value. Composted manure (never fresh) does little to improve soil but has some low nutrient value

Dave

So mixing peat in the whole bed probably the best bet? Was thinking of using fertilizer sticks around the plants themselves.

It is best to till up the entire garden area as deep as you can, add your amendments as you till, and then plant your crops.

Fertilizer stick for tomato plants ? never heard of anybody doing it.

The best an cheapest way is just sprinkle something like 16-16-16 and mix/work it in. Later, depending on the soil conditions, you can top dress some more after planting. I use mostly water soluble fertilizers after planting. MG blue water soluble ( 24-8-16) is a good all purpose tomato fertilizer and it is convenient to apply. Plus price is right at about $2,50 per pound if you buy a 5 lb can.

Sey

When I plant tomatoes outside (which is very seldom) I use Jobes Tomato Outside Fertilizer Spikes - see link:

http://www.amazon.com/Jobes-6005-18-Spikes-Outdoor-Fertilizer/dp/B001REDIZ2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1462350329&sr=8-6&keywords=jobes+fertilizer+spikes

It's just easier to use spikes in the garden environment for me so I don't forget to give them fertilizer. I also put a tablespoon of Blood Meal in the hole whenever I plant a tomato seedling. It gives them a boost at planting - IMO.

Please forgive me if I am being redundant here, just trying to understand. If I have it right, you use higher nitrogen fertilizer when you first plant, to prepare the soil for root growth, then lower nitrogen as the plants develop to encourage flowering and fruit production?

When the plant is a seedling (12-18" high) and I am transplanting to an outside garden or in a GH - I add one tablespoon of organic blood meal (a one time dose of organic nitrogen independent of any other fertilization program) in the bottom of the hole where the roots have immediate access to give the seedling a jump start in growth for a more successful transplant. Again, I do this just one time at transplanting only - in the bottom of the hole.

There is no one and only one way to do it Tammy and each has their own methods based on their own experiences with their soil.

For those new to growing tomatoes I would personally never recommend using blood meal on them as if you don't know what you are doing with it you could easily kill the plant or burn the roots. I have seen and heard people swear that all sorts of things MUST go into the planting hole in order to grow tomatoes - some of them you'd roll your eyes at. So if you tried to put everything folks claim they must have in there there'd be no room for the plant.

So one of the safest and easiest approaches for a new gardener is just to work a good amount of any well balanced fertilizer like 10-10-10 (per the label directions) along with your peat (if it is needed), compost, and other amendments into the whole garden and then plant your plants.

Then after the first time they bloom and set some fruit give them a second feeding and maybe once again in mid-season. See how things go and make notes to adjust for next season. Things are never perfect no matter how many years you garden and every year you learn more.

Dave

Tammy - digdirt has a good point. I am telling you what I do and am in NO way suggesting that you should do the same or that it will work for you!! I suggest you plant two identical seedlings side by side - put blood meal in one and not the other (knowing in advance that you may kill your seedling with blood meal) and draw your own conclusions!! Heaven forbid that you should add blood meal to your hole and end up with a seedling that looks like mine in the photo above! That would be down right disgusting! What you do with the info shared on this forum is entirely up to you.

I would be very happy to end up with a seedling that looks like that...lol

No criticism intended Hudson. If it works for you, fine but It isn't a common practice and blood meal needs to be used with care, especially with small young transplants. That's why I said "IF you know what you are doing".

I have talked to new growers who wonder why their plant died when all they did was what someone told them they had to do - dump a heaping tablespoon full of it in the hole, not mix it in with the soil at all much less mix it in well, pour water on it and then set the roots of the transplant right on top of it.

And excess nitrogen not only attracts aphids and other pests, interferes with photosynthesis due to the darkening of the leaf pigment, can stunt internode lengths, but can burn and blacken leaf edges.

Just some thoughts to consider.

Dave

Thanks for your clarification Dave - I agree with your comments !