7 Amazing Tomato Growing Tips

Growing Tomatoes

Fresh homegrown tomatoes have to be on the list of one of the best things a summer garden has to offer. I think it is absolutely amazing that you can grow your own food on your balcony, in a raised bed, in pots or in a section of your own backyard (or front yard). Growing food is easy. Discover 7 of the best tomato growing tips below to help you increase your harvest.

Tomatoes

Tomatoes in my opinion are one of the easiest and best things to grow in the garden. You can eat them fresh. Can and preserve them, dry them, freeze them and your cooking options are endless. Toss a few fresh tomatoes with olive oil, basil and serve over fresh salad greens or roast your tomatoes and create an amazing homemade pizza sauce.

Tomato Varieties

There are so many different types of tomatoes from roma to beefsteak and everything in between. There is a tomato for everyone. My favorite is an Amish paste tomato. It’s versatile, great in sandwiches, salads and makes an amazing pizza sauce. When picking out tomato plants check and see how much room your plant needs.

Indeterminate Tomatoes

Indeterminate tomato plants will continue to grow in height, vegetation and fruit production until frost. Be prepared to stake or trellis up these types of tomatoes.

Determinate Tomatoes

Determinate tomatoes grow to a determined height, plant width and produce production. Making these types of tomatoes perfect for container gardens and patio planters. There is a tomato plant for everyone.

Planting Tomatoes

Tomatoes like fertile well draining soil with full sun exposure. The secret is to plant your tomatoes deeply and remove the bottom few branches. This promotes more root growth and a healthier plant.

How To Grow Tomatoes

Tomato plants like to planted along side companion plants including basil, lettuce, marigolds, borage and nasturtiums. Tomato plants are relatively easy to grow. They like full sun and to be watered deeply.

Tomato Growing Tips:

Plant tomatoes in full sun
Prune off branch suckers and lower branches of plant
Plant tomato plant deeply in good composted soil
Water tomato plants generously and consistently
When watering, water soil and avoid watering leaves
Add calcium (egg shells) and compost to soil for good growth
Plant several varieties and both indeterminate and determinate

Tomato Plant Care

When growing tomatoes from seed make sure to start your seeds 8-10 weeks before they need to be planted outside. Giving them enough time under a grow light or a south facing window or in a greenhouse to grow properly.

Tomato seedlings need lots of light to grow. A lack of light will cause leggy tomato seedlings (long thin stems). Make sure to harden off your seedlings in the shade or partial sun when putting them outside for the first time.

How To Plant Tomatoes

Tomato seedlings no matter the variety like to be planted deeply in the soil. Pinch off the bottom few branches and plant the seedling so the stem is covered by a few inches. This allows more roots to grow and in turn a healthy more prolific plant.

How To Water Tomatoes

Tomatoes like to watered deeply and consistently. Ensure that you water them on a regular schedule and water well. Avoid watering the leaves when possible to ensure you don’t deal with late season tomato blight (leaf and fruit fungus). Water the ground around the tomato plant in the morning or evening avoid hot afternoon watering.

Best Way To Grow Tomatoes

Tomatoes grow good just about anywhere they get sun. You can grow tomatoes in a pot on the patio. In a raised bed or in the garden. I have even seen people invert them and grow them down from a hanging basket.

Best Way To Plant Tomatoes

The best way to plant tomatoes is deeply with cracked egg shells and good compost. You want good soil that has good drainage.

How To Care For Tomato Plants

Tomato plants are easy to care for. Once planted outdoors ensure a regular watering schedule and harvest your tomatoes when ready. If your tomatoes need trellising do so gently with clips this allows the plant to continue to grow.

Uses For Tomatoes

There is so many uses for fresh homegrown tomatoes. Sliced over a salad or sandwich. Added to soups or other main dish recipes. Or you can preserve them in tomato sauce, pizza sauce, homemade ketchup and stewed tomatoes. Preserving tomatoes into pizza sauce is our favorite way use our abundance of tomatoes besides eating them fresh.

Supplies For Growing Tomatoes

How To Grow Tomatoes At Home

Do not limit yourself. Tomatoes can be grown in a container on your front porch or back patio. Or in your garden next to your flowers. Ensure you choose the right tomato for your space and your needs.

Tomato Plant Care Tips

The biggest mistakes when growing tomatoes are not hardening them off when you place the seedlings outdoors. Tomato plants will do well they just need sometime to adjust to temperatures and weather. Otherwise over watering or not watering enough is a big tomato mistake. Tomato plants like to be watered deeply and consistently. And avoid watering the leaves where possible.

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