5 TOMATO GROWING TIPS
Whether you are just starting your first tomato garden or your an old pro at it there are always tips and tricks that can make your effort more successful. Here are 5 tomato growing tips that I have found make a big difference in the health and quality of your tomato plants.
When buying tomato plants always look for plants that have not begun to flower or fruit, that have straight sturdy stems and dark leaves. Also, give them time to harden off before you plant them. Hardening them off will keep from shocking the plants when you transplant them. Wait until the threat of frost has past.
It is important to always plant tomatoes as deep as possible. Since tomatoes will grow roots all along their stem, you can plant them in a trench horizontally, or bury them up to the top four leaves. The extra roots your tomato grows will make a much stronger plant.
Having a stake for your tomatoes to grow on is very important. Since tomatoes are a vine they will not grow upright on their own. If the vines are laying on the ground it will make them more prone to disease and insect attacks. You don’t want to skimp on stakes since your plants will be getting tall and heavy. You should stake the tomatoes when you plant in order that you don’t damage their roots.
Maintaining your tomato plants throughout the growing season is critical. Watering your plants regularly will avoid splitting of the tomatoes, as well as blossom drop. Lessen the amount you are watering your tomato plants once the fruit begins to ripen. By lessening the amount of water tomatoes will concentrate their sugars in the fruit. Be careful to not hold back on the water to much because the plant will wilt and become stressed. Stressing the plant can lead the tomato to drop its blossoms and possibly it’s fruit.
Always prune off any suckers that are growing between the branches. Suckers use energy that could be going into growing a bigger plant. Removing some of the leaves will help the fruit ripen by allowing the sun to reach it. Just make sure that you don’t remove to many leaves. If you remove to many leaves your tomato will suffer since the leaves provide sugars for the roots and fruit.
If you love tomatoes, caring and nurturing your plants will give you higher yields of fruit and make your tomato garden the envy of the neighborhood! These are just a few tomato growing tips I hope will help you have your best tomato crop ever.
