10 Top Tips To Grow Tomatoes

How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes is the title of a fantastic book that teaches you to, well, grow tomatoes

We have compiled 10 top tips to grow the juiciest tomatoes in your neighbourhood.

1. If you are going to be growing tomatoes from seeds then space them out and give them plenty of room to branch out. If they are too close they won’t develop so well. Move them to bigger 4″ pots two weeks after they get their first leaves.

2. Provide plenty of light for tomato seedlings. If you don’t have adequate sunlight then they need to be under grow lights for 12-14 hours a day. When it comes to planting put them in the sunniest part of your vegetable patch.

3. Tomato plants grow better when there is a gentle breeze because makes the stems stronger. If you don’t have adequate breeze (in a greenhouse) then gently use an oscillating fan on them for 10-15 minutes a day.

4. Heating the soil prior to planting the seeds gives good results. Cover the soil in black plastics bags for a week or two prior to planting.

5. Bury tomato plants as deep as you can. Tomatoes can grow roots all the way up their stems so planting them deeper allows them to get more nourishment from the soil.

6. Cover the planted area in mulch but wait for the soil to warm up first. Mulching locks the heat and water into the soil an protect the plants from soil based diseases.

7. When your tomatoes get to about 3′ tall remove the lower leaves from the bottom 1″ of the stem. These are the leaves most prone to disease and fungus infections. Spray the bottom remaining leaves with compost tea on a weekly basis to ward of fungus infections.

8. Remove suckers that grow in between the joint of the main stem and a branch. They won’t bear any fruit and just sap energy going to the end of that branch. Thin out other leaves that are causing obstruction but be careful no to over do it.

9. Water regularly. Don’t miss a week and try and make it up as the plant will develop rot and can begin to crack. When the tomatoes are beginning to ripen lessen the watering to get a sweeter tomato.

10. Different types of tomato will ripen at different times. By buying indeterminate types you can get them to fruit earlier by pinching the tops of the main stems in early summer.

There you go. 10 top tips on how to get the best tomatoes for your summer salads.

You can get more tips and tricks on growing juicy tomatoes with this brilliant e-book How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes. It’s a good resource and one that you will want to refer time and time again to get the best out of your tomato growing.

Click here to find out more about How to Grow Juicy Tasty Tomatoes