Tricks for Growing Tons of Tomatoes!

Some knowledge is needed to grow tomatoes well, to avoid making common mistakes. Here are our top tips to grow a lot of tomatoes without any problems!

1. Did You Choose the Right Variety?

You will need to grow varieties of plants that can survive in your climate. For regions with shorter growing seasons, choose cool-climate varieties. For very warm regions, choose hot-climate varieties.

Some tomatoes are more resistant to disease than others, so look for a variety of descriptions that guarantee resistance to diseases such as blight. Look for types of produce that mature quickly, have high yields, and taste great.

Let’s review four criteria:

If you live in a cooler, northern climate, your tomatoes may not have enough time to turn red. Look for varieties that can prosper in cool climates and have short seasons, like ‘Early Girl’ (which only takes 50 days to mature after planting). Most other short-season varieties will be cherry tomatoes. There are certain types of tomatoes that can better withstand hot weather, making them ideal for gardens in southern regions. These varieties include ‘Heatmaster' and ‘Arkansas Traveler.'

Type of tomato: Do you want tomatoes for pasta and sauce? Or, a great slicer? Or bite-sized? The flesh of plum, or “paste” tomatoes make them ideal for sauces. Beefsteaks are usually large and thick, and are thus good for dishes such as salads and burgers, where their size and juiciness can be appreciated. Cherry tomatoes are delicious and make great snacks for kids!

Growing habit: Tomatoes are either determinate or indeterminate. Make sure you know the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes, and remember that indeterminate tomatoes need to be staked early to prevent disease.

• Determinate or “bush” varieties stop growing at about 3 feet tall. These compact plants fruit all at once, and tend to be good for making sauce or canning (when you’d want a lot of tomatoes all at once). Most bush tomatoes like a cage and some are well suited to pots.
• Indeterminate varieties will keep on producing fruit throughout the season until the plant is killed by frost. These plants get quite large and will need definitely some kind of tall supports (at least 5 feet) so stake, or cage plants early. If fruit and foliage sprawl across the ground, they will be more prone to disease, and your harvest will be affected. Indeterminates are great for salads and sandwiches since they produce fewer fruits at a time, but for a longer period of time.

The letters that follow a tomato's name usually indicate that the plant is resistant to certain diseases. You should take extra care to notice these letters if you have previously contracted one of these diseases in a similar climate. Blight-resistant tomatoes are a good option if you live in an area with a temperate climate and high levels of moisture. Some examples of hybrid flowers are “Iron Lady,” “Defiant,” “Mountain Magic,” “Mountain Merit,” and “Jasper.” Heirloom examples are ‘Lemon Drop’, ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’, and ‘Mr. Stripey’ (also called ‘Tigerella’). ‘Jasper’ is a tasty red cherry.

2. Did You Provide Heat and Sunshine?

Tomatoes are heat lovers. The plants can be killed by a late frost. Do not put tomatoes in the ground too early because they might die from the cold weather. Your soil temperature must be consistently over 60 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (15 to 18°C) for your plants to grow properly. The soil should be warm a couple of weeks before you plant. If you are still unsure, protect seedlings from the cold with sheets or row covers.

Tomates LOVE sunshine! A position in full sun is best for most areas, though in a hot climate you can get away with dappled shade.

• If you are planting from seeds. If you are seeding yourself, it is critical to provide strong, direct light. (Note: If it’s after your frost date, it’s too late to sow tomatoes from seed. Buy transplants instead.) For seeding and young seedlings, northern gardeners should use grow lights 14 to 18 hours a day to provide an early boost and promote upright growth. Without enough light, your plants will be spindly and not have a good start to life. 
• Planting seedlings or transplants in the ground. If your seedlings were grown indoors or in a greenhouse, do not just go outside and set them in the cool ground. Outdoor tomatoes will first need acclimatizing to outside conditions to avoid cold shock. If the plants have been inside a greenhouse, harden them off over a period of two weeks. Begin by leaving plants outside for just a couple of hours a day then gradually increase the length of time they spend outside, avoiding windy days. Bring plants under cover if temperatures threaten to drop below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4°C). Plant outside only after all danger of frost has passed.

The best place to plant something in the ground is in a spot that gets a lot of sun throughout the day. Tomatoes need sunlight just like they need water, and they'll produce more fruit if they get enough of it! Tomatoes need space to grow so they get enough sunlight. Plant seedlings 30 to 48 inches apart, and set rows 48 inches apart.

3. Did You Provide The Right Growing Conditions?

• Add plenty of organic matter in advance of planting. Quality garden compost or well-rotted manure applied lavishly, can supply enough nutrients to last the entire season, and will help with retaining moisture—a lifesaver during the heat of summer! Two weeks before planting your tomato plants outdoors, beef up that soil! Dig into the soil about 1 foot deep and mix in aged manure or compost. 
• Tomato plants also need space – not only to reach their full potential but to encourage a good flow of air between plants, which should help to reduce the threat of disease. In most cases, this means leaving at least two feet (60cm) between plants.
• Finally: Don’t plant tomatoes in a garden bed that’s grown in the same plant family (for instance, potatoes, eggplants, or peppers) within the past two years.

4. Did You Plant Deeply and Provide Support?

Most plants need to be planted at the same depth as they were growing as a seedling or young plant. But not tomatoes! When planting tomatoes, bury the plant up to the bottom few leaves. This will help the plant grow deeper roots. Tomatoes grow best when their stems are buried deep in the soil, so this trick helps them develop stronger roots.

