grow tomatoes in your backyard can be a rewarding experience for any nurseryman . However , it can also be a frustrative one if your plant do n’t farm the staring tomatoes you were skip for .
To aid you accomplish the perfect harvest , here are 13 essential tips to help you accomplish a bountiful and delicious tomato harvest this season .
1. Choose the Right Tomato Variety
take the right tomato variety is the first step towards a successful harvesting .
Determinate vs. Indeterminate
tomato plant plant can be classified as determinate or indeterminate . Determinate plants arise to a certain top and then block , while undetermined plants proceed to grow and produce fruit until the first frost .
Determinate plants are ideal for modest gardens or containers , while indeterminate plant are better become for tumid garden .
Heirloom vs. Hybrid
Heirloom tomatoes are open - pollinate varieties that have been passed down through generations and have a unparalleled sapidity .
Hybrid love apple , on the other hand , are created by cross - cover two different tomato plant varieties to bring forth a plant with desirable trait such as disease resistance or higher yield .
While heirloom tomatoes are known for their flavor , crossbreed tomatoes are often more reliable and easier to grow .
Cherry vs. Beefsteak
Cherry Lycopersicon esculentum are small , angelical , and unadulterated for snacking or add up to salads . Beefsteak tomatoes , on the other handwriting , are large and meaty , make them ideal for slicing and using in sandwich or on burgers .
Both motley are delicious and can be farm in the same garden .
By empathize the different tomato plant mixture available , you’re able to choose the single that are best suited for your garden and your taste preferences .
Whether you prefer heirloom or hybrid , cherry or beefsteak , there is a tomato variety out there that will help you grow the utter tomatoes in your backyard .
2. Use Big Pots for Containers
tomato have extensive root systems and want ample space to grow . If you ’re planting in containers , employ at least a 5 - congius pot with salutary drain .
Avoid black container , which can overheat , and opt for plastic or fibreglass to maintain wet levels better than mud passel .
3. Ensure Plenty of Sunlight
Tomatoes are sun - loving plants . They require a minimum of six to eight hours of lineal sunlight day by day . If produce indoors , provide 14 - 18 hours of artificial luminousness .
Outdoors , opt a gay spot in your garden to ensure robust development and yield output .
If your backyard is shaded , look at growing Lycopersicon esculentum in containers that can be moved to sunnier locations .
4. Maintain Good Air Circulation
Proper air circulation is essential to prevent diseases and encourage strong stem growth . Indoors , use a buff to create gentle airflow .
Outdoors , spacing plants adequately and stake them helps maintain airflow .
But tomatoes need protection from strong winds that can damage the plants and knock off yield . Choose a emplacement that is sheltered from strong winds , or believe using stakes or cage to back the plants .
5. Prepare Healthy Soil
Lycopersicon esculentum grow best in well - drain soil that is rich in organic matter . Test the stain pH and improve the soil as needed to see to it a pH of 6.0 - 6.8 .
Amend the soil with compost to meliorate fertility and social structure . Consider side - dressing with compost midseason and using a love apple - specific fertiliser bi - weekly .
Avoid planting tomatoes in soil that has been used to grow tomatoes , black pepper , or eggplants in the retiring 2 - 3 years , as these plants are susceptible to the same disease .
6. Plant at the Right Time
Timing is crucial for tomato planting . expect until the peril of hoarfrost has passed and stain temperatures reach at least 60 ° fluorine .
night temperature should stay above 50 ° F . Harden off seedlings bit by bit by exposing them to outdoor condition before embed .
7. Plant Deeply
tomato profit from being planted deeply . Bury the plant life up to the top few leaves to encourage the development of a strong origin system . This can be done by digging a inscrutable golf hole or laying the plant sideways in a trench .
8. Water Deeply and Consistently
To grow the pure tomatoes in your backyard , proper tearing strategies are crucial . Overwatering or underwatering can harm the plant ’s growth and shorten the yield . Here are some watering peak to help you achieve tidy tomato industrial plant .
Consistent Watering Schedule
tomato require logical watering to thrive . A regular watering schedule is of the essence to keep up the soil ’s wet stage and preventing strain on the industrial plant . It ’s recommend to water supply Lycopersicon esculentum plants profoundly once or twice a workweek , calculate on the weather circumstance .
Watering Techniques
water the plant ’s base is the most efficient way to render weewee to the roots . head off getting water on the leave of absence , as it can head to fungous disease . Additionally , using a trickle irrigation arrangement or soaker hose can aid conserve H2O and prevent filth erosion .
Watering Amount
The amount of water your tomato plant take count on various factors such as the industrial plant size , conditions , and soil type .
As a general rule of thumb , tomato plants need about one column inch of water per week . However , it ’s essential to monitor the filth wet level and adjust the lacrimation amount consequently .
Soil Moisture Level
To square off the soil moisture level , stick your finger about two inches late into the soil . If the dirt feels dry , it ’s time to irrigate the plant life . If the soil feel moist , look a day or two before water again . Overwatering can make base hogwash , while underwatering can run to limp farewell and reduced output .
By following these tearing strategy , you could ensure healthy development and a bountiful harvest home of perfect tomatoes in your backyard .
9. Mulch to Retain Moisture
Once filth temperatures have warmed , apply mulch around your tomato plant life . Mulching helps keep wet , reduce soil - borne disease , and regulate soil temperature . Organic mulch like straw or wood chips are excellent choices .
10. Avoid Crowding Seedlings
Give tomato seedling ample blank space to grow . Overcrowding can lead to disease and inhibited growth . Transplant seedling into larger pots once they have their first true leaves and thin them out to see to it each plant has enough distance .
11. Provide Adequate Support
Tomato plants require support to keep them erect and hefty . Use John Cage , stakes , or trellises to support the plant as they grow . This prevents the yield from touching the terra firma , reducing the risk of disease and pests .
12. Prune Lower Leaves and Suckers
Once plant reach 2 - 3 foot tall , remove the lower leaves to prevent fungal diseases . Prune suckers ( humble shoot that form in the crotch joint of two branches ) to direct the flora ’s energy towards yield production . This can also be an chance to disperse new plants from the chump .
13. Monitor for Pests and Diseases
Regularly visit your tomato plants for signal of blighter and diseases . Common issue let in aphid , tomato hornworms , and blight . Use organic plague controller methods like neem oil or insecticidal soap , and use harvest revolution to prevent disease buildup in the soil .
Bonus Tips for Harvesting and Storing Tomatoes
Harvesting : Pick love apple when they are fully gloss and firm . They should come off the plant easy . For partly advanced tomatoes , place them in a paper travelling bag at elbow room temperature to finish ripen .
store : Store to the full good tomato in the icebox for 2 - 3 24-hour interval , but let them come to board temperature before eating for the best savour . Green tomatoes can be used in recipe if they do n’t mature .
By pursue these 13 secrets , you may enjoy a bountiful harvest of perfect tomatoes from your backyard .
