10 Best Tips for Planting & Growing Great Tomatoes

ByAgkidzone Staff

Updated: Jun 20, 2024

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Tomatoes are one of the most popular vegetable garden plants. With proper maintenance and a few helpful hints, your tomato plants may produce wonderful, ripe fruit. The key to growing great-tasting tomatoes is to select the best types, get the plants started correctly, and prevent issues before they occur. Start with these tried-and-true tomato planting guidelines to ensure a delicious, bountiful harvest this year.

Water Wisely

Tomatoes require consistent watering to flourish, especially once the fruit sets. Aim to water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep root growth. Avoid overhead watering to minimize the risk of leaf diseases. Instead, water at the base of the plant early in the day, which helps keep the foliage dry and disease-free. A regular, deep watering routine keeps the soil evenly moist but not waterlogged, promoting healthy plant development.

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Monitor for Pests and Diseases

Keeping an eye on potential pests and diseases is crucial for healthy tomatoes. Common issues include aphids, spider mites, and fungal infections like blight. Regular inspections can catch problems early, allowing for timely interventions. Use organic pesticides if necessary, and remove affected plant parts immediately to prevent the spread of disease. Healthy, well-maintained plants are less susceptible to severe pest or disease infestations.

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Feed Your Tomatoes

Tomatoes are heavy feeders and benefit greatly from proper nutrition. Start with a balanced fertilizer when you plant them, and then switch to a phosphorus-rich formula once flowers appear. This helps in developing strong fruit. Avoid over-fertilizing, which can promote leaf growth at the expense of fruit. A steady supply of nutrients tailored to the growth stage of your tomatoes ensures they develop optimally.

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Support Your Plants

As tomato plants grow, they often need support to handle the weight of their fruit. Use stakes, cages, or trellises to keep your plants upright and ensure good air circulation. Supporting your plants helps prevent soil-borne diseases and keeps fruits clean and undamaged. Install supports early to avoid disturbing the roots and stems later on.

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Harvest Timely

Knowing when to pick your tomatoes is key to enjoying their best flavor. Harvest when the fruit is uniformly colored and slightly soft to the touch. If frost threatens before all tomatoes ripen, you can pick them green and allow them to ripen indoors at room temperature. Regular harvesting not only encourages further production but also prevents the fruits from over-ripening on the vine, which can attract pests or lead to rotting.

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Space Out Seedlings

It’s crucial to give your tomato seedlings enough room to thrive. Start by planting two or three seeds per pot. As they grow, keep only the strongest seedling in each pot, snipping away the rest. This ensures that the most robust plant gets all the nutrients and space it needs. Once these select seedlings develop their first true leaves, it’s time to move them into larger pots. This stage is critical for establishing a strong foundation for future growth.

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Stimulate with a Breeze

Tomato plants benefit significantly from a gentle breeze, which strengthens their stems. If you’re kicking off your tomato garden indoors, simulate this natural condition by using a fan to blow on your seedlings for about five to ten minutes several times a day. No fan? No problem! An alternative method is to lightly brush your hands back and forth over the seedlings a few times each day. This manual stimulation promotes sturdier growth.

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Warm Up and Mulch Your Soil

Mulching is essential once the soil has warmed up. It conserves moisture, keeps diseases at bay, and maintains soil warmth. You can use various mulching materials such as straw, shredded leaves, grass clippings, or even plastic. Interestingly, using red plastic mulch can boost fruit yields by up to 20%. Remember, though, that too much mulch can suffocate your plants, so aim for a layer about two to three inches thick.

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Prune for Prosperity

As your tomato plants grow, you’ll notice suckers starting to form at the junctions of the stems. These suckers don’t bear fruit and will only drain energy from the plant. For indeterminate tomato varieties, regularly pinch or cut these suckers. However, if you’re growing determinate tomatoes, avoid pruning as they bear fruit at the branch tips and excessive pruning can decrease your harvest.

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Ripening the Right Way

Ripening tomatoes is largely a waiting game influenced by nature. For indeterminate tomato types, regular pruning might speed up fruiting slightly. These plants usually grow tall and take time to produce fruit. Encouragingly, harvesting ripe tomatoes often stimulates the plant to produce more. For determinate varieties, all tomatoes tend to ripen simultaneously. Be mindful of local weather conditions as they can affect ripening or cause blossom drop, where flowers dry out and fall off before fruiting.

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