Tomatoes can be planted deeper because they can produce new roots anywhere along their stems. By planting the roots of the plant deeper into the ground, we can create a stronger and more resilient plant that is more likely to thrive. When moving your seedlings into their own pots, make sure to bury them deep, up to their lowest leaves. The same goes for when you plant them in their final growing spot. Do not hesitate to plant your flowers deeply in the ground or to trim off a few of the lower branches if necessary. You'll get better plants by doing the opposite of what your instincts tell you.

Use leggy transplants to create a trench. Lay the stem of the plant sideways and gently bend it upward. Cut off the lower branches and cover the stem with soil up to the first set of leaves. This extra root growth will make the plant stronger and more resilient.

Planting deeply is not ideal because it does not offer enough support for grow bags and other shallow containers. For best results when using grow bags, buy bigger bags that are well-filled and plant only one or two tomatoes per bag, depending on its volume. Add an extra depth of potting mix using a special planting ring or by pushing in a wide pot with the bottom cut off it.

Tomato plants naturally sprawl. One reason why plants have roots coming from their stems is so they can touch more of the soil to get more moisture and nutrients to grow. Fruits that are left touching the ground will quickly spoil, so we train them to grow off the ground.

Stakes may be sufficient for determinate or bush types of tomatoes, which don't grow as tall. Indeterminate or vine tomatoes need support the entire length of the plant and usually need to be tied up regularly. To support these plants, use strong bamboo canes, garden twine stretched taut, or tall tomato cages.

5. Did You Mulch Your Tomatoes?

Don’t forget to add a blanket of mulch! Tomatoes love water, and mulching helps conserve moisture and keep soil-borne disease spores from being splashed up onto the plants. There are many different types of mulch that can be used such as shredded pine bark, straw, shredded leaves, grass clippings, composted leaves, or even a thick layer of newspaper. Interestingly, red plastic has been shown to increase tomato production by 12 to 20%.

6. Did You Remove Leaves and Suckers?

This is a debated question: to pinch or not to pinch? Tomatoes have suckers that form between the main stalk and the side branches during their early growth.

• You definitely do not want to pinch determinate (bush) varieties or you will have only a few fruit clusters. Since determinates bear fruit only on the ends of their branches, never clip them off, or you won’t get any fruit at all!
• However, most gardeners do pinch indeterminate tomatoes (the type that keeps growing). You can pinch out the side-shoots or suckers when they are young and tender. The best time is first thing in the morning when the plant is turgid. Just snap them off with your fingers. 

There are benefits to pinching off stems on a weekly basis which include one or two suckers growing to become leaders with their own leaves, flowers, and fruit. Some experts, such as Mel Bartholomew, who invented Square Foot Gardening, advocate for the removal of all suckers. While many sources suggest removing lower suckers and older leaves from the bottom of the stem, it's ultimately up to the grower to decide what to do with them. This reduced the amount of fungus because the leaves are usually shaded by the other leaves on the plant and are closest to the ground. Regularly spraying with compost tea can help stop fungal diseases.

The cons to pinching: The tomatoes on pinched plants are larger and the plants bear earlier, but there are fewer tomatoes overall. Too much pruning can cause sunscald, which is a yellow, sunburned patch that eventually forms blisters. Plants that aren't pruned will yield about twice as much fruit, but it'll take longer for the fruit to ripen. Pruning also affects flavor. A plant with more foliage is producing more sugar in its fruit through photosynthesis. The excess leaves shading the fruit help to keep it cool and improve the flavor.

How to Prune Tomato Plants

Pruning your tomato plants when they are young will help them grow better.

I typically start my tomato plants indoors when they are young, and transplant them into my garden once they have grown to be 12-15 inches tall. The goal is to have a healthy plant that produces a lot of fruit. A little preventative maintenance can go a long way.

Pinch Off the First Set of Blossoms

If your tomatoes have blossoms when you transplant them into the ground, pinch them off.

Pinching the blossoms off the plant may seem like it would hinder the plant's ability to produce fruit, but it's actually helpful. If your plants are trying to set fruit when you first put them in the ground, they will not be able to grow deep roots. Pinching the blossoms will allow for a better harvest because the plant will have a stronger root system.

Trim Off Anything that Touches the Ground

Any branches with leaves touching the ground need to be trimmed off.

Leaves touching the ground are more likely to get diseases and fungal infections because they can get splashback from rain and watering, which keeps the leaves moist.

Low-hanging leaves are more accessible to insects, so removing them helps to prevent insect damage.

Remove the Suckers

Tomato suckers can be found in the area where the main stalk and leaf stems meet. This area is often referred to as the “armpit” of the plant. Locate the suckers and trim them off.

If you do not trim the tomato plant, it will become very bushy with many thick stems that produce numerous flowers.

Big, bushy plants restrict airflow. The plant will hold moisture which can make it sick.

Clean Up the Clippings

After trimming your plant, be sure to clean up any leaves, stems, or suckers that you've removed. Do not leave them lying around your plants. You can compost healthy leaves that don't have spots or brown curled leaves.

If you notice any signs that the fruit is diseased, throw it away in the garbage. Do not add them to your compost pile if they are diseased as this can spread the disease and ruin your tomato crop for years to come.

Continue Pruning

As the plant grows taller, cut off the lower leaves and the suckers every few days.

This is a good indication that the lower leaves need to be removed when they begin to turn yellow. The leaves that are turning yellow are not producing photosynthesis anymore and are becoming a burden on the plant.

This is a good opportunity to train your tomatoes to climb your trellis. I use cattle panels suspended about 18 to 20 inches above the ground for tomato trellises. The lower 18 to 20 inches of the tomato plants will eventually be trimmed off.